Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
Vegan / Gluten-free / Nut-free / Coconut-free
To be honest, I had a long list of ideas on what might be required to make this roasted butternut squash & apple soup. But once we tasted it this way, we knew this was the one. It’s simplicity is probably what makes it so darn perfect. A bit savory, a bit sweet. Not too much of either. A mix of caramelized, fresh, and herby–it’s the perfect fall soup. Cozy, wholesome, and simply delicious.
We definitely recommend going heavy on the roasted chickpeas though. The contrast with the velvety smooth texture and super fresh flavors of the soup is really wonderful.
Plus – you’ll find no cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom or curry spices to speak of. Certainly those ingredients have their place, but we wanted something that felt herby and fresh rather than curried. Basically, we wanted a soup that felt different from the range of warm spices featured in everything from smoothies to pies to stews this season.
Oh, and you’ll find no coconut milk in this butternut squash and apple soup either. While it too is delicious, it can really take over the flavor of a dish. Oat milk provides a nice creamy, neutral flavor and allows the squash, apple and herb flavors to really shine through.
So, now that I’ve justified everything that’s not in the soup, let’s talk about what is. Squash, onion, apple, oat milk, and herbs. And that’s about it! Sometimes simple is best. And this is definitely one of those times.
In truth, the oven does most of the work here–turning what might have been a rather bland squash puree into wonderful caramelized goodness. I know this isn’t a secret to anyone, but that doesn’t make it any less true. And since caramelized things are so good, we figured we might as well add some caramelized onions too.
Then the blender does the rest (any blender should work here. You don’t need a Vitamix). We added an apple for some freshness and a little sweet balance, and there was really no going back. All that was left was to season it with some fresh herbs (thyme and sage to be exact) and a little salt and pepper and blend it together with creamy oat milk for a truly lovely experience. We topped it off with a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil for a little more depth of flavor and richness (since there’s very little fat in this dish).
And that’s it really. A super simple, super cozy roasted butternut squash and apple soup that’s best eaten with a big chunk of crusty bread and some vegan butter (Myokos cultured vegan butter is by far the best in my opinion, but use whatever you like)
Stay cozy friends 🙂
Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Soup
Pre-heat the oven to 400 F.
Then cut the top stem off the butternut squash.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and scoop the seeds out with a spoon.
Then rub the flesh of the squash (not the skin) with 1 teaspoon oil, and place the 2 halves of the squash flesh-side-down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Roast for 40-50 minutes or until a knife inserted into each half of squash pierces easily.
While the squash roasts, set your timer for 20 minutes and take a little break
After 20 minutes, add your chickpeas to the pan with the squash (no need to add oil), and let them finish roasting with the squash.
When the squash is ready, remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool. If the chickpeas look done, you can remove them too. If not, let them continue to roast another 10 minutes while the squash cools.
While it cools, caramelize your onions.
First dice the onions.
Then heat a skillet over medium heat. When it is hot, add 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil and allow the oil to warm for a few seconds.
Then add the onions. You should hear a sizzle when the onions hit the pan.
Add 1 teaspoon coconut sugar and a pinch of salt over the onions, and give everything a stir.
Allow the onions to cook until transparent and slightly browned on the edges.
Then add the onions to the blender.
Now, use a spoon to separate the flesh of the squash from the skin.
Place the squash into the blender with the onions.
Core an apple and throw everything except the core into the blender (recommend an organic apple for this as you'll be eating the skin).
Now add all the remaining soup ingredients (oat milk, herbs, salt, pepper) to the blender. Puree for several minutes or until completely smooth.
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Serving Size 1 bowl of soup with 1/4 can chickpeas (roasted)
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 281
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 6g10%
- Potassium 405mg12%
- Total Carbohydrate 53g18%
- Dietary Fiber 10g40%
- Sugars 16g
- Protein 9g18%
- Vitamin A 13%
- Vitamin C 5%
- Calcium 23%
- Iron 56%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Ingredients
Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 400 F.
Then cut the top stem off the butternut squash.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and scoop the seeds out with a spoon.
Then rub the flesh of the squash (not the skin) with 1 teaspoon oil, and place the 2 halves of the squash flesh-side-down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Roast for 40-50 minutes or until a knife inserted into each half of squash pierces easily.
While the squash roasts, set your timer for 20 minutes and take a little break
After 20 minutes, add your chickpeas to the pan with the squash (no need to add oil), and let them finish roasting with the squash.
When the squash is ready, remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool. If the chickpeas look done, you can remove them too. If not, let them continue to roast another 10 minutes while the squash cools.
While it cools, caramelize your onions.
First dice the onions.
Then heat a skillet over medium heat. When it is hot, add 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil and allow the oil to warm for a few seconds.
Then add the onions. You should hear a sizzle when the onions hit the pan.
Add 1 teaspoon coconut sugar and a pinch of salt over the onions, and give everything a stir.
Allow the onions to cook until transparent and slightly browned on the edges.
Then add the onions to the blender.
Now, use a spoon to separate the flesh of the squash from the skin.
Place the squash into the blender with the onions.
Core an apple and throw everything except the core into the blender (recommend an organic apple for this as you'll be eating the skin).
Now add all the remaining soup ingredients (oat milk, herbs, salt, pepper) to the blender. Puree for several minutes or until completely smooth.
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