Your favorite Fall vegetables aren’t just for roasting. Turn them into a delicious & creamy autumn squash soup with this easy Vegan Butternut Squash Soup recipe.
The start of Fall means it’s winter squash season. A time where squash—such as acorn, butternut, delicata, spaghetti, and pumpkin—are harvested & readily available at the supermarket.
How to select winter squash
Choose a size that fits your recipe needs. Look for firm squash, heavy for its size, and free from cracks or soft spots. Most of them will store well on the counter and can be enjoyed throughout the wintertime.
Cooking winter squash
Unlike Summer squash that can be consumed either raw or cooked, you’ll have to turn on the oven to enjoy the winter versions. Good news is that with the extra cooking times comes more intense and sweet flavor in your winter squashes. Plus, there are many different ways to cook with winter squash.
Leave it whole
Having a hard time cutting raw winter squash. Place the whole thing in the oven for 15-20 minutes. This will soften it just enough to cut it more easily before chopping it for a recipe.
To make dinner even easier, leave the whole thing in the oven until it is fully cooked. Serve it whole or slice it in half & use it to plate a cheese ball.
Shred it
Peel off the outer skin of the squash before shredding it in a food processor. Use these squash shreds in soups or baked dishes, like this butternut squash latke.
Save the seeds
As you go through your winter squash rotation, be sure to save the seeds. Store a bag of them in the freezer and collect them as you use more squash. Once the bag is full, the seeds can be flavored and roasted into a crunchy snack.
Boiled (…it’s better than it sounds)
Chunks of winter squash can cook quickly when boiled in a sauce or with other vegetables in a soup. One of my favorite ways to enjoy butternut squash is in an Autumn squash soup like this one.
CSA box inspired recipe
This Vegan Butternut Squash Soup recipe was inspired by the produce received in my latest CSA Box delivery. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. It’s a way to buy local food directly from local farms. Since members join in at the beginning of the season, you don’t always know what produce to expect. Making next week’s menu planning a mystery & fun challenge of what will be delivered in the CSA box.
Take a look at my other CSA boxes & some ideas on what recipes to make with their ingredients.
Roasted vegan butternut squash soup
What makes this butternut squash soup unique is the addition of other orange colored Fall favorites, carrots and sweet potato. Before being turned into soup, these vegetables are roasted in the oven. This helps develop their flavor and bring out the sweetness.
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Butternut Squash Soup
Take your roasted Fall vegetables a step further with this easy, delicious and vegan Butternut Squash Soup recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash (about 2½ pounds)
- 3 carrots
- 2 sweet potatoes (1 pound)
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 celery rib
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ teaspoons black pepper (butcher/coarse ground)
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 leek, cleaned & sliced *see note below*
- 1 cup low sodium vegetables stock
- 1 cup almond milk or water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
- Optional Garnishes: red pepper flakes, roasted squash seeds, chopped pistachios
Instructions
Roast the Vegetables
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
Prepare the vegetables: Slice off the stem of the butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise. Remove and save the seeds for another recipe. Peel the carrots and cut into thirds. Cut the sweet potatoes into quarters. Remove the peel and quarter the onion as well. Smash the garlic cloves to remove the peel. Cut the celery stalk into thirds.
Add these vegetables to the baking tray. Drizzle with the oil, salt and pepper. Mix to coat evenly.
Cook in a 400°F oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and have developed some color. The celery and garlic should only take about 20-30 minutes to cook. The remaining vegetables will need a good hour. Check them occasionally and transfer them to another baking tray (to cool) as needed.
Once all the vegetables are out of the oven. Let them cool for a few minutes, while you prepare the rest of the soup.
Make the Soup
In a medium pot (at least 4 quarts), cook the leeks covered over a medium heat, about 5 minutes, until they have softened.
Scoop out the butternut squash from its peel. Add it to the pot along with the other roasted vegetables. Pour in the vegetable stock, almond milk (if using) and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30-40 minutes.
Turn off the heat. Add the apple cider vinegar and honey/maple syrup, if desired. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup.
Serve while hot. Garnish as desired.
Notes
About Roasting the Celery
If using celery stalks with their leaves, watch them carefully. The leaves can easily burn so be sure to remove them once they are brown and crispy.
How to Clean the Leeks
Fill a large bowl (or use your soup pot) with water.
Remove any dark green portion at the top. Slice the leek into rings.
Place the rings in the water. Use your hands the agitate. Any dirt or debris should fall the bottom of the bowl.
Carefully lift the leeks out of the water. Discard the water and any debris. Repeat if necessary.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 7 Serving Size: 1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 267Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 250mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 7gSugar: 13gProtein: 8g
This post was originally published in 2015 and has been revamped and updated in October 2019.
