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Culinary tradition dictates that you use fat—cream or butter, typically—in purées to make them smooth and tasty. But while fat adds flavor, it also muddles the flavor of the very thing you are puréeing. When we want a purée that celebrates the innate qualities of a vegetable, we forgo the fat in favor of xanthan gum. An easy-to-work-with thickener, xanthan helps us achieve a lovely, smooth texture and keep that fresh, planty goodness front and center. In fall and winter, root vegetable purées are an excellent base for a healthy, hearty soup. But they’re lovely in the warmer months too. Try layering this one into our <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/butternut-buttermilk-parfait">Butternut Parfait</a>, a powerhouse dish that’s vegetarian friendly and full of bright, beautiful colors and elegant textural contrasts.