Velvety Acorn Squash Soup (Print version)

Aromatic acorn squash blended with warm spices and cream for a silky-smooth, comforting vegetarian bowl.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium acorn squash, about 2 pounds total, halved and seeded
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

→ Liquids

05 - 4 cups vegetable broth
06 - 1 cup water
07 - 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut milk

→ Seasonings

08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Garnish

13 - Toasted pumpkin seeds
14 - Fresh chives, chopped
15 - Drizzle of cream

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the cut sides of acorn squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place cut side down on prepared baking sheet. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes until flesh is tender. Allow to cool slightly, then scoop out flesh and discard skins.
02 - In a large pot, heat remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
03 - Add roasted squash flesh, vegetable broth, water, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon to pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors.
04 - Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree soup until smooth, or transfer in batches to a countertop blender until desired consistency is achieved.
05 - Stir in cream or coconut milk. Adjust seasoning to taste. Reheat gently over low heat if needed.
06 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds, chopped chives, and a drizzle of cream if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you spent all day on it.
  • The natural sweetness of roasted squash means you skip the usual soup trap of needing tons of cream and salt to taste like something.
02 -
  • Don't skip roasting the squash, as it concentrates the sweetness and creates a completely different texture than steaming or boiling would.
  • Taste as you go when seasoning, because once you blend it all together, underseasonedness becomes the enemy and it's harder to fix.
03 -
  • Roasting the squash cut side down ensures maximum contact with the hot pan, creating deeper caramelization than any other method I've tried.
  • An immersion blender gives you better control over texture than a countertop blender, and cleanup is honestly half the battle in soup season.
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