There are few things as satisfying as being in Paris during the wintertime and cozying up in a typical Parisian bistro to a warm bowl of pumpkin soup. Typical French pumpkin soup is made with French pumpkin, stock and cream. In my version, we’re shaking things up: we’re adding butternut squash, fall aromatics and cashew cream to keep things totally plant based! Impress your friends, vegan or otherwise, with this delectable recipe. You’ll never believe there’s no dairy in this rich, luxurious soup!
Ingredients
For The Soup
2 tablespoons butter or plant based butter
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
2.5 cups yellow onion, diced
1 bay leaf
2 small cinnamon sticks
4 allspice berries
1.5 pounds butternut squash, cut into 1” cubes
*
4 cups homemade vegetable stock
1 pound roasted pumpkin from 1 medium pie pumpkin**
3/4c cashew cream***
1.5 teaspoons sea salt, divided
For The Sourdough Croutons:
2 thick slices of sourdough bread cut into 1” cubes
1 tablespoon butter or plant based butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Fleur de Sel salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
Let’s Cook!
Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.
Prepare the pie pumpkin by cutting in half and removing the seeds. Place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast in oven for 30-35 minutes until the pumpkin is tender and has started to caramelize. Once it is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh with a spoon and set aside.
While the pumpkin roasts, heat butter and olive oil in a heavy bottom stockpot or Dutch oven. Add onions, bay leaf, cinnamon sticks and allspice berries. Season the onions with ½ teaspoon of salt and sauté until they’re translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Add butternut squash and vegetable stock to the pot, scraping up any brown bits that may have accumulated. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until the squash is cooked and is easily pierced with a fork, approx. 25-30 minutes. Once the butternut squash is tender, fish out the cinnamon sticks and bay leaf – they’ve done their duty. Discard.
Add pumpkin and let cook for a few minutes to let the flavors meld.
Working in two batches, very carefully move the soup into a blender, blending at a high speed until the soup is smooth and creamy. Careful when working with hot soup – never overfill your blender. Steam burns aren’t fun!
Return soup to the pot place over low heat. Pour in cashew cream and taste for seasoning.
To make croutons, melt butter and olive oil in a skillet. Place cubed bread into the skillet and cook until golden brown. Season with fleur de sel salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Serve soup with homemade croutons and a splash of cashew cream. It is really a taste of Paris at home. Bon Appetit!
*Need help cutting your butternut squash into cubes? Check out my how to cut butternut squash video:
**If pumpkin is not in season or you simply can’t find a pie pumpkin, do not worry! You can substitute a 15oz can of pumpkin. Add it when you’re cooking the butternut squash to really let the flavors meld together.
**Cashew cream is so easy to make at home! If you need a recipe for it, soak 1/2c cashews in water overnight. Once they’ve softened, rinse them and put them into a high speed blender with 3/4c water and blend on high for one minute.
Check out my video on making cashew cream at home:
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