red kuri squash soup

Since becoming a vegan over a year ago, I have consistently been adding new fruits and veggies to my diet, which keeps me super inspired in the kitchen. The beautiful red kuri squash popped out at me when I was at the market and I knew I had to get creative with it. I hope you enjoy the recipe below!


ingredients

1 red kuri squash
1 package of root vegetables (see what mine contained in the picture above)
1 yellow onion
6 cups of purified water or broth of your choice
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon of thyme fresh or dried
salt and pepper to taste
lemon grapeseed oil for garnish
toasted garbanzo beans for garnish (click here for the recipe)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Scrub down the outside of the squash and the root vegetables. Then cut off the ends of the squash and root veggies and compost. Cut the squash in half and then lengthwise and de-seed. Also slice the root veggies in half. Grease the baking dish/sheet with the coconut oil. Then place the halved squash and veggies cut side down, on the sheet. Roast for 1 hour. Then remove from the oven and let the veggies cool to room temperature.

While the veggies are cooling, chop up the onion. Add 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil to the soup pot and saute the onion on medium low heat for approximately 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Then add in the cumin, paprika and turmeric and let the spices bloom for a few minutes. Next scoop out the flesh of the squash and add to the pot. Then chop the roasted veggies into smaller pieces and add to the pot. Next add in the water/broth, salt (I used approximately 2 teaspoons) and the thyme.  Turn the heat on high and bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. At this time you can crack in some pepper if you like. Now you will need what I consider one of the best inventions in the kitchen...the immersion hand blender! You simply puree the soup directly in the pot. If you do not have an immersion blender, then you can transfer the mixture to a blender and process on high until it is smooth and creamy.

To serve, I dish the soup into bowls, drizzle some lemon grapeseed oil over the top and add a spoonful of toasted garbanzo beans.  This soup will definitely warm your heart!

“Soup is to the meal, what the hostesses smile of welcome is to the party. A prelude to the goodness to come.”

~ Louis P. De Gouy