Squashbanzo Soup

This weekend was absolutely gorgeous. The kind of North Carolina weather that makes visitors decide to put down roots. The beautiful weather came a little early, though I suspect this was just a small taste, and we’ll be back to normal sweltering for a few more weeks. Regardless of what Mother Earth brings next, this cool sunshine was a reminder that… drumroll, please… fall is on its way!!

As a kid, summer used to be my favorite season – duh. But as an adult, fall is where it’s at. Nice weather, awesome fashion, delicious food and warm drinks, great traveling. Plus, fall is when the BF and I celebrate our anniversary, so I’m typically reminiscing about falling in love back when we were in college (awwww). And this fall, we’ll celebrate our first wedding anniversary, so I’m looking forward to that.

This summer seemed to go rather quickly, and we have a few fun trips coming up that I think will keep things speeding along. And since I was in the mood to celebrate fall, even if it isn’t here yet, I spent a little time in the kitchen yesterday making this soup. Between the squash and the warm autumn/winter spices, it certainly tastes like fall come early.

I found a recipe for a curried squash soup I thought about trying, but I already shared a curry vegetable soup with you, and I wasn’t in the mood for curry anyway. So I played around with the spices and opted for a more wintry flavor profile. It reminds me of pumpkin bread or chai latte. I also wanted to make this soup a little more substantial so it could be a meal on its own, so I added in some garbanzo beans. Hence the name: squash + garbanzo = squashbanzo. (It seemed like a better name than garsh soup).

This soup is healthy, light, but filling enough to make a meal. The spices certainly fit well on a cold night, but overall, the flavors are light enough and delicious enough to make it enjoyable year-round. Plus, it’s a great way to use up all that summer squash that’s flooding the farmer’s market and our CSA box. Give it a try!

Squashbanzo Soup adapted from Bon Appetit

1 1/2 large summer squash, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 tablespoons olive oil

Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the squash, onion, garlic, and spices. Cook until tender, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the garbanzo beans and chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until very tender, about 25 minutes.

Puree until smooth using an immersion blender or by transferring to a blender or food processor and pureeing in batches.

Just before serving, swirl in a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt and crumble walnuts over top.

Linking up With:

Funday Monday from Still Being Molly and Lipgloss and Crayons
Market Yourself Monday from Sumo’s Sweet Stuff
Made by you Monday from Skip to my Lou
Time to Sparkle from Love Grows Wild, Inside BruCrew Life, The Recipe Critic, and The Gunny Sack
Create It Thursday from Lamberts Lately
All Things Pretty from Sparkles and a Stove and My Fashion Forward Blog