Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

I missed the pumpkin extravaganza that was the entire month of November. It was just too warm.

With Christmas being only two weeks away, I should probably be thinking about all things peppermint… and egg nog… and white chocolate, but I’m just not there yet.

Even though we kind of get cheated out of Fall around here, I still crave things like squash, spice, and cider around this time of year.

It’s just hard to get into that mindset when all of the trees are still green, the air conditioning is still running, and people are still wearing shorts and flip-flops.

Still, there was a bag of frozen butternut squash in my freezer that has been taunting me since I bought it back in September. I’m pretty sure that I had big plans for that squash but I never got around to them, thanks to our infamous heat.

So I made us some soup.

It’s basically Fall in a bowl.

It was also incredibly easy to make and it came together quite fast.

Garam Masala is what gives this soup such a fragrant and complex flavor and makes it taste like something much more complicated than it is.

Wait.

If you’ve never had it, don’t be put off.

Garam Masala is just a spice blend that contains things like coriander, black pepper, cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon. Spices that give the soup an aromatic warmth and a slightly sweet, almost exotic flavor.

See, not so scary.

It’s one of those things that when you serve it to people, they can never quite put their finger on what it is but they love it.

As he was eating it last night, my husband actually kept saying “It’s squash and beans… why is it so good!?”

Therein lies the beauty of this soup, and most things in life for that matter.

Sometimes, simple is best.

Toss a few simple ingredients into a pot. Warm them up. Blend until smooth.

Nothing scary about that.

Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

1/2 a sweet onion – diced

1 clove of garlic – minced

12 oz bag of frozen diced butternut squash

1 1/2 tsp garam masala

1 sprig of fresh thyme

3 cups veggie stock

1 can canellini beans – rinsed and drained

splash of apple cider (optional) – I use the hard stuff

salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Add a little extra virgin olive oil to a big pot or dutch oven over medium heat.

Add the diced onion and a little salt and pepper.

Cook until the onions are translucent, giving them an occasional stir.

If your onions start getting brown, turn the heat down just a bit. You want your onions to sweat, not brown.

Once the onions have softened, add the garlic and toss it around with the onions for a bit.

Add the whole thyme sprig, squash, and garam masala, and give everything a stir while you rinse and drain the beans.

Now add the stock and increase the heat.

Once the mixture has come up to a bubble, add the beans and reduce to a gentle simmer.

At this point, everything should be cooked, we’re just introducing flavors to each other and letting them become friends.

Remove the thyme sprig and carefully ladle the soup into a blender. Whir it up until it’s silky smooth and creamy.

Pour the soup back into the pot and add a splash of cider.

This is also the time to taste a little and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Now you can ladle it into a mug and sip on the couch or pour into a thermos and drink it on the go.

You can even pour it into a big bowl and top with dried apple and a tiny sprig of fresh thyme if you’re feeling fancy.

If butternut squash isn’t your thing, you can use pumpkin or any other squash you like.

Tags: gluten-free, vegan