It is entirely possible to get a silky smooth, creamy and comforting bisque without a drop of cream. In fact, you can do it without a single drop of dairy. This vegan bique is a great way to get a serving or two of veggies in a dairy-free, super flavorful meal. When this sucker is cooking, it’s easy to think that there is no possibly way it’ll end up creamy—it’s all veggies! But then once it goes for a whirl in the blender, the soup that comes out is almost pillowy soft. I loved, loved, loved this soup.
I am a big fan of butternut squash. Not only because they are delicious and a great way to get in your daily allowance of Vitamin A and dietary fiber, but also because they are one of the easiest produce items to preserve for the winter. We had one butternut squash plant this summer, planted in a large planter on our apartment patio. That single plant gave us eight squash, which we cured and now have sitting in our dining room just waiting to be used. It’s a really nice treat to be able to use fresh produce that I grew, even in January! Not into growing your own? Next Early Fall, hit up the farmer’s market and snatch up a ton of butternuts while they are cheap and in season. They store beautifully in a cool and dark place. Then, you can avoid shelling out $10 for one squash out of season in the supermarket (been there, done that).
Vegan Butternut Squash and Apple Bisque
The real flavor star in this soup is the butternut squash. The apple lends a nice, naturally-sweet side note that partners perfectly with the warmth of the squash. No apples on hand? Sub in a tablespoon of honey (which isn't vegan) or maple syrup for a similar taste. If you want to up the protein of this dish, sprinkle some crunchy, earthy salted pumpkin seeds on top.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated and peeled ginger
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 large apple, peeled, cored and chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, chopped
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add garlic, onion, ginger and carrots and cook until softened, about 8 minutes.
- Add in all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until all vegetables are very soft.
- Remove from heat, puree in batches in a blender or puree using an immersion blender. Test for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 112Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 451mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 4gSugar: 8gProtein: 2g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
Excellent. You may want to add extra salt / vinegar at the end if you want to tone down the sweet. Also, I used a stick blender and left it a bit chunky — added a cup of cooked rice. Wonderful breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Thanks, Virginia! We’re so glad you liked it, and we appreciate you coming back to tell us about what worked for you!
Is it possible to cook butternut squash (whole gourd)in IP?
Hi, Don’t think the previous attempt at posting this went through, but here goes again: Honey is not vegan. I use agave, works fine. Also, if you are having contact dermatitis from handling squash, you might reconsider eating it. I’m not meaning to snark, it’s just that I have been on a very long road of finding out what foods were triggers, and have found that what causes an external reaction is often going to affect the sensitive tissues of the gastro-intestinal tract.
Nope, you are correct on the honey! Your original comments didn’t post because I have to approve new commenters, so welcome! 🙂 It was just a simple mistake. I’ll edit the post to reflect.
And thanks for your suggestion!
Honey is NOT vegan.
also, If you reacted to squash, don’t use latex gloves. use nitrile.