Description
This creamy and comforting Fall Soup recipe combines roasted acorn squash, apples, and garlic with aromatic Chinese five spice for a perfect autumn meal. Roasting the vegetables brings out deep caramelized flavors, which are then blended into a velvety smooth soup, finished optionally with heavy cream and fresh sage for an elegant touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 acorn squash
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, halved
- 1 head garlic, halved
- 1 large Honeycrisp apple, cored and quartered
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 12 sage leaves (finely chopped or fried optional)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for roasting the squash and vegetables.
- Prepare Squash: Cut the acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits. Then quarter each half to create manageable pieces for roasting.
- Arrange and Season: Place the squash pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush them with olive oil and sprinkle with Chinese five spice powder and half of the sea salt. Add the halved onion, halved garlic head, and quartered apple to the baking sheet alongside the squash.
- Roast Vegetables: Roast everything in the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until the squash is caramelized and tender when pierced with a fork.
- Prepare for Blending: Let the roasted vegetables cool slightly. Remove the squash flesh from the skin and peel the papery layer from the roasted onion. Squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves from their skins. Add the squash flesh, peeled onion, garlic cloves, and roasted apples into a blender. Pour in the vegetable broth as well.
- Blend Soup: Blend the mixture on high for 1 to 2 minutes until completely smooth and creamy, with no chunks remaining.
- Serve and Garnish: Optionally, drizzle the soup with heavy cream and sprinkle with finely chopped or fried sage leaves for added flavor and presentation.
Notes
- You can save and roast the scooped out squash seeds for a delicious snack.
- The soup can be made vegan by omitting the heavy cream or using a plant-based cream alternative.
- Fried sage leaves add a lovely crispy texture and aroma as a garnish.
- Adjust salt according to taste after blending to optimize seasoning.
- Use Honeycrisp apples for sweetness; other mild sweet-tart apples will also work well.
