5.0 from 6 votes
Spicy Acorn Squash and Apple Soup
This soup makes a wonderful first course for entertaining and would be a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving menu. Serve it in pumpkins and your guests will really be talking.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 48 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 10276 kcal
Course:
Appetizer , Soup
Cuisine:
Mexican
Ingredients
Roasting Squash:
- 2 quartered acorn or other small winter squash
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
Soup:
- ¼ cup Pepitas pumpkin seeds, toasted
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 chopped leek white part only
- ½ chopped white onion
- ½ cup diced celery
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 pasilla or ancho chiles stemmed, seeded, and torn into large pieces
- 1 ounce can vegetable broth
- water depending on desired thickness
- 1 granny smith apple cored, and chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
- 1 cup crema Mexicana for garnish optional
- paprika powder for garnish optional
Instructions
Roasting Squash:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Carefully cut each squash into quarters. Slice a piece of butter and place on each piece of squash, sprinkle with salt, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet skin sides down. Roast for one hour or until the squash is tender.
- When the squash is cool enough to handle scoop it into a bowl and reserve. Warning: This part is kinda messy.
Cup of Yum
Soup:
- In a dry skillet toast the pepitas for about 5 minutes or until they start to pop. Set aside to cool off and reserve.
- Heat the olive oil in a caldero (soup pot) over medium heat. Add the leek, onion, celery, ginger, garlic, and chile pieces. Stir frequently, until the onion is tender and translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add the broth, squash, and apple. Bring the broth to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook for about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and puree with a hand blender, you should have a very thick base at this point. Now add water a cup at a time pureeing between additions until the soup is the consistency you desire. Bring up to a simmer again and season the soup as needed with salt, pepper, and orange peel.
- If you chose to serve this soup in pumpkins like I did, wash the pumpkins with water, rinse thoroughly, and pat dry. Carve a lid off the top and remove the seeds from inside. I broiled my pumpkins for 5 to 10 minutes while the soup was simmering, but this step is not necessary.
- Place each pumpkin onto a plate and fill them with soup topped with a dollop of crema, a sprinkle of paprika, and pepitas if desired.
Notes
- For s spicier soup, feel free to up the amount of chile.
Nutrition Information
Calories
102.76kcal
(5%)
Carbohydrates
19g
(6%)
Protein
2.09g
(4%)
Fat
3.22g
(5%)
Saturated Fat
0.46g
(2%)
Sodium
865.44mg
(36%)
Potassium
499.77mg
(14%)
Fiber
3.17g
(13%)
Sugar
3.67g
(7%)
Vitamin A
1353IU
(27%)
Vitamin C
15.51mg
(17%)
Calcium
49.29mg
(5%)
Iron
1.36mg
(8%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 10276
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 102.76kcal | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 19g | 6% |
| Protein | 2.09g | 4% |
| Fat | 3.22g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.46g | 2% |
| Sodium | 865.44mg | 36% |
| Potassium | 499.77mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 3.17g | 13% |
| Sugar | 3.67g | 7% |
| Vitamin A | 1353IU | 27% |
| Vitamin C | 15.51mg | 17% |
| Calcium | 49.29mg | 5% |
| Iron | 1.36mg | 8% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.