It’s finally fall (well, in most parts of the world). Arizona hasn’t quite gotten the message yet. It’s 91 degrees here today. Oh, well…the weather is getting colder where most of you live, the fall produce is piled high in my local grocery store and more importantly, I couldn’t wait another minute to do this Roasted Winter Squash Soup! Patience is not a virtue I was born with 😉

This soup features roasted butternut, acorn and carnival squashes along with roasted garlic (you can see our Oven Roasted Garlic 101 tutorial here). It’s part of a new series of posts I am working on for you. More of a “how-to” series. In the search box, you’ll be able to type in ‘101’ and get every tutorial in the series. Pretty cool, right?

Anyway, I digress…

One look at this squash and you are probably wondering what it is. This is called Carnival Squash. Although it looks like an acorn squash, it is more similar to a Kabocha or Butternut Squash and is best eaten after roasting. Perfect for this winter soup!

I learned a nifty little trick in slicing these hard squashes that I am going to share with you because quite frankly, it just shouldn’t be as difficult as we all make it. With a sharp knife, make small slits all over of the squash. Doesn’t have to be perfect. Then, microwave for 2 minutes. It should slice and/or peel easily. This method works with all hard squashes. Why didn’t I think of that?

You’ll want to cut all of the squash into similar sized pieces so they cook at the same rate. At 350-375, they should take about an hour. Before roasting, just give each exposed surface a light brushing of oil and liberal sprinkle of salt and pepper. Test with a fork for tenderness. If they seem a bit firm, keep roasting.

Allow to cool enough to handle and then using a spoon, scoop out the flesh and discard the rinds.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, add the sliced onions and diced apples with 1 tsp of oil until they are tender and the onion just begin to caramelize. Low and slow produces the best caramelization. Keep an eye on the moisture. Initially, the apples will give off some liquid but it will dry up and we want juicy onions, not crispy brown onions. Add a small dab of vegan margarine if necessary as it cooks.

Using a hand blending stick or blender (but preferably a food processor which I eventually ending up using), puree until smooth, adding the broth gradually as you go.

Place the now pureed mixture back into the stock pot, add your seasonings, parmesan and the creamer. Simmer on low heat. If it seems too thick, you can always add more broth. Taste for seasoning. Additional salt and pepper may be required.

We served ours in a Carnival Squash half. Top with a drizzle of olive oil, cracked black pepper and a sprinkle of vegan parmesan (we use GO Veggie! brand). Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

Before you go, why not check out some of our recent videos and be sure to subscribe to the YouTube Channel! 🙂