Vegan Butternut Squash Apple Soup

4.89 from 9 votes

Vegan Butternut Squash Apple Soup

This Butternut Squash Apple Soup is silky smooth and perfectly spiced for the fall season. Reminiscent of Panera's Autumn Squash Soup, but dairy-free and vegan! Great for a light cozy weeknight dinner or the starter of a heartier or holiday meal.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Soups, Stews, and Chilis

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Servings: servings

Calories: 360kcal

Author: Jenn Sebestyen

Equipment

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil or ¼ cup broth or water for an oil-free option
1 small onion diced
1 rib celery diced
2 carrots peeled and chopped
4 cups cubed butternut squash about a 2-3 lb squash (peeled and seeded)
1 apple peeled, cored, and chopped
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon yellow curry powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup light coconut milk
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1-2 tablespoon(s) apple cider vinegar
½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish, optional

Instructions

Heat the oil in a soup pot on the stove over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and sauté 4 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
Add the carrots, salt, curry powder, cinnamon, garlic powder, turmeric, and pepper. Stir well and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the butternut squash, apple, and broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes until the carrots and squash are tender.
Remove from the heat and add the light coconut milk, maple syrup, and vinegar.
With an immersion blender, purée the soup until silky smooth. (Alternately, you can transfer the soup to a stand blender to purée. You may need to work in batches so as not to overfill the blender.)
Taste and adjust seasoning to your tastes.
Serve warm with a garnish roasted pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of extra coconut milk, if desired.

Notes

~ Peel and remove the seeds from the butternut squash. You can use a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife to remove the peel. If you use a vegetable peeler, you will likely need to go over each area a few times as the skin is on the thicker side.

~ Dice the carrots and squash in similar sized pieces to ensure they are cooked through at the same time.

~ Sauté the aromatics and spices in a bit of oil to bring out their full flavors before adding the broth.

~ Using an immersion blender to purée the soup makes clean up a breeze as it's all done in the same pot. However, you can carefully transfer the soup to a stand blender if you prefer. When adding hot liquids to a stand blender, be sure to only fill it up halfway. You may need to work in batches.

~ Always taste and adjust seasonings to your liking! Especially since different brands of curry powder have varying levels of pungency.

~ Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds for a bit of texture in this otherwise smooth soup. You can use store-bought or roasted your own. Croutons would be a great garnish as well, if you don't have pumpkin seeds.

~To roast pumpkin seeds: ½ cup raw shelled pumpkin seeds, ¼ tsp oil, ⅛ tsp salt. Roast in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet at 325°F for about 20 to 25 minutes, shaking the tray half way through. All ovens are different, so keep a close eye on them so they don't burn.

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