This is a comforting Vegan Butternut Squash Soup recipe with straightforward ingredients! I let the maple roasted butternut squash shine and added just a couple savory flavors to this recipe for the ultimate comforting fall and winter soup. Make it in the blender and savor every creamy bite!
Sticky-sweet caramelized maple-roasted butternut squash brings incredible, robust flavor to this Vegan Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. I always think that butternut squash is a bit of everything: a little bit nutty, a little sweet, buttery, kind of savory. It's got a flavor for everyone, and they're all here in this Creamy Vegan Roasted Butternut Squash Soup! I added roasted garlic, sautéed shallot, and cashew cream to make this blended soup perfectly creamy and flavorful. Slide on your slippers, turn on your favorite podcast, and let's make some comforting and ultra-creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Soup!
How to Roast Garlic for Soup
Roasting garlic gives it it a rich and nutty flavor that perfectly complements this Butternut Squash Soup. It's totally worth the extra time to roast your garlic cloves. Raw garlic can overpower soup but roasting garlic makes it slightly sweet and more mellow. Once you try it you won't go back!
If using the oven, start by preheating to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and slicing the top off of an entire head of garlic. You want to see the tops of the cloves exposed. Wrap the garlic bulb in a piece of foil (cut side up) and place it in a small ramekin (make sure it's oven safe!).
Drizzle the head of garlic with olive oil, sprinkle it with salt, and cover it all tightly with foil so the garlic isn't exposed. Cook it for an hour, then remove it from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. The roasted cloves become tender and buttery and will squeeze easily out of the skin.
You can discard the skin and reserve the roasted garlic cloves for this soup and other dishes. I usually roast a couple heads at once and use in hummus, dressing, soups, pasta, sauces and mashed potatoes. You can see a 30 second video of how to roast garlic here.
Time-saving tip: You can roast garlic in an air fryer instead of the oven to save half the time!
Vegan Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
I added my favorite cashew cream for some extra plant-based protein and perfectly creamy texture. If you're nut-free you can omit this ingredient and the soup will still be delicious! I almost always have a batch of this cashew cream in my refrigerator because it's so versatile and makes a really nice soup garnish in the colder months.
It starts with soaked cashews! Learn all about How (and Why!) to Soak Cashews in this post. Cashews are an excellent source of copper and a good source of magnesium, manganese, vitamin K, phosphorous and zinc. It has a neutral flavor that works wonderfully in this soup so the maple roasted butternut squash can really shine.
For more information on cashews, check out my complete guide on Cashews Benefits for Vegans (+ Recipes).
I didn't end up using any broth or stock in this soup! It's so flavorful that you can just use water. This also maintains the flavor of your soup a little better since stocks and broths can vary so much in flavor and sodium levels.
I always suggest starting with just a bit of water and adding until you have your ideal consistency. I didn't use an immersion blender for this recipe. Instead, I opted to transfer the soup into the blender for a perfectly smooth and creamy consistency. It is worth it for an ultra-luxurious texture in every spoonful.
All About Butternut Squash
I can't stop cooking with butternut squash this season! It's colorful, nutritious, and of course...it tastes amazing. I always choose butternut squash that feel heavy for their size and store them in a cool, dry place. Once you cut into a butternut squash it can be stored in the refrigerator.
I don't recommend buying pre-cut squash from the store. In my experience, they get slimy so quickly. Freshly cut butternut squash is so much sweeter and has the best butternut flavor. In a dish like this, it makes a huge difference to buy it whole and chop it up yourself.
Butternut squash is a good source of fiber, potassium and magnesium and it's loaded with vitamins A and C. It also contains phytochemicals (natural plant chemicals) that support vision, heart and gastrointestinal health.
More Comforting Vegan Soups
Toddler- and Kid-Approved Creamy Vegan Carrot Soup
Easy Vegan Blender Pumpkin Soup
Creamy Split Pea Turmeric & Red Lentil Vegetable Soup
Need more holiday recipe inspiration? Find all my vegan and gluten-free holiday recipes HERE.
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Best Creamy Vegan Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Garlic
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This is a comforting Vegan Butternut Squash Soup recipe with straightforward ingredients! I let the maple roasted butternut squash shine and added just a couple savory flavors to this recipe for the ultimate comforting fall and winter soup. Make it in the blender and savor every creamy bite!
Ingredients
- Maple Roasted Butternut Squash
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 large shallot, diced
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 roasted garlic cloves* (roast in the air fryer or the oven)
- 3 cups filtered water
- 2 tablespoons homemade vegan cashew cream (learn all about How (and Why!) to Soak Cashews in this post!)
- Optional garnishes: homemade vegan cashew cream (thin out with water to drizzle and swirl with a chopstick), pomegranate arils, minced fresh chives, microgreens, and/or freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the Maple Roasted Butternut Squash and roast the garlic (see notes).
- While they roast, heat a small skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Once hot, add oil, diced shallot, salt and pepper. Saute for 5-7 minutes until shallots are fragrant and translucent. Add to blender.
- Add the maple roasted butternut squash, 3 cloves of roasted garlic, water and cashew cream to blender. Blend on highest speed until smooth and creamy. Add more water if a thinner consistency is desired.
- Serve piping hot. Divide into 4-6 bowls and add desired garnishes.
- Store leftovers once fully cooled to room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days or in the freezer for up to two months. If freezing, be sure to allow one inch of space at the top of the storage container to allow for expansion.
Notes
*To roast garlic in the oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the top off an entire head of garlic (about ¼-inch so the garlic cloves are exposed). Wrap the garlic bulb in foil (cut side up) and place in a small ramekin that is oven safe. Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil (about ½ tablespoon). Sprinkle generously with fine salt. Cover in foil tightly so the garlic is not exposed. Place the ramekin in the oven for one hour. Remove and carefully unwrap the foil to allow the roasted garlic to cool to room temperature. Squeeze the garlic head to release the roasted garlic cloves. Reserve the roasted garlic cloves for this soup and other dishes. I usually roast a couple garlic bulbs at once and use in hummus, dressing, soups, pasta, sauces and mashed potatoes. You can see a 30 second video of how to roast garlic here.
*Roasting garlic in the air fryer saves half the time!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop and Oven
Keywords: creamy vegan roasted butternut squash soup
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