Very Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Submitted by NancyPeponis
Creamy vegan butternut squash soup blended with blanched almonds for a dairy-free silky texture, finished with curry powder and topped with pepitas, parsley and cherry tomato halves. No cream, no dairy, all velvet.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
1 hrsThe secret to this butternut squash soup is what isn’t in it. There’s no cream, no butter, no coconut milk. The silky texture comes from blanched almonds blitzed with vegetable stock until they turn into a smooth, mild nut milk that pulls the squash together.
The technique is worth following exactly. Simmering the squash in stock with the skin still on means the flesh stays moist, and it peels away cleanly once cool. Blanching the almonds for 30 seconds then pinching the skins off is the difference between a velvety vegan soup and one with gritty specks. Don’t skip it.
A teaspoon and a half of curry powder is just enough to lift the squash without making it taste curried. It adds warmth, not heat. Finish each bowl with pepitas for crunch, parsley for green, and halved cherry tomatoes for a little acidic pop against the sweet squash.
Pro Tips
- Use a high-power blender if you have one. The almonds need to be ground to a true cream for the soup to feel silky rather than gritty.
- Save the squash cooking liquid in the pot rather than draining it. That stock is now infused with squash flavour and it’s the base of the soup.
- Taste before salting at the end. Vegetable stock varies wildly in saltiness, and a quarter teaspoon could be enough.
- Want it richer? Add an extra handful of almonds. Want it lighter? Thin with more stock at the end.
Variations
- Swap the curry powder for a teaspoon of smoked paprika and a pinch of cumin for a different warm-spice profile.
- Roast the squash cubes on a sheet pan instead of simmering for a deeper, caramelised flavour. Add stock after blending.
- Stir in a tablespoon of miso paste at the end for extra savoury depth.
Ingredients
Directions
Put the squash and 3 cups of the vegetable stock in a large pot.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat, cover and cook until the squash is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat, and let the squash cool in the cooking water.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the squash from the pot.
Peel the squash, and set aside.
Set aside the pot of cooking liquid.
Blanch the almonds in boiling water for 30 seconds.
Drain, and squeeze the almonds between your fingertips to remove the skins.
Compost or discard the skins.
Put the blanched almonds and the remaining 1½ cups vegetable stock into a blender.
Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the cooked squash, curry, salt, and pepper and process until smooth.
Add the squash mixture to the pot of cooking liquid, and bring just to a simmer over medium heat.
Serve hot, garnished with parsley sprigs, pumpkin seeds and cherry tomato halves if desired.
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