Ina Garten Adds A Kick To Butternut Squash Soup With One Ingredient

Aside from the coveted pumpkin spice latte and cinnamon-kissed apple pies, butternut squash is another quintessential fall food that embodies the spirit of cooler, shorter days and the pre-holiday season calm. Although roasted butternut squash is an excellent side dish for plating alongside hearty meats or mixing into harvest bowls, butternut squash soup is the coziest spoonable dish of the autumn season. Because preparing this luxurious soup is relatively easy, there's plenty of room to zhuzh it up, and why not look to the pros for a little inspiration? Ina Garten, for example, adds a dash of curry powder to her butternut squash soup for a simple but transformative layer of flavor you won't find in other recipes.

Typically made with a warming blend of earthy spices like fragrant cumin, aromatic coriander, peppery turmeric, toasty cinnamon, and zingy ginger, Indian curry powder highlights the butterscotch sweetness of the squash while providing a subtle layer of umami-tinted fire to give it depth and complexity. Although Garten makes her butternut squash soup with fresh apples and relies on water and cider rather than broth, the curry powder works well with many variations of the soup, giving you room to freestyle and imbue the dish with your own special flair. The Barefoot Contessa adds just 2 tablespoons of curry powder to her soup, so a little bit goes a long way, and you can save the rest for a chicken biryani platter, a pot of lentil stew, or a flavor-forward meat marinade.

Although you'll find many of the same spices and herbs in most curry powder varieties, not all blends are made equally. Consider some of the key differences before selecting one to introduce to your favorite butternut squash soup recipe.

Warming and cozy, garam masala is your best bet for a butternut squash soup pick-me-up. Commonly made with cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, bay leaves, cumin, and black pepper, garam masala flaunts many of the classic fall flavors that marry well with the gentle sweetness of butternut squash. For extra heat, madras curry powder features a blend of chili peppers, turmeric, and fenugreek for a spicy punch that's equal parts fiery and musky — perfect for those who need a bigger and bolder curry powder taste. Tandoori masala is often used in marinades and typically includes paprika, which can provide a smoky taste to butternut squash soup. Although most jars at non-specialty supermarkets will be labeled "curry powder," they should have a list of ingredients on the back.

Although Thai curry powder is teeming with bright flavors, the ingredients that go into it are much different than Indian varieties. Thai curry powders tend to include citrusy, minty notes with lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves — zippy flavors that would clash with the cozy, grounding taste of butternut squash soup.

Once you introduce Indian curry powder to butternut squash soup, you'll never make it the same way again. Try pairing it with a pumpkin spice-rimmed cocktail for a certified fall feast.