Roasted Acorn Squash Soup

This Roasted Acorn Squash Soup is silky, slightly sweet and full of cozy fall flavour from caramelized squash, carrot, ginger and a pinch of nutmeg. It’s made with simple pantry ingredients and most of the work is hands-off while the squash roasts.

Notes From My Kitchen

Acorn squash doesn’t get nearly as much love as butternut squash, but it’s one of my favourite squashes to cook with in the fall! It has a mild, nutty sweetness that turns rich and caramelized in the oven, which makes it perfect for a simple blended soup. If you love butternut squash, also try my Curried Butternut Squash And Sweet Potato Soup.

I’ve made a lot of squash soups over the years, from my Butternut Squash Apple Soup to this Spicy Thai Butternut Squash Soup, and this acorn squash soup is the easiest of the bunch. You roast the squash, sauté a few aromatics, simmer everything together and blend. That’s it!

It makes a lovely light lunch or starter, and it reheats really well, so I like making a big batch to enjoy throughout the week. If you have extra acorn squash on hand, try my Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash next.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Acorn squash: You want a flavourful acorn squash. Look for a squash that has deep, dark green skin with a little bit of orange, feels heavy for its size with smooth, dull skin, has a dry brown stem, and sounds hollow when you tap it. You can also substitute with any kind of squash.
• Carrot: Adds natural sweetness and a gorgeous golden colour. You can leave it out if you don’t have one on hand but it does add a little pop to the soup! If you love carrot soups, also try my Thai Carrot Ginger Soup.
• Broth: I like using low-sodium broth so I can control the salt. Chicken broth works too if you don’t need the soup to be vegetarian.

How To Make Roasted Acorn Squash Soup

*This is a recipe overview. The full recipe with measurements is below in the recipe card.

Step 1: Cut the acorn squash in half and roast it face down at 400°F for 25 to 40 minutes, until tender. (The squash pictured below is face up just to show how it looks once roasted.)

Step 2: Sauté the onion, carrot and garlic in a large pot for 2 to 3 minutes. Scoop out and discard the squash seeds, then scoop the roasted squash away from the skin and add it to the pot.

Step 3: Add the vegetable broth, nutmeg, ginger, salt and pepper. Bring to a light boil, then cover and let the soup simmer on low for 15 minutes.

Step 4: Blend the soup with an immersion blender or a regular blender until smooth and creamy. Serve topped with a swirl of coconut milk, pumpkin seeds and fried sage leaves.

Recipe Variations

• Add protein: Blend in a can of drained white beans like I use for my Tuscan White Bean Soup for extra protein and an even creamier texture.
• Make it extra creamy: Stir in a splash of coconut milk like I use in my Coconut Chickpea Curry or heavy cream before blending, or top each bowl with a dollop of Greek yogurt.
• Switch up the toppings: Try crispy roasted chickpeas, toasted pepitas or a drizzle of chili oil.

What To Serve With Acorn Squash Soup

This roasted acorn squash soup pairs perfectly with a hearty fall salad like my Fall Harvest Quinoa Salad, Kale Quinoa And Apple Salad or Kale White Bean Salad. For a cozy dinner, serve it alongside my Lentil Moussaka, Lentil Loaf or Vegetarian Baked Ziti, with some crusty bread for dipping.

Frequently Asked Questions