When mother Gothel wants to give Rapunzel a treat, she makes her favorite meal — Hazelnut soup. This wholesome squash soup, topped with roasted hazelnuts, is sure to be a favorite in your home.
If you’re hosting a Tangled-themed party, this soup is a crowd-pleaser, especially if you set up a soup “bar” with lots of tasty toppings like chives, bacon bits, and chopped hazelnuts!
Rapunzel’s Squash & Hazelnut Soup
Ingredients
- 2 lb butternut squash, seeded and cut into 6 sections
- 1 lb parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 green apple, peeled, cored, and quartered
- 1 medium brown onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cups of chicken stock, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- 1 cup raw hazelnuts (for topping)
Directions
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For Soup: Preheat oven to 400° F Line a baking dish with parchment paper and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil on top.
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Arrange butternut squash in the baking dish, skin side up. Scatter chopped parsnip and apple quarters around the squash. Top with a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Pour a quarter cup of water into the baking dish.
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Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes, or until a knife slides easily through the skin of the squash.
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Remove the baking dish from the oven and throw away the sprigs of thyme. Set aside to cool.
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Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium low heat. Add thinly sliced onion and half a teaspoon of salt to the pan and sauté slowly about 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft and translucent, but not browned. Turn off the heat.
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When squash is cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to peel the skin from the butternut squash, discarding the skins. Place the peeled squash into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse into a smooth purée, about 20 seconds. Pour purée into a large stockpot or Dutch oven.
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Place roasted parsnips, apple and sautéed onion into the bowl of the food processor. Add 1 cup of the chicken stock. Purée 20-30 seconds, or until smooth. If the purée is too dry, thin it using an additional half cup of chicken stock. Note: Do not fill a food processor more than half full with hot liquids. Doing so could result in the top or bottom of the food processor bowl blowing off due to pressure.
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Add puréed parsnip and onion mixture to the squash in the stockpot. Add the remaining chicken stock to the pot and raise the heat to medium high. Bring soup to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer.
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While soup is simmering add a half teaspoon of ground cumin, as well as salt and white pepper to taste. Before serving, stir in a half cup of heavy cream
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To Roast Hazelnuts: Preheat oven to 275° F Place 1 cup of raw Hazelnuts on a parchment lined baking sheet.
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Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until the hazelnut skins burst.
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Remove from oven and let cool. When cool enough to handle, roll hazelnuts between paper towels to remove skins. Place skinless hazelnuts into a small plastic bag and crush using a rolling pin.
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Serve soup in bowls or insulated cups and top with the crushed roasted hazelnuts.
