Gingery Pumpkin-Apple Soup with Roasted Carrots (Dairy-Free, Vegan)

With its sweet, earthy taste, butternut squash soup with apples and ginger is my favorite for the month of October. I like to play with spices when I am cooking pumpkin soup, but you can use your favorite seasonings and herbs. The roasted carrot chips are a perfect addition to this soup.



Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 medium pumpkin, about 3 lb. (I used butternut squash)
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 6 cups vegetable stock or water
• Himalayan pink salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• freshly grated nutmeg 
• pinch of cardamom
• pinch of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• pumpkin seeds to serve

For the roasted carrots:

• 1 bunch carrots, peeled and trimmed, and halved lengthwise
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs (optional)
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

To make the roasted carrot chips: In the baking sheet, combine the carrots, thyme sprigs, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sheet to the oven and roast until the carrots are just tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

In a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat, melt the coconut oil. Add the onion and ginger and sauté about 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin, apples, carrots and water or vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered for 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.


Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Return the soup to the pot and season with salt and pepper and all the seasonings that you like (cinnamon, cardamom, paprika, turmeric, nutmeg).

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, garnish with the roasted carrot chips and the pumpkin seeds. Serve immediately.