Sheet Pan Butternut Squash Soup

This bake-and-blend soup has huge flavor payoff for quick and easy prep work and zero active cooking time!

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Instructions

If starting with raw cashews, add to rimmed sheet pan and place in oven. Set oven to preheat to 300°F.

Prepare garlic for roasting by cutting in half horizontally to expose cloves. Drizzle exposed cloves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Replace top of bulb and wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Place wrapped bulb in oven.

When 300°F is reached, remove cashews from oven and transfer to heat-proof container (a small jar works well). Cover with hot stock or water and set aside to soak.

Increase oven temperature to 375°F.

Line baking sheet with parchment or silicone mat. Spread thyme in an even layer. Remove skin from squash and cut into roughly 1” cubes. Remove skin from onion and cut into eighths. Layer squash and onion on top of thyme. Sprinkle with spices and, optionally, a drizzle of olive or neutral oil. Toss vegetables to distribute spices, keeping thyme on the bottom to protect from direct heat.

Roast vegetables for 30 minutes or until squash is fork-tender and well browned.

Carefully add roasted vegetables to blender, squeezing roasted garlic cloves out of skin. Add miso paste, cashews, and just enough vegetable stock to blend. Blend until totally smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding brown sugar or orange juice if additional sweetness is desired. Add additional stock until desired consistency is achieved.

Serve with desired toppings and a thick slice of sourdough toast.

Ingredients

• ½ C (80 g) cashews, raw or roasted and unsalted

• 1 head of garlic

• 1 T olive oil

• Pinch each kosher salt and black pepper

• 1 medium butternut squash (approx. 3 lb whole)

• 1 medium yellow onion

• 2 handfuls fresh thyme

• 1 t Morton’s kosher salt (or 2 t Diamond Crystal)

• 1 t black pepper

• 1 t ground cumin

• 1 t smoked paprika

• 1.5 t ground cinnamon

• ¼ - ¾ t chipotle powder

• Approx. 4 C vegetable stock

• 1 T miso paste

• Optional: Light brown sugar to taste

• Optional: Orange juice to taste

• Topping ideas:

  • Browned sausages (The Field Roast apple sage is my favorite here.)

  • Fresh plucked thyme

  • Heavy cream (Silk or Country Crock are my favorites. Coconut cream can also be used.)

  • Roasted pumpkin seeds

  • Nutmeg

  • Flaky salt