I have always loved peanut butter. As a kid I could eat a small jar, with or without an accompanying Hershey bar, on the daily. Not saying that was good for me, just saying that’s how much I loved it. Of course now I wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing … OK, that’s a lie. I would. But I’d probably intersperse it with almond butter one day, cashew butter one day and so on and so forth. Anyway, when I was in high school my dad used to make peanut butter pumpkin soup … 

I remember thinking he was crazy and truth be known, I refused to even have one bite. I mean who, in their right mind, would mix peanut butter with a squash? Was he insane? 

As it turns out, he wasn’t crazy because now that I’m an adult and have opened my mind to what may seem like odd flavor combinations, I now know there is something absolutely divine and lovely about this soup. Note, I have made it with pureed pumpkin from a can, which is totally fine, but I prefer using roasted butternut squash. Yes, it’s more time consuming but hey, you can always make the squash the day before. So give it a whirl yourself, only don’t tell the kids until after they try it. Last thing you want is one of them asking for a dollop of strawberry jam to top off this “weird” soup ; )

Roasted Squash & Peanut Butter Soup

PREP TIME: 1 hour |  COOK TIME: 30 minutes

• 1 medium butternut squash OR 14 oz. can pumpkin purée, not the one with pie spices added
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2 jalapeno, diced OR 1 serrano chili
• 3-4 cups low sodium vegetable stock
• 1 can unsweetened, lite coconut milk
• ⅓ cup unsweetened, creamy peanut butter
• Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish
• Optional, caraway seeds for garnish
• Optional, coconut milk yogurt for garnish
• Optional, fresh basil and shaved parmesan for garnish

Cut and gut squash, place open side down on foil lined baking sheet and roast in a 400 degree oven, turning over one time, for 40 minutes. Once cooked, scoop out flesh but don’t worry about having perfectly consistent pieces as you’ll puree it all later. In a Dutch oven or large pot, saute onion, garlic and jalapeno in olive oil for about 4 minutes. Stir in the chile(s) and roasted squash (or pumpkin purée), add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on low for 20-25 minutes. Be sure you stir it frequently so it doesn’t burn. After 20 minutes, add the peanut butter and coconut milk. Stir well then use an immersion blender to purée soup. Be sure not to boil again as you don’t want the peanut butter to lose its integrity. Serve in bowls with roasted pumpkin seeds, caraway seeds and a dollop of the coconut yogurt. Super yum! Enjoy.

DISCLAIMER: Our recipes are just that, ours. Some are modified versions of dishes we’ve had elsewhere or old-favorites that contained animal proteins that we replaced with plant-based options, while others are a concentrated effort of trial and error. But all are intended to be altered by you and made to suit your tastes. So if you want more garlic or none at all, go for it. You do you ; ) Now for the serious part … periodically this site does offer health, nutrition and exercise information. The information provided is not intended as medical advice and is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice given by a licensed physician or other health-care professional. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, consult your physician and never delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your health-care professional because of something you may have read on this site. The use of any information provided on this site is solely at your own risk.