Creamy Cashew Butternut Squash Soup

Creamy Cashew Butternut Squash Soup
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Rating
5(1,903)
Comments
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Growing up, I spent a lot of time in vegetarian restaurants even though I was not vegetarian, just on a quest to discover delicious, healthy foods that would help my dad to lose weight and feel good. I was already a fan of butternut squash soup when I was introduced to using cashews as a substitute for cream. This soup is loaded with flavor, fiber and protein. One of my favorite things to do is to ask my guests to figure out the mystery ingredient; nobody ever guesses that I have swapped out the heavy cream for the healthy, raw cashews. This soup is perfect for your vegetarian and vegan guests.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings
  • 3tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter
  • 1large onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1cup (150 grams) raw cashews
  • 1clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1large butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
  • 5cups vegetable or chicken stock, plus additional (optional)
  • 2tablespoons minced fresh ginger
  • 2teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1teaspoon curry powder
  • 1teaspoon ground turmeric
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1cup coconut milk, plus additional (optional)
  • 1sprig fresh rosemary
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

319 calories; 22 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 9 grams protein; 789 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In large stockpot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the cashews and cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent and the cashews have slightly browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the squash, broth, ginger, cumin, coriander, curry powder, turmeric and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and bring the soup to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook the soup until the squash is easily pierced with a knife, 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover the soup and let it cool for 15 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Starting on slow speed and increasing to high, purée the soup in small batches, in a blender until smooth. Place a towel over the top of the blender in case of any splatters. You can also use an immersion blender (let the soup remain in the pot), but it will take longer to purée until smooth.

  3. Step 3

    If using a blender, return the soup to the pot, add the coconut milk and rosemary sprig, and cook over low heat, covered, until slightly thickened, for about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready. If serving the soup later, while reheating the soup, thin it out with more broth or coconut milk until the desired consistency.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,903 user ratings
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Comments

Fantastic recipe! I made this tonight with a few changes. My local market sells packages of butternut squash that they skin and chop daily. I tossed the chunked squash in olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted in a 400 degree oven for about 50 minutes with a peeled apple, turning halfway, until golden brown. I used coconut oil instead of olive oil to cook the onions and added the spice mixture to the onion and cashew mixture and let it bloom before adding the garlic.

As a person who is deathly allergic to cashews, I really don't recommend playing the "secret ingredient" game described in the article. Tree nuts are a common allergen, and that would be a really good way to put somebody in the hospital, or worse.

I agree with Ingrid. Cut the squash in half, remove the seeds and roast for 45 min to 1 hour at 350 (or until soft enough to scoop out with a spoon. Acorn squash would work equally well in this soup.

The recipe is delicious, but I would recommend adding a splash of acid to bring out the full flavor to balance the creaminess of the coconut milk. I added about a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a hint of lime juice as well. It really helped develop the flavors a bit more. Beyond that I thought it was amazing.

I doubled the spices. Roasted the cut up & peeled squash. BUY AN IMMERSION BLENDER- hot soup into a regular blender: never again. Wonderful. Cashews made it creamy. ,

Incredible texture and flavor. I didn’t have curry powder so went with a little pumpkin spice, ginger powder a couple different chile pepper powders and extra turmeric and cumin. Only did 1/2 cup of coconut milk and it was perfect.

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Credits

Dawn Lerman

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