Roasted Fall Vegetables Soup

I’m probably about a month too early to be posting about fall, of course here in Florida I’m more like two or three months too early for the two weeks of lower than 70* weather we call fall. But still, school is started, summer is over, I have to have something to keep me going right? 

So whether you are denying the start of fall, or already plotting your cozy outfits and halloween movie marathon, you can start fall off right with this creamy, herby, comforting soup. BTW,  it’s gluten free!

Perfect to serve 2, or three if you eat smaller portions. Takes about an hour and a half.

Ingredients:

For the vegetable puree (should make about 2 cups):
1 acorn squash
1/2 of a large sweet potato
1 medium carrot
Pinch salt
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch cinnamon

For rest of soup:
2 tbsp vegan butter (I used Miyokos cultured vegan butter)
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1/4 large sweet onion, diced
2 small cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup unsweetened cashew milk (or other unsweetened non-dairy milk)
2 Tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
Spring of fresh sage
Spring of fresh basil
Sprig of fresh rosemary
Salt and Pepper to taste

For toppings (optional):
1/4 cup spinach
1/4 cup cashew cream or cashew milk
Vegan bacon (I used Sweet Earth Benevolent Bacon strips, choose a different brand to keep it gluten free)
Extra Herbs
Sage Pesto

For Pesto:
1/2 cup fresh sage
1 tbsp fresh rosemary
3 tbsp pine nuts
2 tbsp chopped cashews
4 tbsp sunflower oil
pinch nutritional yeast
salt to taste

How-to:

1. Preheat oven to 400*F, line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Cut squash in half and remove seeds, cut sweet potato into 6 pieces, and cut carrot into 6 pieces. Sprinkle all veggies with salt and pepper.
3. Place squash cut side down on baking sheet. Roast in oven for 20 minutes.
4. After 20 minutes, add sweet potato and carrots to pan along with squash and roast for another 20-25 minutes, until everything is easily pierced with a fork and lightly browned. Do not flip anything.
5. Remove veggies and let cool. Scoop flesh from squash into food processor, remove skin from sweet potato and cut into smaller pieces, and cut carrot into smaller pieces and add to food processor. Blend until smooth with salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.

6. Heat 1 tbsp vegan butter over medium heat in a low pot, once it is melted add the onions for about 4 minutes, stirring so that they don’t burn. Add garlic for last minute or two until fragrant.
7. Add 2 cups vegetable puree, 1/4 cup cashew milk and 1 cup water to pot and stir in with onion mix. Gradually add rest of water and cashew milk until you reach desired consistency.
8. Season with sage, rosemary, basil, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Simmer covered for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. Taste and add more seasoning as needed.
9. Remove from heat, and add soup mixture to food processor. If you want a “chunkier” soup texture, leave about 1/2 cup of the mixture in the pot. Blend until smooth.
10. Return soup to pot and mix in spinach, last tbsp vegan butter and cashew cream, heating for another 5 minutes over medium heat. Mix in more liquid of choice to get desired consistency.
11. Top with cashew cream, sage pesto*, pine nuts, vegan bacon, and fresh herbs. Serve in one of the squash halves to get extra fancy. This made about 2 servings, can make 3 mattering on how hungry you are.

*For Pesto:
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. There should still be some small nut chunks. Add more salt if desired.