Butternut Squash and Swiss Chard Stew

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SERVES 4 • TO PREP 45 MINUTES • STORE UP TO 3 DAYS • TO FINISH 35 MINUTES

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Classic creamy butternut squash soup is an easy make-ahead dish, but we wanted something that could stand alone as a heartier vegetarian meal. To create a velvety base for our stew, we simmered a portion of the butternut squash with aromatics and vegetable broth, then pureed it until smooth. We wanted substantial chunks of butternut squash in the finished stew, so we stirred the remaining raw squash into the pureed mixture just before cooling it down. This ensured that the squash remained intact and didn’t turn to mush when reheated. To round out the stew, we stirred in a hearty amount of Swiss chard before reheating. As soon as the squash and chard were tender, we stirred in some coconut milk to produce a rich-tasting, creamy broth. A small amount of smoky chipotle chile balanced the sweetness of the coconut milk and added a kick of heat. If you prefer the stew less spicy, use the smaller amount of chipotle. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

4	cups vegetable broth
1	tablespoon vegetable oil
2	onions, chopped fine
4	scallions, minced
4	garlic cloves, minced
1–2	teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1	teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
1	pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces (3 cups)

TO FINISH AND SERVE
1	pound Swiss chard, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1	cup canned coconut milk
	Salt and pepper

TO PREP

1. Refrigerate 2 cups broth. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and scallions and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, chipotle, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Stir in 1 cup squash and remaining 2 cups broth, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to simmer and cook until squash is tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Process squash mixture in blender until smooth, about 30 seconds. Return mixture to now-empty pot. Stir in remaining squash. To cool, stir in chilled broth and let stew sit, uncovered, until cooled to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

TO STORE

4. Leave stew in pot or transfer to storage container. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

TO FINISH AND SERVE

5. Transfer stew to Dutch oven, if necessary. Stir in Swiss chard and bring to simmer over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Off heat, stir in coconut milk and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.