Yesterday, Victor made the best soup ever. Really. Pretty much in the history of soups, this one is right on top. No hyperbole. The.Best.Soup.Ever.

It started off simply enough… A butternut squash and some broth out of the freezer… But it grew into a pot of magnificence that will have people weeping for joy for generations to come.

It was really good.

We’ve taken to having a bowl of homemade soup for lunch a few times a week. It’s helped with the weight control – filling, lots of nourishment, and not a lot of calories.

This one was built around things we had in the house, but everything is readily available – and probably already staples in the home.

Butternut Squash, Lentil, and Andouille Soup

• 3 qts chicken broth
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 lb andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 1 can pinto beans
• 1 1/4 cups lentils – we used brown pardina lentils, but use what you have
• cayenne
• salt & pepper

In a bit of oil, cook sausage, onion, and garlic in soup pot until nicely browned. Remove sausage and set aside.

Add wine and deglaze the pot. Cook down to just a few tablespoons.

Add broth, squash, beans, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until squash is fall-apart tender.

Use an immersion blender to completely blend the soup. You can also use a conventional blender. Just be careful.

Add the sausage back in and add the lentils. Simmer until the lentils are tender.

Check for seasoning and add a pinch of cayenne to up the heat a bit, if desired. Or, use your favorite hot sauce.

Ladle into bowls and pay homage to the soup gods.

It really is one of those dishes that just has everything going for it – slightly spicy, perfect consistency, different textures, and oh, so satisfying.

We have enough for lunches on Tuesday and Wednesday. A tanker car wouldn’t be enough.

It was really good.