creamy winter squash soup

We’ll be hitting repeat this year for Thanksgiving with the exception of the soup. Last year’s pumpkin soup went over really well, but we’re going to return to a household favorite and longer-standing tradition of Winter Squash Soup. If you roast your squashes the day before, the soup can go from beginning to table in under an hour and THAT is exactly the kind of simplicity and ease that we want the day to embody in our house.

Creamy Winter Squash Soup
(Yields 6 cups, vegan)

1 butternut squash
1 kabocha (or acorn) squash
4-6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon of dried sage
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 pinch of rosemary
3 cups of vegetable broth or water
salt & pepper to taste

1. Cut the squashes in half, scoop out seeds and put unpeeled garlic cloves in cavities. Place squashes face down on roasting pan and roast in 375º oven till skin pierces easily and flesh is soft. 35-40 minutes.
2. Remove squash and garlic from oven. Scoop out flesh from squashes and squeeze garlic from peels when cool. Set aside.
3. Chop onions.
4. Warm olive oil in your favorite soup pot. Add onions, sage, thyme, and rosemary and sauté until soft.
5. Add squash and roasted garlic. Stir and mash until well combined.
6. Add broth and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
7. Puree once cooled.
8. Serve warm.

I find that adding the kabocha or acorn squash cuts the sweetness of roasted butternut squash, which makes it infinitely more appetizing to my husband and daughter. We’ll be serving it with homemade rolls and one of the few salads that even the kiddo likes – grapefruit and avocado over mixed green with a grapefruit vinaigrette.

A thank you is in order to the fantabulous, Michelle of The Kid Can Cook for pulling together the lovely virtual Thanksgiving potluck that whipped me into Thanksgiving-gear way earlier than I thought I was capable. I’ll update with links to what everyone else “brought” later today.

P.S. The creamy, vegan soup would make a great first course to a more elaborate Thanksgiving dinner as well.