Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 large acorn squash, halved and seeds scooped out
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin purée
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus more, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder or regular chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • Teeny pinch of ground cloves
  • 3 cups vegetable broth or water
  • Juice from 1/2 lemon
  • 1/4 cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
  • 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder or regular chile powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Pinch of ground coriander
  • Salt, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons crème fraîche (optional, replace with a tiny splash of olive oil for vegan/dairy-free soup)

Instruction

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash, cut sides down, on the baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, or until mostly tender. Let the squash cool for a few minutes, then scoop the flesh into a small bowl and discard the skin. (There might be some bits of squash that aren’t completely cooked, but don’t worry, the rest will cook in the pot with the broth.)
  • In a medium pot or Dutch oven, warm the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, reserved squash, pumpkin, 1 teaspoon salt, chile powder, cumin, oregano, coriander and cloves. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the spices are fragrant.
  • Pour in the vegetable broth or water and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the squash is completely softened.
  • Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. If you don’t have an immersion blender, blend the soup in a stand blender, in batches (do not fill your blender past the maximum fill line). Securely fasten the blender’s lid and use a kitchen towel to protect your hand from steam escaping from the top of the blender as you purée the mixture until smooth. Transfer puréed soup to a serving bowl and repeat with remaining batches.
  • Return the soup to the pot and set it over low heat to keep it warm. Taste the soup and add more salt until the spices really sing, around 1/2 teaspoon for vegetable broth or 1 teaspoon if you used water.
  • To prepare the garnish: In a small skillet over medium heat, add the pepitas, olive oil, chile powder, cumin, coriander and a pinch of salt. Toss to combine and toast for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the pepitas’ edges are turning lightly golden brown.
  • Divide the soup among bowls and drizzle a bit of crème fraîche (my crème fraîche was super thick, so I tempered it with a little splash of soup so it would drizzle better) or olive oil on top. Top with a sprinkle of pepitas and serve.