Creamy Cottage Cheese Butternut Squash Soup
A velvety butternut squash soup blended with cottage cheese and white beans for a rich, satisfying protein boost. Made simple with convenient frozen squash and pantry staples for a fast family meal.
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
35 min
Makes
4 servings
Created together. Shared with you.
Made by Lindsay + Lila
Lindsay created this recipe with Lila and shared it with the perimenopause community.
The feel-good payoff
Why this meal can feel especially good in perimenopause
Think practical wins: steadier energy, comfortable fullness and one less food decision. Your response is personal, so use the prompts below to notice what works for you.
Perimenopause symptoms and relief · Office on Women’s HealthSteadier energy
Feel fueled, not flattened
A complete meal with protein, carbohydrates and fats is designed to offer more staying power than a quick carb-only fix.
Notice: energy 1–3 hours later
Digestive comfort
A portion that works for you
Fiber and plants can support digestion, but more is not always better overnight. Start with a comfortable portion and build gradually.
Notice: comfort + portion
Comfortably satisfied
Fullness that has staying power
This meal is designed to feel substantial, so finishing it can feel like the meal is complete rather than the start of an evening of grazing.
Notice: fullness 2–3 hours later
More staying power
Make the next few hours easier
This meal is built to be more sustaining than a snack-sized stopgap, with enough substance to carry you into the next part of the day.
Notice: energy + fullness later
Setup
Get set up
Choose your servings, gather what you need, then cook along below.
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
35 min
How many are you cooking for?
The ingredient amounts update automatically.
Equipment
Blender
Time saver
Prep the vegetables and measure pantry ingredients earlier in the day to shorten cook time.
Do these three things first
- 1Set out all ingredients before cooking
- 2Measure the pantry ingredients before heating the pan
- 3Read through the steps once before you begin
Ingredients
Gather as you go
Ingredients
Cook along
Instructions
0 of 8 steps complete
Next: Heat olive oil in a large soup…
- 01
Heat olive oil in a large soup…
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, around 350°F (175°C).
Tap card to mark done - 02
Add the yellow onion and garlic clove…
Add the yellow onion and garlic clove to the pot and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent.
Look for: the onion is soft and translucent
Tap card to mark done - 03
Add the frozen butternut squash
Add the frozen butternut squash, rinsed cannellini beans, and vegetable broth to the pot.
Tap card to mark done - 04
Bring the liquid to a simmer over…
Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the squash is completely tender when pierced with a fork.
Look for: the squash is completely tender when pierced with a fork
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Remove the pot from the heat source…
Remove the pot from the heat source and let it cool for 5 minutes.
Allow: 5 minutes
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Transfer the soup mixture along with the…
Transfer the soup mixture along with the cottage cheese into a high-speed blender, securing the lid tightly, and purée on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth and velvety.
Look for: smooth and velvety
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Pour the soup back into the pot…
Pour the soup back into the pot over low heat for 2 minutes to warm through without boiling.
Allow: 2 minutes
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Ladle into 4 bowls and serve immediately
Ladle into 4 bowls and serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Ready when: everything is assembled and ready to enjoy
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