Honeynut Squash Brothy Beans

These brothy beans are a mixture between saucy beans and a really hearty vegetable stew – but the main thing about honeynut brothy beans, is they are slightly spicy, slightly sweet, but still so incredibly nourishing. While these beans boast so many layers of flavor, I could still eat them at every meal. They are filling, they hit every food group, and they are insanely comforting. If you are looking for a way to use up a honeynut squash, or if you are looking for an easy, cozy and exciting soup, this recipe has you covered!

What is a honeynut squash?

A honeynut squash is kind of a magical ingredient. It was made between Michael Mazourek, an associate professor in Plant Breeding and Genetics at Cornell University, and Dan Barber, chef and co-owner of the restaurant Blue Hill Farm. They genetically bred the honeynut squash to be a smaller, sweeter version of the butternut squash, with a much more intense flavor. In a way, the honeynut squash is a miracle of nature.

Honeynuts are often described as sweet, soft and subtly nutty. But besides being packed with flavor, they are also packed with nutrition. They are estimated to have twice the beta-carotene of an equal amount of butternut squash, plus they are also a great source of vitamin A.

For such a tiny veg, they are exactly what I want to be sliding into my soups all season long.

Ingredients you will need for these honeynut squash brothy beans

This full list will look like your standard vegetable soup ingredients, and that’s because this is truly a soup version of brothy beans at heart. You’ll see one or two *extra* ingredients though, and those are what really make these honeynut squash brothy beans sing. Here is everything you will need:

• 1 honeynut squash
• 1 small head of garlic
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more as needed
• 2 cups brussel sprouts
• 1 large white onion
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, stems removed
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, stems removed
• 1 tbsp Calabrian chili paste or Italian red pepper paste
• 1 15 oz. can butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• Kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper as needed

Optional, but really delicious

• 1/4 cup dry white wine

How to make these honeynut squash brothy beans

This recipe follows a very easy soup-process. I start by cooking the brussel sprouts for the garnish, but you can totally skip this if you are in a rush! Here is the full step-by-step breakdown of how to make this honeynut squash soup:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Cut the honeynut squash in half, remove the seeds, and place it face-down on a parchment lined baking sheet.
• Cut the top off of the garlic head and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Wrap tightly in foil and add it to the baking sheet.
• Roast the squash and the garlic for 30 minutes at 400°F or until the squash is very soft.
• While the squash is roasting, thinly slice the onion, thinly slice the brussel sprouts, and roughly chop the thyme and rosemary. Keep all of these separate and set them aside.
• When the squash is out of the oven, scoop it add it to a blender with the vegetable stock. Squeeze in the garlic cloves. Blend until a smooth “honeynut broth” forms. Set this aside.
• Put a large pot or sauté pan on medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pan and add in half of the brussel sprouts. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the brussel sprouts are starting to slightly charr on the edges, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside for plating.
• Add another glug of olive oil to the pan and add in the onions. Stir to coat them in the oil and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add in the rosemary and thyme, season with salt and pepper to taste and stir.
• If you are choosing to use it, add in the white wine and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes or until the alcohol has cooked off. This adds a gentle acidity to the soup that is just delicious, but totally optional.
• Add in the Calabrian chili paste and stir to coat everything in it. Add in the butter beans and stir, cooking another 1-2 minutes.
• Pour in the honeynut broth and stir to combine, let everything come to a gentle simmer.
• When the broth is simmering, add in the remaining uncooked brussel sprouts. Cover and let the soup simmer an additional 15 minutes.
• *I choose to add the brussel sprouts at this step so that they maintain some color and texture, even as they cook through. It makes such a difference!
• Season the soup with salt and pepper as needed, and add a dash of red wine vinegar right before removing it from the heat.
• To serve, generously portion into 4 bowls, top with the charred brussel sprout shreds and eat with either crusty bread or warm rice.

FAQ

Looking for similar recipes?

The reason I love beans is for their versatility, no matter what, you can always call beans a full meal. Here are a few other ways that I love beans on this blog:

And that’s everything for these honeynut squash brothy beans!

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And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3