Summer Squash Bisque

A full-bodied soup that is a meal in itself. Creamy and luscious with a nice kick of cayenne, this soup ranks very high in my book!

At the end of the day you want something delicious and wholesome for your family. You also do not want to spend hours preparing and cooking, nor do you want expensive because it may not be in your budget. This Summer Squash Bisque meets all that criteria. From start to finish, this bisque takes about an hour and it's not expensive.

I am giving myself a pat on the back for this one ~ this recipe I mean. It is packed with flavor and has a gentle heat that hits the back of your throat from the cayenne. Another good aspect is that you puree all the vegetables and it is a great way to get your kids to eat vegetables without them knowing what's in it. The bisque contains summer squash (I used yellow), carrots and potatoes and when you puree it, it comes out this beautiful color from the carrots and the paprika.

Our yellow summer squash is coming in droves so I decided to make soup. You could make this with zucchini as well. There's enough for 6-8 portions and it doesn't cost a lot to put this together, especially if you have your own garden squash. My cost for everything the soup came to approximately $5.24.

• 4 cups yellow squash - peeled and diced (remove seeds from larger squash)
• 1 cup carrots - peeled and sliced
• 1 large baking potato - peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup onion - small dice
• 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (or a tad less)
• pinch of nutmeg

1. In a stock pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add in the diced onion. Stir and cook for a few minutes until wilted. Add in the flour and keep stirring for a couple of minutes to work out the flour taste. (You are making the base for a roux.)
2. Turn the heat down to medium low and slowly add in the broth whisking well to incorporate.
3. Then, add in the diced potatoes and carrots and stir well. Add in the diced squash and stir.
4. Next add in the salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne and nutmeg and give a good stir.
5. Bring to a boil and cook on low for about 30 minutes until everything is nice and tender.
6. Use a hand held blender or transfer the mixture to a stand blender and puree in batches. Puree with some texture or until very smooth - your choice.
7. Return all to the pot and keep on low heat.
8. Adjust for seasoning and add in the cream. Mix well. Serve in bowls with toasted bread or croutons for added texture.

Serve Summer Squash Bisque at your next dinner party and wow your guests!

Other DELICIOUS SOUP RECIPES you may enjoy:

New England Clam Chowder
This is the most delicious creamy chowder. It's chock full of clams and clam flavor and it's so decadent and creamy!

Baked Potato Soup
My husband adores my baked potato soup and so does anyone whose tried it. Rich, decadent, creamy and just utterly out of this world good!