Name: Maple Peanut Butter & Butternut Squash Soup
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 42 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 butternut squash (2-3 pounds), peeled, seeded and cubed; 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided; Salt and pepper; 1 medium onion, diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbsp. smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp. each ground cumin, ginger and turmeric; 1/4 tsp. each ground cinnamon, coriander and cardamom; Dash ground nutmeg; Cayenne pepper, to taste (optional); 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1/4 cup Peanut Butter & Co. Mighty Maple; 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (for garnish)

Maple Peanut Butter & Butternut Squash Soup

Isabelle Boucher

Servings

4 servings

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

12 minutes

Cuisine

American

Category

Appetizer

Peanut butter and squash might not seem like the most obvious flavor pairing, but it works beautifully in this golden-orange soup – especially when it’s Peanut Butter & Co. Mighty Maple, which adds a hint of sweet maple syrup that enhances the natural sweetness of roasted butternut squash.My first instinct was use curry paste as the spicing in this soup, but I decided to travel a little further along the Silk Road to settle on a traditional Moroccan blend instead. Known as ras el hanout, this aromatic mix of warm spices combines with a dash of Spanish-style smoked paprika to give this otherwise humble soup a distinctly exotic twist.

The end result is a slightly sweet, slightly smoky, slightly spicy and entirely satisfying soup to warm you up on a crisp fall day.

Ingredients

1 butternut squash (2-3 pounds), peeled, seeded and cubed
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. each ground cumin, ginger and turmeric
1/4 tsp. each ground cinnamon, coriander and cardamom
Dash ground nutmeg
Cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup Peanut Butter & Co. Mighty Maple
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (for garnish)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a large mixing bowl, toss butternut squash cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper until evenly coated. Tumble onto a foil-covered baking sheet, and roast in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until fork-tender.
Meanwhile, in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium-high heat, sauté onion in remaining 1 tablespoon oil for 8-10 minutes, or until very soft and golden. Add garlic and spices, and sauté for a minute longer, or until fragrant.
Stir in chicken broth and roasted squash. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes to let the flavors blend. Stir in Peanut Butter & Co. Mighty Maple.
Using an immersion blender or food processor, process the soup until smooth and pureed. Check seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro for garnish.