Amazon Bean Soup with Winter Squash and Greens

Amazon Bean Soup with Winter Squash & Greens

Shaped like a flattened drum, buttercup squash most closely resembles the local squash used in this comforting hearty soup from northern Brazil. It has a dark green peel, a grayish turban-shaped top and dense orange flesh. Hubbard, butternut or delicata squashes could also be used. Instead of the lip-numbing Brazilian green jambu, we have used spinach. For a more festive look, serve in a roasted squash half (see Tip).

Nutirion Profile: Diabetes Appropriate Gluten Free Diet Healthy Weight Heart Healthy High Fiber High Potassium Low Calorie Low Cholesterol Low Sat Fat

SERVES PREP TIME TOTAL TIME
8 40 min 1 hr 10 min

Directions

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 pounds buttercup squash, peeled and diced (about 6 cups)
  • 1 plum tomato, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 2 15-ounce c pinto or other brown beans, rinsed
  • 10 ounces spinach, stemmed and coarsely chopped
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges

Cooking Instruction

Step 1

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic, carrots and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add broth and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add squash, tomato, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the squash is very soft and almost breaking apart, about 20 minutes.

Step 2

Transfer 3 cups of the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Return the pureed soup to the pot. Stir in beans and spinach and cook over medium heat until the beans are heated through and the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.


Nutrition

  • Serving: Per serving
  • Calories: 223
  • Carbohydrates: 43g
  • Fat: 3g
  • Protein: 11g
  • Dietary Fiber: 10g
  • Saturated Fat: 2g
  • Monounsaturated Fat: 0g
  • Cholesterol: 8mg
  • Potassium: 927mg
  • Sodium: 310mg
  • Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable, 1 lean meat
  • Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Recipe