Even though I’m not a big soup person, butternut squash soup has always been a favorite. It’s so mcuh of a favorite that yes, we have another recipe on our site—perhaps you are familiar with our cozy vegan butternut squash soup? It’s freezer friendly and plant-based.
But this one is a little different. It’s got a bit of a garnish! And that’s not at all a fancy move, even though it looks like it. Ain’t she a beaut?
As always, I like to make recipes that leave no ingredient behind. Meaning, I don’t want you to have extra squash, greens or chickpeas that you don’t know what to do with. We try to be as close to zero waste as possible here, but that’s not always easy.
So yes, this recipe requires you to use an entire butternut squash. That’s not as crazy as it sounds. It makes at least six servings (maybe more, if your squash is BIG). And that’s double the amount of servings than most of my recipes.
Can you freeze this butternut squash soup?
You better believe it! I tested it myself a few times. It took over a day to thaw out in the fridge, but once it was ready to reheat, it tasted just as good as it did the day I whipped it up. Now, of course, you can use the microwave to defrost the soup, or use something like Souper Cubes to freeze them in individual portions, which would take a LOT less time to defrost!
But here’s the awesome thing about reheating this soup. It may have tasted better after the flavors had time to develop. And that’s saying something, because this soup is packed with flavor.
I dumped SO MUCH cinnamon into my original batch, but toned it down a bit for the recipe. (These days, I just dump cinnamon in everything, it seems…especially when it comes to fall and winter foods).
Originally, I wanted to add silken tofu to the soup instead of non-dairy milk, to get more protein into it. But enter legumes! I found that the addition of roasted chickpeas was perfect. It added some great earthy, nutty flavor. Adding the tofu was unnecessary; it would have taken this in a totally different direction. And the chickpeas made it hearty enough.
Speaking of which…… this recipe requires roasted chickpeas. Have you ever roasted chickpeas? They make for an awesome snack and take really well to a variety of seasonings and flavors. But one tip: they’re best eaten soon after you roast them. You may have a new favorite snack. Or salad garnish. Or, in this case of course, a soup topper! (They’re also great in the air fryer, too.)
How to adapt and customize this butternut squash soup:
- If you don’t feel like adding chickpeas on top, I would try blending in silken tofu for a creamy texture and more protein.
- If you have pita bread, I would chop it roughly and roast it in the oven to make some spiced pita chips to go with this soup.
- You can also replace butternut squash with pumpkin or another type of winter squash if you’re feeling brave. Sweet potatoes would work, too.
- For another layor of flavor (yes!!) go ahead roast the butternut squash for about 20-30 minutes (whole, not cubed) before peeling, chopping and throwing it in the pot. It will be sweeter and nuttier. (Hint: You can do this with ALL veggie soups, such as broccoli, potato, etc.)
- Instead of chickpeas, I think cannellini or another white bean (Great Northern, for example) would go well with this. Cook them in the soup (you won’t need much more than 1/2 or 3/4 cup) and then blend away. They will add a bit of a creamy texture without any dairy, and they’ll bring a bit of heartiness to the taste.
- Of course, feel free to add other protein in this if you want, such as some cooked chicken or turkey.
- Feel free to leave the chickpeas out altogether. This soup still rocks without them.
- This soup is great with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt or creme fraiche on top, before you add the roasted chickpeas.
This dish will last in the fridge for up to four days, and in the freezer for up to three months. If you make this, I recommend storing half of it in the freezer in individual portions so you have the ability of thawing only what you need. Store and eat the other half for your weekly meal prep! This recipe basically comes in with built in leftovers beyond the regular meal prep servings. Score!
Love Butternut Squash? Then You’ll LOVE these other recipes!
- Creamy Butternut Squash Curry Over Rice
- Butternut Squash Lasagna
- Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe with Butternut Squash
- Quinoa, Kale and Butternut Squash Salad
Delicious Butternut Squash Soup With Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP coconut oil or olive oil
- 1 yellow onion medium in size, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 carrot peeled and chopped
- 3 celery sticks chopped
- 1 butternut squash small or medium in size, peeled and diced
- 3 cups veggie stock or water, or chicken stock
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp cumin + 2 tsp more for chickpeas
- Salt and pepper to taste be generous!
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cayenne optional
- 1 can of chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 2 cups non-dairy milk add more if needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until they are translucent.
- Add the garlic, carrots, celery, butternut squash, veggie stock, water and spices to the pot. Turn up the heat and stir thoroughly.
- Once the mixture starts boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer and cover the pot. Let it cook for about 30 mins, until the squash is tender. (Note: If you roast the squash ahead of time this step will take half the time, or about 15 minutes).
- While the soup cooks, toss the chickpeas in a bowl with salt, pepper, cumin and a dash of oil. Pour them onto a baking sheet lined with foil, and bake for 15-20 minutes, until crispy.
- Once all the veggies in the soup are tender, transfer it to a blender with some nondairy milk (I used about 1/2 cup per batch in the blender) and blend until smooth. Repeat until all the soup is blended.
- Portion the meals you need in containers and top with chickpeas—as many as you want. Freeze the rest!
Leave a Reply