“Chorizo”-Spiced Squash Soup from ‘The Year of Cozy’

This recipe comes from The Year of Cozy: 125 Recipes, Crafts, and Other Homemade Adventures by Adrianna Adarme (Rodale), who writes the blog, A Cozy Kitchen. Try making the recipe at home and let us know what you think!

Photograph by Adrianna Adarme

By Adrianna Adarme

“Chorizo”-Spiced Squash Soup
Makes 4 servings

There isn’t a lick of pork in this soup. Instead, it simply borrows the flavors that are typically found in chorizo sausage. I borrowed this idea from my boyfriend, who, for a month straight, made everything he could get his hands on chorizo spiced: There was grilled octopus, braised chicken, mussels in butter–it was a good month! When the temperatures drop, this soup feels like a warm hug in a bowl. If you make a salad and serve this soup with bread, it instantly becomes dinner, and if you like, you could even thin the soup with more broth, add some Parmesan cheese, and toss it with cooked pasta. It’s versatile. And maybe a bit of a show-off.

1 acorn squash (21/2 pounds), halved, seeds scooped out
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon salt + additional, to taste
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
Teeny pinch of ground cloves
3 cups water or vegetable broth
Juice from ½ lemon

SOUP TOPPING
¼ cup pepitas
1 teaspoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon ancho chile powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of ground coriander
Salt
3 tablespoons crème fra?che

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 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. Scoop the flesh into a small bowl. There might be some bits of the squash that aren’t completely cooked–not to worry, the rest will cook in the pot with the broth.

In a medium pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, cooked squash, pumpkin, chile powder, 1 teaspoon salt, oregano, cumin, coriander, and cloves. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the spices are fragrant.

Pour in the water or vegetable broth 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, pulse until smooth, about 30 seconds. (If you don’t own one, no biggie—just transfer the soup, in batches, to a blender. Lightly cover the blender with the lid, being sure to allow a bit of air to escape, and puree until smooth.) Return the soup to the pot and set it over low heat to keep it warm. Taste the soup and adjust the salt—I added about an additional 1 teaspoon and it really brought out the flavor from the spices.

To make the soup topping: In a small skillet over medium heat, add the pepitas, oil, chile powder, cumin, coriander, and pinch of salt. Toss to combine and toast for about 3 minutes, or until the pepitas’ edges have turned lightly golden brown. Divide the soup among the bowls and drizzle a bit of crème fra?che on top. Top with the pepitas. Serve with a side of bread.

Reprinted with permission from The Year of Cozy: 125 Recipes, Crafts, and Other Homemade Adventures by Adrianna Adarme (Rodale).

More soup recipes to stir up this Thanksgiving:

Make a Better French Onion Soup

Spiced Yellow Split Pea Soup With Crispy Shallots Recipe

Seafood Stew with Cream and Fennel