Creamy Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Soup (Vegan!)
This cozy soup is autumn in a bowl! It's thick, creamy, and utterly delicious. Made with healthy, wholesome, seasonal ingredients.
Servings: 5
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- 8 oz. mushrooms
- 4 cups butternut squash*
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2/3 cup wild rice
- 3 cups lacinato kale
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
For the cashew cream:
- 3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked**
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp. tamari
- 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp. white miso
- 2 tsp. cornstarch (optional, for extra-thick)
Instructions
- Prepare veggies: Dice onion, mince garlic, and slice mushrooms. Peel and cube butternut squash.
- Prepare soup: In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, sauté onion for 7-8 minutes. (I use 3 Tbsp. veggie broth/water for no-oil sauté method, adding more as needed.) When onion is translucent, add garlic and dried oregano. Stir and sauté 1 minute. Add mushrooms, butternut squash, vegetable broth, and wild rice (rinsed and drained). Bring to a light boil. Then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Chop greens: Roughly chop kale, large stems removed. Finely chop rosemary. Set aside. (I also use this time to quick-soak the cashews* for the sauce.)
- Make cashew cream: Towards the end of simmering time, add all cashew cream ingredients to a high-speed blender. (I use a NutriBullet.) Blend for 20-30 seconds until smooth.
- Combine: When wild rice is tender, add cashew cream, kale, and fresh rosemary. Simmer 5 minutes to combine. Serve warm. Salt & pepper to taste before serving.
Notes
*Butternut squash: 4 cups equals about 1 lb. cubed squash.
**Soaking cashews: Before blending, "quick-soak" the cashews: Place cashews in a heat-safe bowl and carefully add hot/boiling water until cashews are covered. Let sit for about 10-15 minutes. Then rinse and drain before using. (Or soak the cashews in room temperature water for at least 4-6 hours or overnight instead.)
Nut-free: Substitute the cashews in the cream sauce with one cup cooked white beans (such as navy beans, cannellini beans, or great northern).
Recipe inspired by Gimme Some Oven.
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Calories: 282 kcal | Carbohydrates: 44 g | Protein: 11 g | Fat: 9 g | Saturated Fat: 2 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g | Potassium: 865 mg | Fiber: 6 g | Sugar: 8 g | Vitamin A: 13590 IU | Vitamin C: 39 mg | Calcium: 119 mg | Iron: 3 mg
