Black Bean and Butternut Squash Soup

I know it’s spring, but I thought I’d give winter squash one last hurrah before I retire it until next year. If you have read my other posts you know that my kids love soup and I make it a lot. It is an easy meal, especially when you can do most of it in a crockpot. I’ve never tried cooking squash in the crockpot before but I will have to try it sometime to test if you can do this entire meal in the crockpot. I also switched up the spice blend I used in this soup, which gave it a sweet smoky flavor that everyone liked. Grab a butternut squash before they are off the shelves and let me know what you think of this soup.

BLACK BEAN & BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 CUP DRY BLACK BEANS (216G)

4 CUPS WATER

5 CUPS CUBED BUTTERNUT SQUASH (25.8 OZ)

OLIVE OIL SPRAY

1 CUP CHOPPED ONION (4 OZ)

1 1/2 TBSP CHOPPED GARLIC

1 1/3 CUP CHOPPED CARROTS

2 1/8 CUP CHOPPED ZUCCHINI 

1 TBSP OLIVE OIL

2 TSP CUMIN

2 TSP PARSLEY

2 TSP PAPRIKA

1/4 TSP BLACK PEPPER

1/4 TSP CAYENNE PEPPER

1/4 TSP SALT 

1 LARGE CAN CRUSHED TOMATOES (280Z) 

DIRECTIONS:

START BY PUTTING THE DRY BLACK BEANS IN THE CROCKPOT WITH FOUR CUPS OF WATER. COOK ON HIGH FOR 3-4 HOURS OR UNTIL TENDER. WHILE BEANS ARE COOKING PREHEAT YOUR OVEN TO 400 DEGREES FARENHEIT. WASH AND PEEL THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH. CUT THE TOP AND BOTTOM END OFF TO MAKE CUTTING OFF THE SKIN OF THE SQUASH EASIER. LIGHTLY GREASE A GLASS PAN WITH THE OLIVE OIL SPRAY. CUT THE SQUASH INTO CUBES AND BAKE FOR 35- 40 MINUTES OR UNTIL SOFT. WHILE SQUASH IS IN THE OVEN, HEAT A LARGE POT WITH THE OIL ON MEDIUM HEAT. SAUTÉ THE ONION AND GARLIC UNTIL ONIONS ARE TRANSLUCENT. ADD THE CARROTS, ZUCCHINI AND SPICES. SAUTÉ UNTIL TENDER. ADD THE BEANS TO THE POT, AS WELL AS THE WATER THAT THEY COOKED IN. ADD THE CAN OF CRUSHED TOMATOES. ONCE ALL INCORPORATED, MIX IN THE SQUASH. SERVE IMMEDIATELY.