A (new) fall classic: (Vegan) Homemade Butternut Squash Soup

Recently, my wife attended an animal law conference in Portland, Oregon. Having spent the past five fall seasons in Tucson, Arizona, where the trees just don’t change much, she received quite a visual treat in witnessing the beginnings of the turning of Portland’s foliage. During an evening phone call after a long day, she remarked how she’d been reminded of home (New York) where each year provided such a visual feast. I decided at this point that though I can’t bring the changing seasons to Tucson, I can bring something else ‘very fall’ — some good ol’ squash soup. In keeping with the animal-friendly theme, I give you an all-vegan recipe.

This is a simple recipe that is both light and simply satisfying. It can be served as part of a larger meal but confidently stands alone as a great mid-day treat!

Total Time: About 1 Hour
Yields: 4–6 Servings

Ingredients (all organic)

1 Butternut Squash
1 Peeled Yellow Onion
6 Cups Vegetable Stock
1/4 TSP Nutmeg
1/4 TSP Cinnamon
1 TBSP Butter Substitute (Smart Balance)
Pinch of Salt

Preparation

1. Roast the Squash Butternut Squash has a notoriously thick, waxy rind that makes it quite a chore to peel raw. Roasting the squash first will render it soft and cooperative and has a secondary benefit: Roasting the squash will caramelize some of the naturally occurring sugars and provide a richer overall flavor.Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Halve the squash lengthwise and place each of the halves face-down on a foiled baking sheet. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. You should wind up with a squash that’s soft with a waxy rind.
2. Let the squash cool for a few minutes while we start the onions.
3. Caramelize the Onions Run cold water over your onion while you peel the outer layer. This will prevent you from crying!For a slightly chunkier texture to the final soup, I dice the onion rather than mincing it, but feel free to chop them as finely as you prefer. Dice the entire onion and combine the butter substitute and Onions in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Sauté the onions until clear and slightly brown.
4. Peel and Cube the Squash Hopefully your squash as cooled enough now to peel. Your mileage may vary, but I tend to find it easiest to start by cutting the squash halves into 2 sections just above the bell. You should have4 pieces at this point, 2 round and 2 ‘square’. Now slice these into ‘fingers’. Using your favorite nimble knife, carefully separate the rind from the meat of the squash. With the rind removed, cube the fingers.
5. Simmer the Squash Combine the 6 cups of Vegetable Stock with the Onions, Nutmeg,Cinnamon, Salt, and Squash over medium heat. Simmer for about 15minutes. The squash should be soft and saturated with our stock and spices.Get your blender ready!
6. Puree the Squash Keep the slow simmer going and with a slotted spoon, remove the squash (and some onions too!), placing it in the blender. Feel free to use some of the stock in the blender as well as this will make the puree a little easier. Don’t use too much — just enough to make it wet. Puree the squash until it reaches a soft, creamy texture. Combine the pureed squash with our simmering stock and stir until mixed.
7. Reduce Continue to simmer the soup for about 15 more minutes or until it appears somewhat syrupy.
8. Serve like to slice some pears and serve peeled pear slices on the rim of a wide soup bowl. Feel free to garnish with a touch more cinnamon for presentation.Bon Appétit!