I first made this Creamy Roasted Butternut and Carrot Soup on a busy weeknight that was especially cold. It’s one of those “toss it all in” recipes that ends up being rich in flavor, wonderfully nourishing, and totally comforting. It’s plant-based, vegan, gluten-free, and is made with just 9 ingredients. You basically soak cashews, roast veggies, toss with veggie broth and spices into a blender, and blend it all up.

This recipe is a bit different from my Roasted Squash Soup with Almond Cream that I posted last Fall. It’s made with cashews and carrots and spiced with cumin for a sweet, nutty flavor and thick, smooth texture.

Top this with sautéed mushrooms, roasted chickpeas, and kale and eat in a bowl for dinner or take on the road in a mason jar for lunch. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash (about 3 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into medium pieces
1 white onion, cut into thick pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, whole

1 can chickpeas
2/3 cup raw cashews or 1/4 cup cashew yogurt
4 cups veggie broth
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cumin
Optional toppings
Sauteed mushrooms
Roasted Chickpeas
Sauteed Kale

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425*F
Start by soaking your cashews. I never have time to soak them overnight, so my trick is to cover them with boiling water from my tea kettle for about 5-30 minutes while I prep the remaining ingredients.
Next, start peeling and cutting your carrots, butternut squash and onions. You want the pieces to be about 1-inch chunks so they aren’t too time-consuming to prep. Toss them with the garlic cloves and chickpeas in the olive oil and sea salt. Roast for about 30 minutes.
Remove the veggies from the oven and add them to a large blender (I use my Vitamix). Drain the water from the cashews that are soaking and add the cashews in followed by the veggie broth and cumin.
Blend for about 1-3 minutes, or until the soup is nice and smooth. Transfer to a medium pot and heat to your liking, then serve on up!
I love topping this soup with sautéed mushrooms and kale and roasted chickpeas. They’re absolutely gorgeous and add some great texture.