Description
A nourishing vegan acorn squash soup recipe featuring roasted squash, aromatic herbs, and a touch of maple syrup. This naturally creamy, gluten-free soup is perfect for cozy fall dinners.
Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn squash (about 3 lb total), halved and seeded
- 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled (yes, keep the skin on!)
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for roasting
- 4 cups vegetable broth (homemade’s great, but store-bought works fine)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (fresh makes a difference!)
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, but adds a nice little kick)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (real stuff, not the fake pancake syrup)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Heat your oven to 400°F. Brush olive oil on the squash halves (way easier with a pastry brush than trying to drizzle it), season well with salt and pepper, then place them face-down on the parchment. They’ll get these beautiful caramelized edges.
Wrap the garlic cloves in foil with a little oil drizzled on – my daughter calls these “garlic presents.” After 35-45 minutes, the squash should be fork-tender and your house will smell incredible. My neighbor actually knocked last week asking if I was baking bread! Let everything cool enough to handle, then scoop out the squash flesh and squeeze out the roasted garlic.
Heat oil in your big pot and add the onions and carrots with a good pinch of salt. My grandma taught me that salt helps vegetables cook faster by drawing out moisture. Cook them until they’re really soft, about 5-7 minutes. You’re building flavor here.
Add the spices and roasted garlic – your kitchen will smell amazing. Stir for about 30 seconds to wake everything up. Add the squash and broth, bring to a simmer, and let it cook for 20 minutes while you resist the urge to keep tasting it.
Immersion blenders are the best kitchen tool ever invented. No transferring hot soup, no blender explosions (yeah, been there). Blend until it’s completely smooth – like silk. My husband says it should coat the spoon like heavy cream.
Now for the magic – stir in the maple syrup and lemon juice. First time I made this, I forgot the lemon and couldn’t figure out why it tasted flat. Never again! If you want it richer, blend in the oat milk now. Keep tasting and adjusting until it’s perfect.
Notes
Squash too hard to cut? Microwave it whole for 2 minutes first
Roast extra garlic while you’re at it – spread it on bread later
Too thick? Add more broth. Too thin? Simmer uncovered or stir in a small boiled potato
Don’t throw out those seeds! Roast them with oil and salt at 300°F for 15 minutes
No immersion blender? Let the soup cool 10 minutes, blend in batches, and hold a towel over the blender lid
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes (45 roasting + 20 simmering)
- Category: soup
- Method: Roasting and Simmering
- Cuisine: American