SMASHING Butternut Squash Soup
This butternut squah soup is unbelievably velvety and rich-tasting, yet it is so healthy and also simple to make. Once the squash and onion are roasted, the blender does the rest of the work and soup is served!
Ingredients
- 3- lb whole unpeeled butternut or other deep orange winter squash
- 1 large or 2 small whole unpeeled onions
- 2 cups water plus more, if desired, to thin
- 1/2 cup presoaked and drained raw cashews
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary see note
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
- 1 medium-large clove garlic
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash and onion on the prepared sheet and bake for an hour or longer, until the squash is completely tender when pierced through. (Baking time will vary depending on the size of the vegetables. If you use 2 smaller squash to total 3 pounds, they will cook quicker.) Remove squash and onion from oven and cut the squash lengthwise to accelerate cooling so you can handle. Meanwhile, add the water, cashews, lemon juice, rosemary, sea salt, cinnamon, allspice, and garlic to a blender. Puree until smooth and silky. Remove the skins and seeds from the squash and add the flesh to the blender. Remove the outer tough layer of skin from the onion and add the whole roasted onion to the blender. Puree with the cashew mixture until smooth. (I use my Blendtec. If your blender isn’t large, puree in batches - link for 20% off any blender with Blendtec coupon code: YAY-BLENDTEC). If more water is needed, add enough to loosen/thin the mixture and puree again. Transfer the mixture to a pot, scraping the blender with a spatula to loosen all the mixture. Gently heat the soup, season with extra salt if desired, and extra water to thin if you like, then serve. Serves 4.
Notes
Spices Note: Children may enjoy this soup without rosemary, and even without the cinnamon and allspice. The caramelized onion and roasted squash add so much flavor! Give it a try if your little ones are at all picky about spices and herbs.
Idea: This soup is so thick it can stand in for a pasta sauce—try in a baked pasta dish!
Serving Suggestions: Try topped with Baconut!