Roasted Acorn Squash and Apple Soup
Roasted Acorn Squash and Apple Soup- blended with ground turmeric, ginger, and coconut milk, this healthy soup makes for the ultimate cozy and comforting meal! (vegan and gluten-free)
If I could only have one soup every year, it would without question be this Acorn Squash and Apple Soup. I know that sounds like an exaggeration but I promise you it’s not. Not only is it super easy to whip up but I love the velvety texture and the way that it blends savory and sweet so perfectly. It’s comforting, bursting with flavor, and is seriously the best way to warm up on a chilly day.
I originally shared the recipe five years ago and we still make it almost every week once the cool weather rolls in. It will always be a favorite in our house so I thought it deserved a little facelift and a few tips on how to tweak it to your personal liking.
Roasted Acorn Squash Apple Soup Ingredients (and Tips!)
- Acorn Squash- When I first posted this recipe, it called for one medium acorn squash which I think might be a little vague and can cause varying results depending on your interpretation of what a medium squash is. I often found myself using two acorn squash to get an extra thick and creamy consistency. So depending on the size of your squash and whether or not you like a thicker texture, you might want to use two. You should have between 3-4 cups of cooked squash in total.
- Onion, Celery, and Carrot- I always start my soups with a mirepoix because they create the prefect flavor base.
- Garlic and Ginger- Fresh garlic and ginger are ideal but I’ve also used garlic powder and ground ginger with great results.
- Granny Smith Apples- I’ve tested this with a few different varieties of apple but it’s never as good as it is with granny smith. The subtle acidity balances out the sweetness of the squash in the best way possible. I highly recommend sticking granny smith.
- Ground Turmeric and Curry Powder- One teaspoon of each is usually sufficient but if you like for the spices to punch you in the face then feel free to kick it up a notch. We’ve also added cayenne for a hint of spice and it was delicious!
- Vegetable Broth- Using a flavorful broth is key to making this soup extra delicious. My favorite is Better Than Bouillon. I use 2 cups to keep the soup thick but you can always add more to thin it out if you like.
- Coconut Milk- Another thing I often found myself changing was the amount of coconut milk in the recipe. Full fat canned coconut milk creates the best texture but if I open a can, I like to use the entire thing in the recipe. So instead of using 1 cup, I just dump the whole can in the pot. Again, totally up to you if you want to stick with 1 cup. You could also use light coconut milk if you’re looking for something lower in fat. I personally don’t enjoy the flavor of light coconut milk so I wouldn’t use it but if you like it then feel free to do so!
How to Make Acorn Squash Apple Soup
- Roast the Squash– cut off the stem, slice it in half, scoop out the seeds then oil the flesh and place it face down on a baking sheet. Cook for about 45 minutes, or until the soft is pliable when squeezed with an oven mitt.
- Sauté the Vegetables– warm the olive oil in a large pot then sauté the mirepoix for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, apples and spices. Continue to cook for about 5-7 minutes more.
- Add the Squash to the Pot– Once the squash is cool enough to handle (or you can handle it carefully with an oven mitt), use a spoon to scoop out the roasted flesh in to the pot.
- Pour in the Liquid– Add the broth and coconut milk to the pot then bring to a low boil and cook for about 5-10 minutes, or until the apples are softened.
- Blend Until Smooth– Transfer everything to a blender (or keep it in the pot using an immersion blender) and blend on high until smooth and creamy. Serve warm and enjoy!
Serving Recommendations
We usually serve ours alongside a large salad topped with nuts and a nice crusty whole grain bread. Since the soup itself is light on protein this is a good way to round it out for a meal.
When properly sealed, the soup will keep for up to 5 days and it can also be frozen for several months. I personally love these OXO glass containers as they have the best seal. To prevent freezer burn, make sure to let the soup cool completely then seal with a lid and freeze.
Want More Squash Recipes? Check these out:
- Barley Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Roasted Butternut Squash Lentil Curry
- Butternut Squash Wild Rice Stew
- Butternut Squash Quinoa Chili
- Vegan Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Bowls
Roasted Acorn Squash Apple Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large or two small acorn squash, see notes
- 1 sweet or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 small carrots, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 3 small celery ribs, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 granny smith apples, cored and diced
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, or 2-inches fresh ginger, minced
- 2 cups vegetable broth, see notes
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk, see notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F then line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or you can also use a shallow baking dish).
- Slice the top stem off of the acorn squash then cut it in half, lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and softer pieces then rub the outer edges of the flesh with 1 teaspoon of oil. Place each half facing down onto the baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until tender. It should be pliable when lightly squeezed with an oven mitt. Turn off the oven and set it aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, warm the two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook for 5 minutes. Next add the garlic, ginger, apples and spices. Continue to cook for 5-10 minutes, just until apples are slightly tender.
- Once the squash is cool enough to handle (or can be carefully handled using an oven mitt), use a spoon to scoop the cooked flesh into the pot. Pour in the vegetable broth then bring to a low boil and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until apples are soft.
- Add the contents of the pot to a blender along with the coconut milk and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender and blend everything together in the pot. Taste test to see if you prefer more salt or spices and add accordingly. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Acorn Squash- When I first posted this recipe, it called for one medium acorn squash which I think might be a little vague and can cause varying results depending on your interpretation of what a medium squash is. I often found myself using two acorn squash to get an extra thick and creamy consistency. So depending on the size of your squash and whether or not you like a thicker texture, you might want to use two. It's ideal to have between 3-4 cups cooked squash in total.
- Vegetable Broth- Using a flavorful broth is key to making this soup extra delicious. My favorite is Better Than Bouillon. I use 2 cups to keep the soup thick but you can always add more to thin it out if you like.
- Coconut Milk- Another thing I often found myself changing was the amount of coconut milk in the recipe. Full fat canned coconut milk creates the best texture but if I open a can, I like to use the entire thing in the recipe. So instead of using 1 cup, I just dump the whole can in the pot. Again, totally up to you if you want to stick with 1 cup. You could also use light coconut milk if you're looking for something lower in fat. I personally don't enjoy the flavor of light coconut milk so I wouldn't use it but if you like it then feel free to do so!
I am SO glad it finally feels like fall over there on the West Coast! Yay to that! Hopefully it means you will be posting more seriously cozy and delicious soups like this one! This soup is calling my name, my dear! Roasted acorn squash + Apples + Coconut milk?? YYAAASSS! Your photos are so gorgeous – I looove the pomegranate on top! Pinned! Cheers! <3
Thanks Cheyanne!
Thank you, Nancy! Daisy sounds like she’s worth being out in the cold for. :) Happy Monday!
Brrr! You need all the soup you can get! :)
I’ve never thought to add parsnips before I can imagine they give it a wonderful texture. I’ll have to try that sometime!
And it rained today too! Hopefully you got some!
I’ve been doing the step-by-step photos since day one so I think I’m immune to it at this point. The only drawback is that I have to make everything when there’s daylight so I can’t prep anything the night before. :/
YES! I’m so excited to finally cozy up in a big warm sweater and cute boots. :)
Thanks Mary! Coconut milk makes such a delicious stand-in for heavy cream!
Oh yes, I love stuffed acorn squash too. It’s so good!
Thank you, Lauren! :)
Did you use regular or light coconut milk? Looks great!!!
Thanks Hillary! I used regular coconut milk. Light coconut milk would also work but I don’t like the flavor as much. I hope that helps! :)
Certainly does! Thanks for the quick response. I picked up an acorn (and butternut and the last of the summer squash!) at the farmers market a couple weeks back. Made skinny tastes butternut squash lasagna (wow!) and was looking for an acorn recipe. This popped up in the vegetArian meal plans on roasted root. I love your collaborative meal plans!!! They are great, please keep them coming!
I’m so glad I could offer a way for you to use up the acorn squash! It doesn’t get enough love, in my opinion. :)
I really appreciate the feedback on the meal plans too! It makes me happy to hear they are useful for you. I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!
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Any possibility this could be frozen? I made it, love it, but even after giving some away, I’m not sure I could finish the rest in 4 days.
Hi April! Yes it can be frozen for several months when properly sealed!
I usually pour the coconut milk on a spoon and then drip it over the top in a circular motion. Then I take a knife and swirl it into the soup. It doesn’t always work out perfectly but I try! :)
IT was delicious! I’ve signed up on this site after trying this acorn and apple soup. It was really delicious and enjoyed the spices recommended. I really didn’t miss the cream that I usually add.
I look forward to trying other recipes –
Thank you, Germaine! I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup! :)
Looks wonderful! Is the coconut milk the kind in a can or is it the type in a carton?
I used the kind in the can since it’s extra thick and creamy but you can also use the kind in the carton. Just keep in mind the texture will be much lighter! :)
-Love this recipe! I felt like I was eating soup at a fine restaurant! I used garlic paste and ginger paste for freshness, and I used coconut water instead of milk. Fantastic!
So happy it turned out well for you, April! And glad to hear it works with coconut water too! :)
This is absolutely a great soup. Tastes fantastic. Definitely will make it again and again
I actually just made this soup last night. It’s one of our favorites. I’m so glad you enjoyed it too! :)
I made this for dinner last night and loved it.
So glad to hear that, Dawn! It’s one of my favorites too. :)
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I added a fresh jalapeno to the veggies while they cooked — it was just enough kick but not too much for most. I loved the recipe — it’s a keeper for me!
Thanks for the review, Charley!
So I used this recipe as a base but I substituted the carrots and celery for a sweet potato and used rice milk instead of coconut milk because that’s what I already had in the kitchen. As can be expected it was a little less creamy, but it still tasted great! I added a lot of chili powder for a nice kick and called it a day. One of these days I’ll make this using the coconut milk, but until then I’m super satisfied with the way it turned out ❤️
I came down with a cold and was just craving something hearty and delicious. I happened to have all of these ingredients off hand and just went for it. Well let me tell you it’s incredible. The Soup is rich, creamy and just a tad sweet. I am glad I doubled the ingredients and now I have soup for days.
A friend gave me a squash similar to an acorn squash so I was looking for a good soup recipe when I found this one. It was perfect; the flavours were just what I was hoping for. Nice thick texture too. I’ll be sharing this recipe with my daughter who cooks dairy and gluten free.
I quadrupled the recipe. We had some pears that needed to go, and some pumpkins that were past prime. I roasted everything, the pears-apples- pumpkins, squash and GARLIC. We added Creme Fraiche, and cranberries. It came out BOMB!
Yum this looks delicious! Is it meant to use unsweetened coconut milk?
Yes! :)
It was wonderful. The flavors are amazing and I love the healthy ingredients. I didn’t have Granny Smith so I used gala apples. The flavor was still great but I look forward to trying it with the Granny Smiths. Some of my family members added a little more salt but I liked it without additional salt.
I’m so glad you liked it, Heather! I’ve made it with other variety of apples before and the Granny Smith is way better. That’s just my opinion though. :)
Made this recipe to kickstart the cooler fall weather and was absolutely perfect! Directions were extremely easy to follow and the end product was as tasty as can be. Thanks so much!!
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going to make it in the morning have everything here thanks for what is going to be a very good soup
Awesome! I hope you enjoy it!
my son an a daughter just happen to come by before lunch today
how amazing
i had your soup already and hot
it was good all gone now.
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This is so healthy and I absolutely love it – I had one apple and one pear and it was superb- such amazing flavor!
I made a double recipe to freeze some for Thanksgiving. I think it turned out beautifully, but I thought it tasted a little more of apple than I maybe wanted. They were large apples, so next time I would cut back a bit. In response I tested some that I garnished with cinnamon and thought it was a good compliment. I did use the full fat coconut milk but I assume it can be made with regular cow’s milk or evaporated milk as well and this might cut the apple flavor a little more. There is a lot of chopping before you begin to put the soup together, so 15 minutes prep time is not really accurate, though I think that is standard procedure for prep times in recipes. They don’t count the work of the sous-chef.
I’m very shy about leaving reviews, but I’ve made this soup several times and each time my family, including the picky eaters, absolutely love it!! I double the recipe and use a combination of butternut squash and acorn squash with whatever apples I have on hand. Turns out delicious every time. Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
Can I freeze this soup?
Yes! It freezes great. :)
This is a delicious recipe! I only had honey crisp apples on hand which are sweeter, but the taste is delicious!
I made this last night with a heart of gold squash and apples that we had gotten in our local produce box and OH MY GOODNESS <3 This is a total keeper. I had cut the recipe in half since I only had one squash, but accidentally used the full amount of broth. I was worried it would drown out the flavors but it didn't at all, it was deliciously spiced and warm and comforting (and perfect for dipping grilled cheese in). I imagine it only tastes that much better with the correct proportions. Can't wait to make it again!
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I made this delicious soup this morning and it turned out great. Thank you so much for this excellent recipe. It was perfect for us, hunkering down in snowy Nashville today.
Delicious! Had to leave out a few ingredients but used what I had at home. This was SO good – perfect balance of savory and sweet. Loved it!
I made this soup the other day, in my excitement for approaching-autumn and loved the flavors!
The consistency of mine, did come out a little less ‘creamy or smooth’ from how I was anticipating. A slight, grain or grit to it. Still delicious, but wondering why this may be?
Also, could roasting the carrots vs making as a mirepoix potentially deepen and further cream up the flavors?
Looking forward to trying so many more of your yummy and creative recipes =)
That’s so strange! The only thing I can think is that perhaps your apples or squash might have been gritty. Or your blender isn’t powerful enough to break them down to a smooth consistency. Although if they are thoroughly cooked that shouldn’t be a problem.
Vegan for many, many decades: yep, this granny smith approach is best. and, pleased i came across the tip. i’ve always used honey crisp in the past; not anymore. only small, tepid issue i had was with the printout: the sorta grayed out; eg, “prep time, “cook time,” and so forth did not highlight too well. and i use fine, read extra dark script, on my canon printer. not a big deal re the printout. summing up: this is good. fortunately i have a couple vegan folks in the oregon communtiy who prepare my foods, both daily, and for the freezer. while almost 80, i’m not housebound, just busy. tried one large bowl of two week old chest freezer frozen and it was almost as good as fresh made. but, i tend to go daffy with the microwave at times regarding reheat. over the range microwaves have sets for dial down power, but i ignore that pursuit to my chagrin at times. keep the focus lady and keep me healthy.
Do you leave the peels on the apples?
I do! Since the soup is blended, you can’t even tell they are there. :)