creamy-roasted-acorn-squash-soup

Winter Best Food

Creamy Roasted Acorn Squash Soup

This healthy roasted acorn squash soup recipe made creamy with cashews – a great holiday side or vegetarian main – is dairy-free and vegan and absolutely delicious.

Ingredients

  • Red Onions: Peel and quarter two onions.
  • Acorn Squash: Cut the acorn squash into wedges.
  • Olive Oil and Salt: Toss the onions and acorn squash with olive oil and salt.
  • Broth: Use six cups of vegetable broth.
  • Ginger: Mince fresh ginger.
  • Turmeric for a warm, earthy flavor and a pretty golden color
  • Cayenne Pepper: Start with a pinch but add more for spicy.
  • Cashews: Pureed cashews make the soup creamy, and I like to top my bowl with chopped cashews.
  • Cilantro: Garnish with cilantro, or other fresh herbs.

Directions

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper. Pour the broth into a large pot, cover it, and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
  2. Vegetables: Toss the onions and acorn squash with olive oil and salt, and spread it out on the baking sheet. Bake for about 40 minutes until the veggies are fork tender. Peel the squash, and transfer the flesh of the squash and the onions to the saucepan with the ginger, turmeric, and cayenne.
  3. Simmer: Bring the mixture to a boil. Then simmer over medium heat partially covered for about 10 minutes.
  4. Cashews: Place the cashews in a small bowl and top with three-quarter cups of hot broth. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes to soften the nuts.
  5. Blend: After the soup finishes simmering, remove it from the heat, and stir in the cashews. Pour the soup in batches into a high speed blender or immersion blender, and puree for a couple of minutes until smooth and creamy. For conventional blenders, remove the small lid cap, and cover the opening with a kitchen towel so steam can escape while you blend.
  6. Serve: Return the soup to the pot and season it to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with cilantro and chopped cashews if using. You can also drizzle some cashew cream on top.