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Honeynut squash soup and chicken grilled cheese

Sweet silky soup, melty sandwich sidekick

⏱️ Time estimate: about 1 hour 30 minutes

Roasted honeynut squash gets blended with butter, onion, garlic, coconut milk, and stock, then paired with a golden chicken grilled cheese for dunking.

Honeynut squash soup served with a chicken grilled cheese

Ingredients

For the soup

  • 6 honeynut squashes
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • Fresh cracked black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Diamond kosher salt
  • 4 ounces butter
  • 1 white onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 2 teaspoons honey balsamic vinegar, or 1 teaspoon champagne or white wine vinegar
  • 1 can full-fat coconut milk
  • 3 cups chicken stock

For garnish

  • 2 tablespoons coconut cream
  • Chives

For the grilled cheese

  • Avocado oil for the pan
  • 4 slices sandwich bread
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard
  • 4 slices Monterey Jack cheese
  • 4 slices cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded or broken-down chicken breast

Instructions

  1. Roast the squash. Trim the ends from the squashes and halve them. Set them cut side up on a lined sheet pan, coat with avocado oil, thyme, salt, and pepper, then loosely cover with foil. Bake at 400°F for about 1 hour, until soft.
  2. Prep the aromatics. Let the squash cool, then scoop out the seeds. Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic.
  3. Build the soup base. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic with a big pinch of salt and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until soft and lightly browned.
  4. Simmer the soup. Add the wine and vinegar and cook until most of the liquid evaporates. Stir in the chicken stock and coconut milk, scoop in the squash flesh, then simmer for 5 minutes.
  5. Blend and garnish. Blend until smooth and creamy with an immersion blender. Serve hot with coconut cream and minced chives.
  6. Make the sandwiches. Heat a pan with a little avocado oil over medium. Spread mayo on one side of each bread slice and a thin layer of mustard on the inside. Layer Monterey Jack, cheddar, chicken, more cheese, and top with bread.
  7. Grill the sandwiches. Cook with a press or heavy lid for about 5 minutes on one side until crisp and brown, then flip and cover so the cheese melts and the filling heats through. Slice diagonally, because obviously, and serve with the soup.