Roasted Acorn Squash Soup
Right now I am spending time in Western Idaho with my parents. Autumn is in full force here, the leaves are changing from greens to beautiful yellows, oranges, and reds. The temperature has fallen and we have the heater on. It has been a decade since I spent quality time in an area where Autumn is a real season. Las Vegas Autumn pretty much just means that you have to begin wearing a sweater in the mornings and swim season is over.
I have been enjoying this cooler weather and took full advantage of it with this recipe. My parents’ garden was super productive this year and dad ended up with a dozen acorn squash. Since he and my mom are the only ones who will eat them just seasoned and baked, I decided to use some for a soup. I combined my Roasted Sweet Potato Soup recipe with the acorn squash, but added some extra flavors to add depth. Warm cinnamon and molasses added the perfect touch to this Autumn soup recipe. The best part is you can’t really taste the squash. If you aren’t a fan of squash flavors, this recipe is for you!
Roasted Acorn Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large acorn squash cut in half
- 2 med sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 12 oz carrots peeled and cubed
- 1 large onion peeled and cubed
- 1 large garlic head
- 1½ tsp oregano
- 1 tsp basil
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp coriander
- ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 32 oz vegetable stock chicken stock works well too
- ⅓ cup dark molasses
- 1 cup half and half optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. On a lined baking sheet take the acorn squash and drizzle olive oil over it. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the top and then turn each half over so it is flush with the baking sheet. Place in the preheated oven. It will roast while you prepare the rest of the vegetables. The squash takes longer to roast than the other vegetables.
- In a bowl combine the oregano, basil, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper. Stir to combine, then set the bowl aside.
- After the acorn squash has been roasting for at least 15 minutes, pull the baking sheet out and add the sweet potatoes, onion, carrots, and the garlic head. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle the seasoning mix over the vegetables. Stir gently to coat the vegetables with the oil and seasons. Place back into the oven to roast for another 20 minutes.
- When the vegetables are finished roasting, pull out of the oven and let cool slightly. When the vegetables have cooled a little bit, begin putting them a cup at a time into a food processor or a blender. Cut the top of the garlic head off to expose the garlic cloves and squeeze the cloves out of the head into the blender. Blend until smooth, adding the stock a little at a time to help the vegetables become smooth. Place each batch of the vegetable purée into a large cooking pot.
- When the vegetables are finished being puréed, scoop the seeds out of the acorn squash and discard. Scoop the rest of the inside of the squash into the blender and blend just like the rest of the vegetables. Pour the purée into the pot with the rest of the puréed vegetables.
- Add in the cinnamon stick and the dark molasses to the puréed vegetables. Add any left over stock as well. Stir to combine. Heat on low until the soup begins to slightly simmer. If you’d like to make the soup creamy, add in the half and half. If you want the soup to be vegan, omit the half and half.
- Once heated through, serve immediately with optional toppings.Optional Toppings: roasted pumpkin seeds, shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh chives, fresh basil, sprinkle of cinnamon, soup crackers
Nutrition
I especially loved the rich seasoned flavors of this soup. Adding the cinnamon and molasses gave it a deep, rich flavor without overpowering the savory taste of the roasted vegetables. Maybe next time I will try adding a smidge of ground cloves to see how that changes the flavor.
How are you spending your autumn season? Has the weather turned cold and you find yourself wanting comfort foods and wearing sweaters and boots? Hope y’all have an amazing week. Stay safe, be kind, and hug your loved ones.
