Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Infused With Chocolate

Bittersweet chocolate, maple syrup, and chile pepper give this unique butternut squash soup complex sweet, spicy, and nutty flavors.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 55 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 385 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 2 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 small red chile pepper, halved lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, divided
• 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 0.5 teaspoon ground Saigon cinnamon
• 0.25 cup olive oil, or more as needed, divided

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2

Rub each half of squash with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and place cut-side up on baking sheet. Sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper on each half. Place chocolate, garlic, chile, and maple syrup into the cavities of each half.

Step 3

Bake in the preheated oven until flesh is soft and tender, 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.

Step 4

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Cook and stir onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Step 5

Scoop flesh out of 1 butternut squash half, along with cavity contents, into a blender. Add onion and 2 cups chicken stock; puree until smooth. Pour into stock pot. Scoop flesh out of remaining butternut squash half, along with cavity contents, into blender. Add remaining chicken stock; puree until smooth. Pour into stock pot.

Step 6

Heat soup in stock pot over medium heat to desired temperature; add salt and ground black pepper to taste.