• prep: 45 min
• cook: 0 hr
• total: 45 min

servings:

Ancho chilies add deep color and flavor to this butternut squash soup. [Photographs: Daniel Gritzer] Borrowing from the Mexican pantry, this easy, warming soup is made with roasted butternut squash, flavored with ancho chilies, and garnished with Mexican crema, cilantro, and pepitas. If butternut squash soup and chili had a lovechild, this might be it. Why this recipe works: Roasting the squash first deepens its flavor and sweetness. Ancho chilies add a rich, earthy taste and mild heat to the soup.Note: If you want a less spicy soup with a less intense chili flavor, feel free to discard the ancho chili seeds or scale down to 1 ancho chili pepper. Otherwise, go for the big flavor and spoon in plenty of crema or sour cream to tame the intensity. You can make this soup vegetarian by substituting with vegetable stock.

• 2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into 1-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt
• 2 ancho chilies, stemmed (see note above)
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 medium cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 quart chicken stock or low-sodium broth (see note above)
• 1 cup water
• Sugar, to taste
• Mexican crema or sour cream, for garnish
• Cilantro leaves, for garnish
• Pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds), for garnish
• Lime wedges, for serving

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