I think the trick to a really good soup is a well-seasoned soup and by that, I mean well-salted soup. To really bring out the flavor of the ingredients, I add a pinch or two of salt after each new addition. You’ll also want to continually taste the soup as you’re cooking it so that you can adjust seasonings as needed.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients for the soup

• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 2 or 3 jalapeños or Serrano peppers, minced 
• 1 small stalk of celery, diced  
• 2 red bell peppers, diced
• 2 teaspoons of cumin 
• 1 tablespoon of freshly minced thyme 
• 1 cup of veggie broth
• 1 15 oz of canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• Butternut squash soup, carton or homemade (see note)
• 2 cups of frozen corn, thawed 
• 1 bunch of cilantro, finely minced 
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper 

Directions

1. Heat a couple of tablespoons of Olive oil in a large pot (I use a Dutch oven) over medium to low heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until starting to become transulcent. Then add the jalapeños or Serranos and the garlic for about 3 to 5 minutes more, making sure that the garlic doesn’t burn.
2. Add the cumin and thyme and stir, allowing the spices to briefly toast. Then add the bell peppers and celery, and another good pinch of salt. Cook for a few more minutes, until the veggies are starting to get tender.
3. Stir in the veggie broth, butternut squash soup and cover with a lid. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
4. Add in the beans, corn, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Give a good mix and then simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes more to blend the flavors together. Stir in the cilantro and taste for seasonings.

Ingredients for butternut squash soup  

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1 head of garlic 
• Olive oil 
• Water
• Kosher salt

Directions

1. Heat your oven to 425. 
2. Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Add it to a parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle olive oil and salt all over the squash. 
3. Cut a head of garlic in half and wrap it in foil with a little bit of olive oil and salt. 
4. Roast for about 45 minutes to an hour or until the butternut squash is nice and tender. 
5. Scoop out the flesh of the butternut squash and add it to a blender, along with the roasted garlic, and 2 to 3 cups of water. 
6. Blend and taste for seasoning. I usually add more salt.

Notes

• You can find a carton (1 quart or 4 cups) of butternut squash soup at most grocery stores. If you’d like to make your own, I’ve included the directions above for how to do so. One thing to note is that the soup will be thicker if you make your own, since it will have less broth. You can add more veggie stock to make up for the difference or leave it as is. We prefer a thicker soup, so I often make the butternut squash soup and still only add 1 cup of veggie broth.