Apple & Squash Soup with Chèvre and an Espresso Balsamic Drizzle

Ingredient Spotlight. Our Butternut Squash Seed Oil roasts the squash and gets stirred into the finished purée, doubling down on that nutty, toasty depth. Then we finish each bowl with our Espresso Dark Balsamic Vinegar — dark, bittersweet, and roasty, it cuts the sweetness like a shot of good coffee.

Ingredients

• 1 small kabocha squash, seeded and cut into wedges
• 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp Butternut Squash Seed Oil, divided
• 4–5 large carrots, peeled and chopped · 1 Vidalia onion, diced
• 3 apples, peeled, cored, and chunked (reserve a few slices)
• 1 cup apple cider · 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tsp salt · ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 cup cream (optional)
• 2 tsp Espresso Dark Balsamic Vinegar
• Fresh chèvre and pepitas, to garnish

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Coat the squash wedges with 2 Tbsp Butternut Squash Seed Oil and a pinch of salt. Roast 30 minutes, until soft; cool, peel, and cube.
2. In a Dutch oven, combine the carrots, onion, apples, cider, stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
3. Add the roasted squash and simmer about 1 hour, until the carrots are meltingly tender.
4. Purée with an immersion blender until smooth, then blend in the remaining 1 tsp Butternut Squash Seed Oil. For a richer soup, stream in the cream while blending.
5. Ladle into bowls and top with chèvre, pepitas, and reserved apple slices. Finish each bowl with a drizzle of Espresso Dark Balsamic Vinegar and a crack of pepper.

Chef's Notes

• No kabocha? Butternut or acorn squash work just as well.
• The espresso drizzle is the finishing move — don't stir it in, let it swirl on top.

Make It Yours

• For a warmer, spiced note, swap in our Cinnamon Pear Dark Balsamic Vinegar as the finishing drizzle.

Allergens: contains dairy (optional).

That Espresso balsamic over a warm bowl of squash is a fall revelation — come taste it at the shop.