Balanced Butternut Squash Soup

Why I love it

Vegan soup recipes are the best. You can serve them with vegan bread and your heart will be full. Cozy on up with vegan butternut squash soup and cashew cream. This is the best recipe to make on a Sunday. Or really any day of the week. In the past, I’ve had not so wonderful butternut squash soups at restaurants, so this one is for redemption! Boy did it redeem itself! The spice flavor combo on the roasted butternut squash pops in your mouth. It’s protein-packed and creamy from the cashews and white beans. It’s fresh and tangy from the lemon juice. It’s spicy from the chili powder and cayenne. It’s definitely the best soup I’ve ever had, oh my gourd.

Ingredients

The Vegan Soup Base

• 1 medium-sized butternut squash

• 1 tbsp chili powder

• 1 tbsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 diced yellow onion

• 1 cup white beans

• 1 tbsp cashews

• 2 tsps vegetable base (I used Better than Bouillon)

• 4 cups water

• ½ of a lemon

• Olive oil to taste

• Salt and pepper to taste

Cashew Cream

• ¾ cup cashews soaked overnight in water

• ½ cup water

• 1 tsp salt

Replacements

You can make this with any fall vegetable, while keeping in mind that you may have to adjust the seasonings.

Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Peel then cut the butternut squash into 1 inch cubes. 

2. Toss the cubes in chili powder, cayenne, olive oil, and salt to taste. After 20 minutes, flip the squash and sprinkle with garlic powder and black pepper (this is so they don’t burn early on).

3. Roast the squash for 20 more minutes or until crispy. While it’s roasting, start on the soup base. Sauté the yellow onion in a large pot with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

4. While the onion is caramelizing, make the cashew cream. Blend the cashews, water, and salt until smooth and creamy. Reserve the sauce in a separate bowl because we’re going to use the blender again soon.

5. Once the squash is done, add in 1/2 of it to the soup pot along with the white beans and tbsp of cashews. Stir for a few minutes so the spices get evenly distributed.

6. Add in the vegetable base and water. Bring it to a boil then lower to a simmer and cover for 20 minutes.

7. Take the soup off the heat and let it cool. Blend it and return it to the pot. If you have a small blender you can do this in batches.

8. Stir in the lemon juice. Serve in a bowl and top with swirls of the cashew cream and the second half of the roasted butternut squash. I used a toothpick to make the swirls. Enjoy!