Roasted Squash Soup
The squash is the star of this sweet bisque as it should be. Hardly anything is needed to make this sweetie taste delicious. Ideal squashes would be Curri, Butternut, Acorn, Hubbard, or Delicata. The spices simply enhance and showcase the bright golden flesh. Fresh turmeric and ginger give it an added bonus of anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, digestion boosting benefits…Now is the time for this wonderfully satisfying soup.
Wheat-free, Gluten-free
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
3c Hubbard or red Curry, roasted*
1 cloves garlic, minced
1/4t black pepper
1/4t cayenne pepper fresh or dried
3T coconut oil
1″ fresh ginger
1 vegetable bouillon cube (or 1T veggie broth powder)
1t cumin
2t ume vinegar or lemon juice
1t cinnamon
1/2t turmeric fresh or dried
2T maple syrup, sucanat, or palm (coconut) sugar
—
4c boiling water
1t salt or to taste
Cashew heavy crème:
1/2c-roasted cashews
3/4c water
OR 1 can of full fat coconut milk.
- As a time saver, the squash can be roasted in advance. The roasting step may even be omitted and the squash simply cubed and cooked along with the other vegetables. Roasting draws out the most flavors and brings the sweetness of the squash to life, but it is not a necessity.
Bring 6c of water to a boil- in case you need more
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Roasting the Squash: Clean the outer shell of the squash with cold water and pat it dry well with a dishtowel or paper cloth. With a sharp knife, split the squash down the middle, creating two halves. Seed the squash using a large spoon, scraping the stringy flesh and seeds from the center. With the cleaned halves, rub with oil and salt. Place face down on a cookie sheet or roasting dish and place in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the flesh of the squash is tender, yielding to the touch. Let cool. When cool enough to handle, scoop out the roasted squash.
Making the Cashew Cream:
In a blender, grind the cashews to a powder. Add the water and blend at first at low speed and finally walking it up to full power. Let run for about 30 seconds. This should create a thick nut milk, likened to heavy crème.
Making the Soup:
In a large soup pot, add the oil and sauté the onions, and garlic with the sweetener until golden and soft. Add the cumin, turmeric (if using dried), cinnamon, salt, black and red pepper. Add the roasted squash, the boiling water, the bouillon cube (or powder). Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
In batches, in a blender or vitamix*, puree the soup adding in the fresh ginger and turmeric (if using fresh). At this point, the soup is delicious as is or add the crème or coconut milk to create a wonderfully elegant soup. Adjust the seasonings again after adding the crème.
*Caution: blending hot liquids can be extremely dangerous. Fill the blender only half way and proceed in batches if necessary.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and garnish with pan toasted seeds from the inside of the squash!
The Vegan Love Project 