My favorite season: fall.

There is not a single thing that I don’t like about it. Comfy clothes, chilly weather, hot beverages, and tons of pumpkins.

I have to confess that my relationship with pumpkins is kind of a love-hate situation. When I was younger, I remember my grandmother forcing me to eat the big chunks of pumpkin in the Sunday soup. I hated it. I thought I would never ever eat a single piece of that disgusting and slimy vegetable again.

Then my mom came with a pumpkin cake that made her famous among our relatives, and it made me fall in love with pumpkins. I couldn’t believe that the same vegetable—or is it a fruit?—that ruined my weekends was the main ingredient of this masterpiece of a cake. Then I gave it a second chance, and I started to try out more and more meals that included pumpkins.

And now I found the perfect butternut cream soup that makes my cold, fall nights a lot better.

One of the things that usually makes a person hate the pumpkin flavor is when it’s overly sweet—especially, if you are cooking a savory dish. It can be overwhelming.

For this recipe, I add some chili pepper and garlic to balance the sweetness and give it the spiciness that this soup needs to be a complete hit.

This soup is so simple that you won’t need a bunch of weird ingredients to make it. Also, you can prepare a large stockpot and save the soup in the fridge for up to one week, and it will be as tasty as the first day.

I love the creaminess of this soup. There is something magical in the simplicity of flavors that make this dish the definition of comfort food. Yes, this is a make-you-feel-better soup.

Ingredients:

1 kg butternut squash cut into cubes (or the type of pumpkin you prefer) 
1 carrot chopped
½ onion chopped
½ red pepper chopped
¼ cup fresh coriander
1 tsp fresh chili
2 garlic cloves
5 cup chicken or vegetable broth 
Salt

Preparation:

In a big stockpot, heat the broth and add all the ingredients; let it cook for about 15 minutes.
When the pumpkin and the carrot are soft, blend the entire soup at high speed.
Serve and sprinkle with baby scallions or croutons.

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**Note: If you are following a vegan or vegetarian diet, you can replace the chicken broth with a vegetable broth. The result is delicious as well.

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Author: María Campos 
Image: Author’s own
Editor: Travis May
Copy Editor: Yoli Ramazzina
Social Editor: Callie Rushton