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This savory vegan butternut squash soup recipe brimming with fall flavor is what cozy dreams are made of. Top with perfectly roasted pieces of butternut squash, fried sage and a few dried cranberries for the ultimate burst of autumn flavor.
An easy and comforting vegan pumpkin soup from scratch made with roasted butternut squash infused with deep savory flavor from caramelized leeks, rosemary, sage and thyme. Made without coconut milk, instead the next level of dairy free silky creaminess is achieved by blending in just a handful of cashews. For a carrot + apple version try our fan favorite recipe from years past.
Sweet and nutty butternut squash is my go to favorite of winter squashes for making creamy soups. It has a mild flavor with smooth buttery flesh, not stringy as most winter pumpkins. All things considered, you could certainly make this soup with acorn squash, kabocha, sweet or seminole pumpkin. The depth of flavor comes from roasting the butternut squash until lightly caramelized around the edges for all the natural sugars to concentrate. The absolute best!
About the Leeks
So much flavor in this vegetable! Grab a large one as you’ll need about 2+ cups for your base. Slice and rinse well as leeks grown underground and tend to collect a lot of sandy soil in between the layers. Although the entire leek is edible and delicious, In this recipe I suggest only using the white and pale green parts. The only reason for this is so that your soup will end up a beautiful golden color everyone is sure to want to dive into with a big spoon.
Aromatics – No onion to be found here, instead I used a large flavor packed leek and a celery rib. You can of course expand on the concept and add some extra root veggies like carrot, sweet potato or parsnips but not necessary at all.
The Herbs – Sage, rosemary and thyme deliver outstanding fall flavor to your soup. Frying some sage leaves until crispy will take your presentation over the top, a treat I would indulge in during holiday season.
Cashews – An optional ingredient but really makes your soup next level creamy and silky. Alternatively you could use a cup or so of almond or cashew milk or add a cup of white beans instead. This will help balance out the butternut flavor.
Add Ins – crispy roasted broccoli, wilted kale, baby spinach, cooked lentils, sautéed mushrooms, pan seared tofu cubes, or your favorite roasted veggies. Go Wild!
Water Vs Veggie Stock – Just use water! Between the roasting process, the leeks and the herbs there is just so much delicious and complex flavor happening, save your stock for something else.
Make it Oil Free – Yes you can adapt the soup to be extra healthy WFPB + Plantricious by omitting the oil and using veggie broth or water instead.
Garnish – A drizzle of homemade cashew cream, crispy fried sage leaves, some of the reserved roasted butternut balanced by a few dried cranberries make this soup exquisite and absolutely perfect for the festive Thanksgiving table.
Storage + Make Ahead
This soup can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 5 days or frozen for 4 months. Thaw out in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the on the stove top until bubbly.
This savory vegan butternut squash soup brimming with fall flavor is what cozy dreams are made of. Top with perfectly roasted pieces of butternut, fried sage and a few dried cranberries for the ultimate burst of autumn flavor.
Peel the butternut squash, discard the seeds and cut it into small 1/2 inch pieces.
5 lb butternut squash
Prepare a large rimmed baking sheet. Add the diced butternut squash, rosemary, thyme and 1 sprig of the sage. Lightly drizzle with some olive oil, sprinkle with a good pinch of sea salt, black pepper and optionally some red chili flakes. Toss to coat well all over to prevent sticking, then spread it in a single layer. Roast in the preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes until nicely golden around the edges giving everything a shake halfway. Once done discard the tough stems from the herbs and reserve some of the roasted squash pieces for garnish ( about a cup or so).
5 lb butternut squash, 3 sprigs sage, 2 sprigs rosemary, 8 sprigs thyme, S + P to taste, Olive oil as needed
Meanwhile slice the white and pale green parts of the leek. (Reserve the green tops for later use). Place the sliced leeks in a bowl of cold water to rinse well. Allow them to soak for a few minutes so all the dirt and sand falls to the bottom of the bowl. Using your hands scoop out the clean leeks and transfer to a clean bowl.
1 large leek
Preheat a heavy bottom soup pot over medium heat. Sautee the leeks and celery in a light drizzle of olive until completely wilted and they start to get some color around the edges. Add the chopped sage and cook until fragrant.
1 large leek, 1 celery rib, 1 Tbsp sage leaves
Add the bay leaf, 1 sprig of rosemary and roasted butternut squash to the soup pot with the leeks. Pour in the water then add the cashews if using. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes or so. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, discard the bay and rosemary sprig.
5 lb butternut squash, 1/2 cup raw cashew, 6 cups water, 1 bay leaf, S + P to taste, 1 sprig rosemary
Blend - Very carefully transfer the soup to a powerful blender and puree on the hot liquid setting until silky smooth. (Work in batches here if need be).
Adjust seasoning to taste then serve the soup garnished with a drizzle of cashew cream, the reserved roasted butternut squash, a few dried cranberries and fried sage leaves.
1/4 cup dried cranberries for garnish
Fried Sage Leaves
Melt a couple of tablespoons of vegan butter or olive oil in a small skillet. Once hot add the sage leaves and fry until crispy taking good care not to burn them. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
Olive oil as needed, 3 sprigs sage
Cashew Cream (Optional)
In a very powerful blender puree 1 cup of raw cashews with 3/4 cup water until silky smooth. (If using a Vitamin there’s no need to soak the cashews, otherwise make sure toggle them a quick 25 minute soak in hot water before blending).
WFPB + Plantricious
For dietary compliance make sure to omit the oil and replace with water or veggie stock. To prevent sticking during roasting make sure to line the roasting dish with parchment paper.
Notes
The Butternut Squash - Sweet and nutty butternut squash is my go to favorite of winter squashes for making creamy soups. It has a mild flavor with smooth buttery flesh, not stringy as most winter pumpkins. All things considered, you could certainly make this soup with acorn squash, kabocha, sweet or seminole pumpkin. The depth of flavor comes from roasting the butternut squash until lightly caramelized around the edges for all the natural sugars to concentrate. The absolute best!
Leeks- So much flavor in this vegetable! Grab a large one as you'll need about 2+ cups for your base. Slice and rinse well as leeks grown underground and tend to collect a lot of sandy soil in between the layers. Although the entire leek is edible and delicious, In this recipe I suggest only using the white and pale green parts. The only reason for this is so that your soup will end up a beautiful golden color everyone is sure to want to dive into with a big spoon.
The Herbs - Sage, rosemary and thyme deliver outstanding fall flavor to your soup. Frying some sage leaves until crispy will take your presentation over the top, a treat I would indulge in during holiday season.
Hi, I'm Florentina! I'm the voice behind the easy Plant-Based recipes here at the Veggie Society. Peluci is our COO and taste tester in chief! Continue reading…
