Roasted Acorn Squash Soup
Silky, oven-roasted acorn squash soup spiced with allspice and cardamom, finished with cream, and garnished with pumpkin seeds and fresh cilantro.
Servings 8
Calories 181kcal
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds acorn squash (or about 5 cups cut up)
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin seed kernels (pepitas)
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut the acorn squash in half and remove the seeds. Place the squash into a baking dish, cut side down. Add enough water to cover the bottom 1/2 inch of the pan.
- Cook the squash in a 350°F oven for about 45 minutes, or until tender when poked with a fork. When the squash is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skins.
- In a medium-sized pot, sauté the onions in butter over medium heat until they become translucent.
- Add allspice, cardamom, white pepper, and salt, and stir until the spices become fragrant. Add chicken broth and cooked squash, and cook until heated through.
- Use either a stick blender or a regular blender to puree the soup until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, and add the heavy cream. Heat through, and avoid boiling after the cream has been added.
- Garnish with pumpkin seeds and cilantro to serve.
Recipe Tips
- When using a standard blender rather than an immersion blender, fill it no more than halfway with hot soup and hold the lid down firmly with a folded kitchen towel before blending. Hot liquids expand when blended and can cause the lid to blow off. Blend in small batches and work carefully.
- To get a smoother texture, push the pureed soup through a fine-mesh strainer before adding the cream. This step is optional but eliminates any remaining fibrous bits for an exceptionally silky result.
- If the soup is thicker than you'd like after blending, stir in a splash of additional chicken broth until you reach your preferred consistency. The thickness of the squash flesh varies from one squash to the next, so some adjustment is normal.
- For a deeper, more caramelized flavor, roast the squash at 400 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes instead. At the higher temperature, the cut side will pick up more color and the natural sugars will caramelize more aggressively, producing a noticeably richer, nuttier base.
Nutrition
Calories: 181kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 545mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 780IU | Vitamin C: 13.4mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 0.9mg
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