Equipment
Ingredients
Produce
- 800 g sugar pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and diced
- 300 g granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
- 150 g yellow onion, diced
- 15 g garlic, minced
Flavorings & Spices
- 15 g dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
- 30 ml olive oil
- 3 g ground cumin
- 5 g kosher salt
- 15 ml maple syrup
Liquids
- 750 ml vegetable broth, low-sodium
- 250 ml water, boiling, for soaking chile
Garnish
- 20 g roasted pepitas
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 245 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 35 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 18 g
- Sodium
- 1064 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 1029 mg
- Calcium
- 84 mg
- Iron
- 3.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 70 mg
- Phosphorus
- 189 mg
- Zinc
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 921 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 23 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 10 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.20 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.42 mg
- Niacin
- 2.1 mg
- Folate
- 47 mcg
- Water
- 531 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss the diced sugar pumpkin with 15ml of olive oil and half of the kosher salt. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet and roast for 35 to 40 minutes until deeply tender and caramelized at the edges.
Place the stemmed and seeded ancho chile in a heatproof bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Let it soak for 15 minutes to rehydrate.
Heat the remaining 15ml of olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and apple, cooking for 8 to 10 minutes until softened and translucent.
Add the minced garlic and ground cumin to the pot, stirring constantly for 1 minute until highly fragrant.
Drain the soaked ancho chile and discard the soaking water. Add the chile to the pot along with the roasted pumpkin, vegetable broth, remaining salt, and maple syrup. Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes.
Carefully transfer the hot soup to a high-speed blender, working in batches to avoid overfilling. Blend on high for 2 minutes until completely smooth and velvety.
Ladle the hot soup into warmed bowls and sprinkle with roasted pepitas before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For the best texture and flavor, always choose a cooking pumpkin like Sugar Pie, Kabocha, or Butternut squash. Avoid large carving pumpkins, which are overly stringy and hold too much water.
- When blending hot liquids in a standing blender, never fill the pitcher more than halfway. The steam builds pressure rapidly and can cause explosive splatters.
- Do not skip seeding the ancho chile. While anchos are generally mild and prized for their raisin-like sweetness, the seeds and ribs carry unpredictable heat and bitter compounds.
- The soaking liquid from the ancho chile can be bitter. It is generally best to discard it for a cleaner flavor profile, which is why we use fresh broth for the simmering phase.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Flavors deepen after a day, making it perfect for leftovers. Reheat gently over medium-low.
Freezer: 3 months — Store in airtight containers leaving space for expansion. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Troubleshooting
Soup is too thick or resembles a puree rather than a soup
Cause: Pumpkin starch content varies by variety; excessive moisture loss may have occurred during roasting.
Fix: Whisk in additional hot vegetable broth or water 50ml at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Prevention: Do not over-roast the pumpkin and measure the broth accurately.
Soup is unpleasantly bitter
Cause: The ancho chile seeds or inner ribs were not fully removed, or the pumpkin was burnt during roasting.
Fix: Stir in an additional 15ml of maple syrup or a splash of coconut milk to balance the bitterness.
Prevention: Thoroughly stem and seed dried chiles before soaking. Monitor pumpkin closely while roasting.
Cultural Context
This soup highlights the indigenous ingredients of the Americas, marrying the ancient staple of winter squash with the deep, smoky complexity of poblano peppers dried into ancho chiles. The addition of tart apple provides a bright acidity that cuts through the earthy richness, a balancing technique frequently utilized in modern Southwestern and Mexican-American cuisines to elevate heavy, comforting ingredients.
