Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup
This Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup is a velvety, flavorful blend of roasted veggies, maple syrup, orange juice, and coconut milk. Creamy yet dairy-free, it's a vibrant and wholesome dish that's perfect for both everyday meals and holiday gatherings, accommodating vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free diets.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 257kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. butternut squash peeled, seeds removed, and cubed
- 1 ½ lbs. carrots peeled and chopped
- 3 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoon ginger grated
- 2 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 cup orange juice
- 5 cups water
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 can coconut milk full fat/premium (400ml/13.5oz)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°.
- Place the butternut squash and carrots in a roasting pan and toss with one tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, until soft and caramelized.
- Once the vegetables are roasted, heat your soup pot on medium-high heat with the rest of the olive oil. Add chopped onions and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and orange zest. Cook for additional minute, stirring continuously, until fragrant.
- Scrape the roasted squash and carrots into the pot, orange juice and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- Stir in the maple syrup and coconut milk. Blend the soup to a smooth consistency using an immersion blender. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
Notes
Scroll up to view a visual walkthrough of the recipe.
Roasting the vegetables is key: ensure the carrots and squash have good caramelization when roasting. The caramelization adds flavor and is the key a flavorful soup with lots of depth.
Deglaze the roasting pan: if there are brown bits stuck to the bottom of the roasting pan, add a splash of water to deglaze the pan, lifting the brown bits. Pour this into the soup pot. This adds even more flavor.
Time is your friend: allow the soup to simmer even longer to enhance the flavor of the soup.
Be careful when blending the soup: remove the soup from the heat before blending. Hot soup is susceptible to splashing when blending. If using a stand blender, allow the soup to cool at least 30 minutes before blending.
Make ahead: almost all soups taste better if made ahead. Every time the soup is reheated the flavor becomes deeper and more enhanced. If serving the soup to guests, we recommend making it the day before and reheating the day of. This saves time the day of and makes for a better tasting soup.
Storage: allow the soup to cool to room temperature before storing it in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat over medium heat on the stove.
Freezing: this is an excellent soup for freezing. Allow it to cool to room temperature and store in a freezer-safe container until ready to eat. Carrot and butternut squash soup will keep up to 6 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 78mg | Potassium: 789mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 23318IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 3mg