Listener Question: Why Did My Squash Soup Go Sour? (2024)

FAQs

How to fix bland squash soup? ›

You can use sweet spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, or go savory with things like cumin, coriander, sumac, and cayenne.

What happened? It's no coincidence that the butternut squash soup had fermented, alcoholic notes. Indeed, fermented rice turns out to be the culprit here. Rice is high in starch, which is relatively easy to ferment.

WHY IS MY BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP BITTER? More than likely, the bitterness developed in the squash as it was growing due to a lack of good growing conditions or nutrients.

It's a sad day when you're giddy to make Butternut Squash Soup and your squash is bad. You will know your squash is bad if there are soft, mushy spots or if once cut open, the color is extremely dull or if the flesh is spotty, mushy or dry to the point it is pulling away from the skin.

Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.

Extreme cold, heat, drought or too much irrigation, or even a lack of plant nutrients, excessive pest infestation or disease can all create these elevated levels of cucurbitacin in the squash resulting in a bitter flavor.

A lot of types of bacteria (and sometimes other microbes) produce waste products that can taste "sour." And soup/stock is a good growth medium for microbes, which is why most food safety organizations recommend only keeping soup for 3-4 days in the fridge.

If the fresh pumpkin is overripe, it can start to ferment and develop a sour taste. Another factor to consider is the type of fresh pumpkin you're using. Some pumpkin varieties, such as butternut squash or Kent pumpkins, have a sweeter flavor than others.

Symptoms of consuming volunteer squash

The bottom line is if you have a different-looking type of fruit in your garden than expected do not eat it if it is extremely bitter. Spit out the first bite.

It may sound odd, but we even add apples to soup sometimes – like our creamy roasted butternut squash and sage soup. If you don't have any apples on hand, add a little sugar instead. Start with a small amount (no more than ½ tsp per quart of broth) and then taste and adjust as needed.

How to fix bitterness in soup? ›

Sweetness can help balance bitterness, so consider adding ingredients like carrots, onions, or a small amount of sugar or honey. Acidic ingredients like tomatoes or a splash of vinegar can also help balance flavors.

Add cubed apples, herbs, curry powder, or any of your favorite spices. The sky's the limit! Nicole tops her butternut squash soup with fresh chives (green onions will also do the trick) and a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream.

Any off or bitter flavor means the squash has gone bad. Smell - squash is spoiled if it has an off-putting bad and sour smell.

This vegan butternut squash soup is the ultimate fall comfort food! Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to a few months.

If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl. Our Lemony Chicken Soup will make your mouth water.

Brown Nicely When cooking summer squash, don't be afraid of a little browning. A nicely browned surface adds great flavor. 5. Partner Strategically Finally, balance squash's milder taste with stronger flavors like chilies, curry, ginger, garlic, lemon, goat cheese and so on.

If you pick too early, the flesh will not be fully developed and the squash will lack flavor and not be that wonderfully vegetal sweet that is the wonder of butternut, honeynut, delicata, acorn, pumpkin and kabocha, among dozens of other winter squash.