Roasted Butternut Squash Leek Soup

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I love pumpkin as my previous couple of posts have shown, but I think I like another source of carotenoids even more. I’m not talking about sweet potatoes, even though I love those year-round too. I’m talking about butternut squash! It is great to cube and roast because you can eat it by itself, on a salad, on pizza, or even in an omelet, but soup just hits the spot as the weather gets cooler, which is where this vegan roasted butternut squash leek soup comes in.

Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Leek Soup

Many butternut squash soups get their creaminess from cream and butter. However, this dairy-free butternut squash achieves that same creamy texture with a couple of simple tricks, including one of my favorite kitchen tools: the immersion blender! Immersion blenders are seriously a game changer when it comes to vegan cooking because they are a simple way to achieve that creamy texture you crave in everything from soups to chilis to sauces.

Even if you do enjoy a good cream-based soup, you may find that you like this version even better since without the dairy, there’s even more room for butternut squash’s flavor to come through. In this vegan butternut squash leek soup recipe, I compliment that with garlic, leeks, rosemary, vegetable broth, and butternut squash seed oil (no worries if you can’t find this — it can easily be subbed for olive oil).

Roasted Butternut Squash Seed Oil

A couple of products I believe really make this soup great are the oil and broth. I recently picked up Roasted Butternut Squash Seed Oil from a specialty oil store where I live. Support local businesses that sells specialty olive oils and vinegars and discover other fun options like butternut squash and pumpkin seed oil while you’re at it. This oil was a perfect compliment to this vegan butternut squash soup, but I have also used it with roasted brussels sprouts and onions, in quinoa, and on fall salads and grain bowls.

Vegan Butternut Squash Soup Nutrition

Each 1 cup serving of butternut squash you eat provides 4x your Vitamin A needs for the day as well as half of your needs for vitamin C! You’ll even get Vitamins E and some B vitamins from this nutrient powerhouse as well as good amounts of magnesium and potassium. The phytochemical carotenoids & bioflavonoids in butternut squash are known to boost immunity and work as antioxidants that support the hearth, eyes and even work to prevent some cancers. You’ll get all of this with a serving of this butternut squash leek soup.

Garlic & leeks are part of the same family, providing the phytochemicals allicin and sulfides which are linked to improved immunity and respiratory health. Both onions & leeks provide Vitamin C. Onions are also a great source of vitamins B6 and folate while leeks contribute vitamins A & K in great amounts as well as the mineral manganese.

Rosemary contains carnosol which has been found in studies to be an anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory compound and carnosic acid that has neuro-protective (brain & nervous system protective) properties. Some studies show it can aid the GI tract too and as an oil, it has also been used for centuries to improve circulation! Per weight it has a high content of nutrients but since we consume small amounts of it, it provides a little folate, riboflavin, and vitamins A & C as well as the minerals iron, calcium and potassium.

Roasted Butternut Squash Leek Soup

This roasted butternut squash leek soup is packed with the flavors, nutrients, and creaminess you crave without dairy. Grab a bowl and get cozy!

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp butternut squash seed oil or olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 2-3 lb butternut squash
• 2 small leeks
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1/2 tbsp dried)
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp fresh oregano (or 1/4 tsp dried)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• dash of ground nutmeg
• fresh black ground pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• First, heat oven to 350 degrees F to bake the squash. You can do this in advance and refrigerate. Carefully cut the squash in half and then scoop out the seeds. You can save them and rinse pulp off to roast separately. Rub a small amount of oil on the flesh surface of the squash and bake face down on a baking sheet or in a glass baking dish for 30-40 minutes, or until tender.
• While the squash is baking, mince garlic, dice the leeks and cut the rosemary.
• Over low-medium heat in a stock pot add oil and garlic and let cook 1-2 minutes.
• Next, add the leeks, stir well, and cover for 3-4 minutes.
• Scoop the flesh of the butternut squash out of the skin and add to the pot along with rosemary, other spices and stir. Immediately add the vegetable broth, cover and let come to a boil.
• Reduce heat once the soup comes to a boil. Pulse with an immersion blender* on medium until the soup has a creamy consistency. Turn the heat off and you’re done!

  *If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can add the mixture to a blender or food processor. Let cool before carefully transferring, and then heating the soup back up to serve.

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