Chipotle Maple Butternut Squash Soup

From the name, you can tell that this Chipotle Maple Butternut Squash Soup has it all.

(Well...you know...soup-wise.) 

A little bit spicy.

A little bit sweet.

Incredibly, ridiculously, lusciously creamy.

It's serious velvety Heaven in a bowl, and perfect for those frigid winter days that are quickly and unrelentingly barreling our way.

[Note: if you're currently in Miami or Arizona or Melbourne or some other deliciously warm place, crank up that air conditioning and you'll know what I mean. Also, can I come visit? Please? I'll bring cake!]

I love butternut squash soup, but my usual objection is that some places tend to make it so sweet that it tastes like candy. I'm usually really hesitant to order it at restaurants for this exact reason. I prefer soups with a spicy, savory edge, and just a tiny hint of sweetness...so that's what I did here!

This one is really easy. The most complicated part is really just cutting up the butternut squash. It's not hard, really, but it takes a bit of muscle. I'll be honest and say that I usually buy fresh squash pre-cut from the store. It's a bit more expensive, but I'm much more likely to actually use it when I do it that way.

If I buy the full squash, it sort of sits and languishes for weeks until I have to throw it out because every time I look at it, I'm all like "Ugh! I don't want to deal with that!"

So I encourage you do what works best for you. Nothing more expensive than totally wasted food!

A quick ingredient note. The recipe below uses chicken broth and heavy cream, but you can also substitute vegetable broth and full-fat canned coconut milk for vegan and/or dairy free versions. Note that I would not recommend using a less-fatty milk like almond, soy, or boxed coconut milk, as that won't give you the same level of richness.


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Chipotle Maple Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 6

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 large garlic cloves, smashed
1-2 chipotles in adobo sauce, finely minced (use 2 for extra spicy soup)
3 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
1 teaspoon sweet smoked spanish paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 cups low or no-sodium chicken broth (vegetable broth works, too!)
1/2 cup heavy cream (substitute full-fat canned coconut milk for a vegan or dairy-free version)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Candied chopped pecans, minced fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the onions, garlic, and chipotles. Sauté for 2 minutes until onions are soft and garlic is fragrant.

Add the squash, paprika, salt, pepper, and stir to coat well. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and let simmer 15-20 minutes, or until squash is very tender.

Remove from heat and let cool 20 minutes, then add the cream and maple syrup, and transfer to a blender to puree in batches until very smooth. Return to pot and bring up to a simmer again.

Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

 Serve garnished with candied pecans and cilantro.