This healthy roasted acorn squash soup recipe made creamy with cashews – a great holiday side or vegetarian main – is dairy-free and vegan and absolutely delicious.
Acorn Squash Soup
Grab a spoon and dig into this roasted Acorn Squash Soup made with no cream or dairy. Instead, I puree the roasted squash with cashews to make this dairy-free soup. Pureeing soup with beans, potatoes, or nuts is one of my favorite ways to make soups creamy without dairy. Some other soup recipes that use this same method are Turmeric Roasted Sweet Potato and Macadamia Soup, Black Bean Soup, and Creamy Sausage and Potato Soup.
Why This Works!
Though acorn squash is low in calories, it’s packed with nutrients. It’s high in fiber, vitamin C, and an excellent source of B vitamins, as well as magnesium and potassium. This acorn squash soup is high in fiber, gluten-free. Using vegetable broth, and olive oil instead of butter and cashews to make it creamy, makes this soup vegan and dairy-free.
Ingredients
- Red Onions: Peel and quarter two onions.
- Acorn Squash: Cut the acorn squash into wedges.
- Olive Oil and Salt: Toss the onions and acorn squash with olive oil and salt.
- Broth: Use six cups of vegetable broth.
- Ginger: Mince fresh ginger.
- Turmeric for a warm, earthy flavor and a pretty golden color
- Cayenne Pepper: Start with a pinch but add more for spicy.
- Cashews: Pureed cashews make the soup creamy, and I like to top my bowl with chopped cashews.
- Cilantro: Garnish with cilantro, or other fresh herbs.
How to Make Acorn Squash Soup
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper. Pour the broth into a large pot, cover it, and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
- Vegetables: Toss the onions and acorn squash with olive oil and salt, and spread it out on the baking sheet. Bake for about 40 minutes until the veggies are fork tender. Peel the squash, and transfer the flesh of the squash and the onions to the saucepan with the ginger, turmeric, and cayenne.
- Simmer: Bring the mixture to a boil. Then simmer over medium heat partially covered for about 10 minutes.
- Cashews: Place the cashews in a small bowl and top with three-quarter cups of hot broth. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes to soften the nuts.
- Blend: After the soup finishes simmering, remove it from the heat, and stir in the cashews. Pour the soup in batches into a high speed blender or immersion blender, and puree for a couple of minutes until smooth and creamy. For conventional blenders, remove the small lid cap, and cover the opening with a kitchen towel so steam can escape while you blend.
- Serve: Return the soup to the pot and season it to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with cilantro and chopped cashews if using. You can also drizzle some cashew cream on top.
Variations:
- Swap the acorn squash for other vegetables or a mix of veggies like carrots, or butternut squash.
- Add some garlic to the roasting pan along with the onions.
Storage
Leftover soup lasts for 4 days in the refrigerator, but it also freezes well if you want to save it for later. Once it cools, store it in two-cup containers for easy portioning, and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place a container in the fridge overnight and warm it on the stove or in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you remove the skin from acorn squash?
Acorn squash skin is safe to eat, but I like to remove it for soup. It results in creamier soup once blended. It’s easier to peel acorn squash once it’s cooked and soft, so I peel it after I roast it.
How do you cut acorn squash for soup?
I cut acorn squash into big wedges for soup. See the photos to know how big. The pieces get soft when they roast and are easy to puree.
Can I substitute acorn squash for butternut squash in soup?
Yes! If you don’t have acorn squash, make it with butternut to make it a butternut squash soup. You don’t even need to peel it! You can also make this with pumpkin.
More Acorn Squash Recipes You’ll Love:
- Roasted Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar
- Harvest Kale Salad with Roasted Winter Squash
- Turkey Chili-Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Farro and Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Roasted Acorn Squash and Leek Soup with Pepitas
Your comments are helpful! If you’ve tried this healthy Roasted Acorn Squash Soup recipe or any other on Skinnytaste, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. And if you took a photo of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can reshare it on my Stories!
Roasted Acorn Squash Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 medium red onions, peeled and quartered
- 2 1/2 pounds acorn squash, cut into wedges
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher sea salt, plus more to taste
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- Pinch of cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup unsalted cashews, plus optional more chopped for garnish
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper.
- Place broth in a large pot and bring the broth to a gentle simmer, covered.
- Toss the onions and acorn squash with oil and salt and spread out on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for about 40 min, until the vegetables are cooked but not burnt.
- Meanwhile, place the cashews in a small bowl and top with 3/4 of the hot broth.
- Allow the mixture to stand 10 minutes to soften the nuts.
- When the vegetables are done, peel the squash and transfer the vegetables to the pot and add the ginger, turmeric, and cayenne.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, partially covered, for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.
- Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the cashews.
- Pour the soup into your blender in batches and puree on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. (For conventional blenders, remove the small center lid cap and cover the opening with a kitchen towel so steam can escape while you blend.)
- Return the soup to the saucepan, season to taste, and eat warm.
- To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, top with cilantro and chopped cashews if using.
