Every Fall, you can find me cuddled under a warm blanket and enjoy a cozy bowl of roasted carrot butternut squash soup. The squash and carrots are roasted to develop a rich caramelized flavor. And cashew cream is added on top to lend a zesty flavor pairing with this nourishing and creamy soup.
I love to make cozy soups and vegetarian chili with beans during the beginning of the year. I've (un)officially dubbed January through March as honorary soup season. And in winter here in the Northern Hemisphere, the weather is cold and the days are short.
So if you need me during Fall and Winter, I'll be snuggled in a blanket, slurping up this delicious roasted carrot butternut squash soup. 🙂
More About this Recipe
Growing up in Germany, we often ate soups with legumes like chickpea soup. And I love adding red lentils in this soup because they break down as they cook to become really thick and creamy. Plus the roasted vegetables develop such a rich, caramelized flavor.
To top it all, I love dolloping homemade cashew cream on top of my soup bowls, for a tangy contrast to this sweet soup. Fresh thyme compliments everything with a light and floral aroma. Basically, I think you are going to love this soup.
It does take extra time to roast the butternut squash and carrots before adding them into the soup. But I promise, the added flavor is so worth it! This is one you'll want to save and remake again and again. 🙂
Ingredients and Substitutions
Soup
- Butternut squash - adds a sweet flavor and creamy texture; you can substitute other squash like acorn squash or pumpkin
- Carrots - adds an earthy, sweet flavor; I usually use baby carrots, but you can also use peeled large carrots
- Olive oil
- Fresh thyme leaves - adds a fresh, herb flavor that goes great with squash; you can also use dried thyme
- Salt and ground black pepper
- Yellow onion - adds a mildly sweet flavor; you can also use a white onion or red onion
- Garlic - freshly minced garlic adds the best flavor, but you could substitute garlic powder if you don't have fresh garlic
- Red lentils - makes this soup extra creamy; you could leave out the lentils if you don't want to include them
- Water - thins the soup a bit so it can boil
- Vegetable broth - thins the soup with more flavor than just water alone
- Turmeric powder - optional to make the soup a brighter orange color
Cashew Cream
- Raw cashews - creates a thick cream when soaked in boiling water and blended; roasted cashews won't create quite the same creamy texture
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice - adds a bright, citrus flavor
- Salt
- Nutritional yeast - optional to add a cheesy flavor to the cashew cream
How to Make this Soup
Make the Cashew Cream
- Soak the cashews: Pour boiling water over the cashews in a bowl to completely cover them. Allow them to soak for 30 minutes to soften, then drain the water from the cashews.
- Blend the cashew cream: Blend the drained cashews with the rest of the cashew cream ingredients in a blender or food processor.
Add one tablespoon of water at a time and continue to blend until it is a thick, creamy mixture.
Roast the Squash and Carrots
- Prep the oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Prep the squash: Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
- Season the squash and carrots: Place the squash cut-side-up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread out the baby carrots next to the squash.
Drizzle the olive oil, thyme leaves, salt and ground black pepper on top.
Rub the oil and seasonings into the vegetables. Then flip the squash over so it's cut-side-down. - Roasted the squash and carrots: Bake for about 40 minutes, until the squash is easily pierced with a fork.
Cook the Onions & Lentils
- Cook the onion: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the diced onion with the salt.
Sauté for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are soft and golden. - Add the garlic: Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 3 minutes, until the garlic is very fragrant.
- Add the red lentils: Add the red lentils and water to the sautéed onions and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the lentils are al dente, about 20 minutes.
Blend the Soup & Serve
- Add the roasted squash and carrots: Remove the pot from the heat. Scoop the roasted squash out of its flesh and into the pot. Add the roasted carrots, vegetable broth, and turmeric powder.
- Blend the soup: Use an immersion blender to pulverize everything into a creamy soup. Or ladle the ingredients in batches into a blender. If using a blender, see the recipe tips below, since steam expands quickly and could cause hot soup to explode out of your blender.
- Serve and enjoy: To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with additional fresh thyme leaves, a small squeeze of lemon juice, and the cashew cream.
Recipe Tips
- Use caution when blending hot soup. An immersion blender can splash up the hot soup. And steam expands quickly and could cause a mini explosion of soup from your blender.
- If you are using a blender to blend your soup, only fill the blender one third full, and open the vent at the top to allow steam to escape. Cover the vent with paper towels or a kitchen towel to catch any splatters. Continue working in batches to blend all the soup.
- If you have time, peel the butternut squash and cut it into cubes before roasting it. The increased surface area will allow more of the squash to become caramelized and develop a richer flavor.
- Separate the thyme leaves from the woody stems, which aren't fun to eat.
- If you plan to freeze your soup, portion it out into individual servings so you only need to thaw as much as you plan to eat.
Recipe Variations
- Other squash: This soup also works well with other squash like acorn squash or pumpkin. Or replace it with sweet potatoes.
- Ginger: Add minced ginger to the soup for a bright flavor that goes great with butternut squash.
Storing
- Fridge: Allow the soup to cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Allow the soup to cool completely, then store it in an airtight container or freezer safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat: Place the soup in a microwave safe bowl and reheat it in the microwave on 30 second intervals, stirring in between.
FAQ's
How do you take bitterness out of butternut squash soup?
If your soup is bitter, add a little more salt or a little maple syrup. If that doesn't work, stir a few extra tablespoons of olive oil into the soup to remove any bitterness.
How can I thicken my butternut squash soup?
Red lentils cook down to be super thick and creamy, adding a wonderful texture to this roasted butternut squash and carrot soup. You can also stir in extra cashew cream for an even thicker texture.
Toppings for Butternut Squash Soup
- Toasted pumpkin seeds or pecans
- Roasted chickpeas
- Green onions
- Carrot top pesto or parsley pesto
- Fresh herbs
- Homemade croutons
- Cashew cream
- Gluten free breadsticks or German bread rolls
More Soup Recipes
Looking for more delicious curry, chili, and soup recipes? Try these:
Roasted Butternut Squash Carrot Soup
Cuddle under a warm blanket and enjoy a cozy bowl of this roasted butternut squash carrot soup! The squash and carrots are roasted to develop a rich caramelized flavor. Fresh thyme and cashew cream are added on top to lend a zesty flavor pairing with this nourishing and creamy soup.
Ingredients
Soup Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 2 cups roughly chopped carrots (peel the carrots if using large carrots)
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (discard any woody stems)
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced (about one tablespoon)
- 1 cup red lentils
- 3 cups water
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (optional)
Cashew Cream
- 1½ cups raw cashews
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed tastes best)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional; it adds a cheesy flavor)
- ½ cup water
Instructions
Prepare the Cashew Cream
- Place the raw cashews in a heat-proof bowl. Pour boiling water over the cashews to completely cover them. Allow them to soak for 30 minutes to soften, then drain the water from the cashews.
- Blend the drained cashews in a blender or food processor with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and optional nutritional yeast.
- Add one tablespoon of water at a time and continue to blend until it is a thick, creamy mixture. (I usually add 6 tablespoons of water total.)Set aside.
Roast the Squash & Carrots
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Place the squash cut-side-up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread out the baby carrots next to the squash.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of thyme leaves, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper on top. Rub the oil and seasonings into the vegetables.Flip over the squash so it's cut-side-down.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, until the squash is easily pierced with a fork.
Cook the Onion, Garlic & Red Lentils
- While the squash and carrots are roasting, heat the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat.
- Add the diced onion with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are soft and golden.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 3 minutes, until the garlic is very fragrant.
- Add the red lentils and water. Bring to a boil on high heat.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the lentils are al dente, about 20 minutes.
Blend the Soup & Serve
- Remove the pot from the heat. Scoop the roasted squash out of its flesh and into the pot. Add the roasted carrots, vegetable broth, and turmeric powder.
- Use an immersion blender to pulverize everything into a creamy soup. Or ladle the ingredients in batches into a blender. *If using a blender, only fill the blender one-third full. Open the vent and cover it with paper towels or a kitchen towel to catch any splatters. Steam expands quickly in a blender can build up pressure, which could cause a little explosion if the blender is too full or sealed too tightly.
- To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with additional fresh thyme leaves, a small squeeze of lemon juice, and cashew cream.Enjoy!!
Notes
- Use caution when blending hot soup. An immersion blender can splash up the hot soup. And steam expands quickly and could cause a mini explosion of soup from your blender.
- If you are using a blender to blend your soup, only fill the blender one third full, and open the vent at the top to allow steam to escape. Cover the vent with paper towels or a kitchen towel to catch any splatters. Continue working in batches to blend all the soup.
- Separate the thyme leaves from the woody stems, which aren't fun to eat.
- To store leftovers, allow the soup to cool completely and transfer to airtight containers. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowlCalories: 491kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 21gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gSodium: 1063mgPotassium: 912mgFiber: 17gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 9267IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 74mgIron: 7mg
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment below - I love hearing from you!
Azilde Elizabeth
I'll have to try this. The cream on top looks so good! And Massachusetts weather is the same! Freezing 🥶 then warm out of nowhere 😆
strawberryandcream
The cashew cream topping definitely elevated my soup game! 🥣😄
Yum-number1
All the ingredients on this are so healthy, this is packed with health benefits! Great recipe and post â¤ï¸
strawberryandcream
Thank you! I'm trying to add more nutritious savory meals to my blog this year, in addition to all the sweets! 😛