Roasted Delicata Bisque with Chili Crunch Chickpeas & Pepitas
When my sister (who lives in Texas) says it’s soup weather, it’s official soup weather FOR EVERYONE (except maybe for you, Floridians?). And that must mean that it is blanket season too (squeals to staying inside)!
Now about this soup: it’s a creamy dreamy delight that will still make you feel cozy but also nice and bright (rhyming was not intentional but here we are). I’ve only had delicata squash roasted but thought if it was anything like butternut squash it would also make a heavenly soup. And boy was I surprised that, dare I say, I liked it better?! Hear me out: delicata squash has a bit more complex of a taste with its corn-like + sweet potato flavor. It also lends nicely towards the savory-side of the squash spectrum and has a naturally smooth texture. Blend it with some coconut milk, garlic and Thai curry and you’ve got yourself a bomb soup dish. Since it’s super creamy, adding not one but two types of crunch added some nice texture. And the drizzle of coconut milk and garlic chili oil? That’s just for showing off.
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 large delicata squash (cut in half, seeds removed)
1 can coconut milk
2 cups vegetable broth
6 cloves of garlic
4 tbsp Thai green curry paste (less if it is spicy and you are sensitive to spice)
2 tbsp of coconut oil or oil of your choice
additional olive oil to coat squash & garlic
Chili Crunch Pepitas
1/2 cup pepitas (aka shelled pumpkin seeds)
2 tsp chili powder
olive oil to coat
salt to taste
Chili Crunch Chickpeas
1/2 can garbanzo beans (skins removed; you can also use the whole can and snack on them later :) but they won’t stay as crunchy as when they are fresh in my experience!)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp curry powder
olive oil to coat
salt to taste
Other toppings
garlic chili oil (I used Sambal Oeleck) *optional
Additional items
Blender
Two baking pans
Method
Preheat oven to 425 F. Line two baking pans with foil and set aside.
If you have not already, cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Coat the inside of the squash well with olive oil and place garlic cloves down the center of the squash. Drizzle a bit more olive oil on top of the garlic.
Place the squash halves on 1 of the baking pans and roast for 20-35 minutes or until the squash is soft. Check midway to make sure the garlic does not burn.
While the squash is in the oven, toss the chickpeas with olive oil, paprika and curry powder with pumpkin seeds in oil and chili powder and spread on the second baking pan. Roast for 5 minutes then give them a toss or stir and roast for another 3-5 minutes or until golden. Pull out of the oven, sprinkle with salt and set aside to cool.
Remove the squash from the oven and allow to cool. Once cooled, pull the garlic cloves out and scoop the squash away from the skin.
Blend the squash, garlic, and 1 cup of vegetable broth until smooth. Add more vegetable broth if needed to smooth it to a creamy consistency. It should not be clumpy or have any “threads” so blend away!
Heat a pot on medium and add in the 2 tbsp of coconut oil or olive oil until shiny. Add in the Thai curry paste and break it up a bit in the oil (just enough so its not a huge clump and then you get a surprise when you are eating later!). Allow the paste to caramelize in the oil over 3-4 minutes. It will darken and reduce a bit.
Lower the heat to low and carefully pour in the puree (If you wait for your pot to cool down a bit you can minimize any splatters!). Stir in 3/4 of the can of coconut milk and reserve the rest for drizzling if you’d like. Stir until well combined and allow to simmer on low for 15-20 minutes. Taste for salt.
Serve in bowls, drizzle with coconut oil and sprinkle with roasted pepitas and chickpeas. Dribble a little sambal oelek or sriracha, if using, and enjoy all the coziness this soup is sure to provide :).
