Description
This acorn squash soup blends the natural sweetness of roasted squash with aromatic herbs and spices, creating a hearty, antioxidant-rich comfort food that’s both nutritious and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn squash (about 3 pounds)
- 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
Seasonings & Flavor Enhancers
- 1 tsp sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- Freshly ground black pepper
Optional Garnishes
- Pepitas
- Microgreens
Smart Substitutions
- Chicken broth instead of vegetable broth
- Coconut milk instead of 1 cup broth
- Honey instead of maple syrup
- Sage instead of thyme
Instructions
- Roast squash & garlic: Preheat oven to 400°F. Halve and seed squash, drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper. Place cut-side down on baking sheet. Roast with foil-wrapped garlic for 35–45 minutes until tender.
- Prepare flesh: Cool squash, peel roasted garlic, scoop 2½ cups squash flesh.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat olive oil in Dutch oven. Cook onion, carrots, and salt 5–8 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- Simmer base: Add nutmeg, cayenne, black pepper, squash, garlic, broth, and thyme. Simmer 20 minutes.
- Blend smooth: Add lemon juice and maple syrup. Blend until creamy. Strain if desired.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls, garnish with olive oil, thyme, pepitas, and microgreens.
Notes
Choose acorn squash with smooth, dry skin and a heavy feel. For extra creaminess, swap 1 cup broth with coconut milk. Always allow soup to cool slightly before blending for safety.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Category: Soup, Fall, Comfort Food
- Method: Roasted + Blended
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1½ cups)
- Calories: 244
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 9g per 100g serving
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: acorn squash soup, roasted squash recipe, healthy fall soup, vegetarian soup, gluten-free soup