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Winter Squash Soup with Red Chile and Mint





Total Time
1 hr

For this soup–adapted from her 2013 book Vegetable Literacy–author Deborah Madison makes a quick stock from the trimmings of the main ingredients: She sets a pot with 5 cups of water on the stove, and as she chops, she tosses in the squash peels, pulp, and seeds; the ends of the onion; some basil and mint sprigs; and 1 tsp. each of coriander seeds and peppercorns. She lets it simmer, partly covered, and it’s ready by the time she needs to strain it for the soup.

su-Winter Squash Soup with Red Chile and Mint




Photo: Aya Brackett; Styling: Amy Wilson
 2 pounds smooth, dense winter squash, such as butternut, Rugosa, or Musque de Provence
 2 tablespoons light sesame oil or olive oil
 1 onion, chopped
 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried
 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or 1 tsp. dried
 1 cinnamon stick (3 in. long)
  About 1 tsp. sea salt
  About 1 tbsp. ground dried New Mexico chiles* or 1/2 tsp. red chile flakes
 4 cups quick vegetable stock (see headnote), chicken stock, or water
 12 coriander seeds, 12 black peppercorns, and 4 cloves, tied in a cheesecloth sachet
 2 tablespoons whipping cream
Step 1
1

Peel squash and cut flesh into 1-in. cubes.

Step 2
2

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add squash, onion, basil, and mint and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add cinnamon stick, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tbsp. ground chiles, followed by 4 cups stock and the spice sachet. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer, and cook, partly covered, until squash is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove spice sachet and cinnamon stick.

Step 3
3

In batches, purée soup in a blender. Season to taste with salt.

Step 4
4

Ladle soup into bowls. Swirl 1 tsp. or so of cream into each, leaving it streaky. Finish each with a pinch of ground chiles.

Step 5
5

*Ground dried New Mexico chiles are fruitier and milder than other powdered chiles, such as cayenne. Try well-stocked grocery stores, or order Los Chileros mild ground chile (chile molido) from loschileros.com.

Step 6
6

Make ahead: Through step 3, up to 2 days.

Nutrition Facts

0 servings

Serving size

Amount per serving
Calories131
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 6.6g9%

Saturated Fat 1.8g9%
Cholesterol 6.9mg3%
Sodium 358mg16%
Total Carbohydrate 18g7%

Dietary Fiber 5.1g19%
Protein 1.7g

* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.