Description
This Roasted Acorn Squash Soup is a creamy, comforting and flavorful recipe made by roasting acorn squash and onions, then blending them with ginger, turmeric, cayenne, and cashews for richness. It’s a healthy vegan soup perfect for fall or winter, featuring warm spices and a smooth texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2 medium red onions, peeled and quartered
- 2 1/2 pounds acorn squash, cut into wedges
Other Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher sea salt, plus more to taste
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- Pinch of cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup unsalted cashews, plus optional more chopped for garnish
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Simmer Broth: Place the vegetable broth in a large pot, cover it, and bring it to a gentle simmer while preparing the vegetables.
- Roast Vegetables: Toss the quartered onions and acorn squash wedges with olive oil and kosher salt. Spread them evenly on the prepared baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes until cooked through and lightly caramelized but not burnt.
- Soften Cashews: While vegetables roast, place cashews in a small bowl and cover with about 3/4 of the hot vegetable broth to soften for 10 minutes.
- Combine Ingredients: Once roasted, peel the acorn squash to remove the skin and transfer the roasted vegetables to the simmering broth pot. Add minced ginger, turmeric, and cayenne pepper.
- Simmer Soup: Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce heat to medium and simmer partially covered for about 10 minutes to blend the flavors well.
- Add Cashews: Remove the soup from heat and stir in the softened cashews along with the liquid they soaked in.
- Blend Soup: In batches, transfer the soup to a blender and puree on high for 1 to 2 minutes until very smooth and creamy. For conventional blenders, remove the lid’s center cap and cover with a kitchen towel to allow steam to escape safely.
- Season and Heat: Return the blended soup to the saucepan, adjust seasoning with salt or cayenne pepper as desired, and warm it gently before serving.
- Serve: Ladle the warm soup into bowls and garnish with finely chopped fresh cilantro and additional chopped cashews if desired.
Notes
- Leftover soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freezes nicely for up to 3 months in portioned containers.
- To thaw frozen soup, place in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stovetop or microwave.
- You can adjust the level of cayenne pepper to suit your preferred spice tolerance.
- Removing the squash skin after roasting makes for a smoother blend and better texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33.5 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 4.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
