Acorn Squash Soup with Rosemary and Pecans

A slow cooker and high-speed blender make this vegan and gluten-free acorn squash soup a cinch to prepare—the sweet and savory recipe yields about 4 cups.

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Cooking with a Slow Cooker and Blender

The slow cooker lets you cook the squash whole! This is good news if you are uncoordinated with a knife. Raw squash can be tough to cut.

You can also cook the squash ahead of time. I cook it the day before and store it in the fridge. With cooked squash on hand, the soup can be made in mere minutes.

The soup itself is made entirely in a blender. Quick and easy! A high-speed blender creates enough friction to warm ingredients—so it blends and “cooks” at the same time!

A Healthier Way to Enjoy Acorn Squash

My grandmother grew acorn squash in her garden. She baked them in the oven with brown sugar and butter. They were delicious.

Of course, brown sugar and butter are out of the question now that I follow a healthy plant-based diet. But the memory of my granny’s baked squash inspired this Acorn Squash Soup recipe.

Fiber-rich dates are used to lend some yummy sweetness.

Slow cooking keeps the squash nice and moist.

Rosemary adds a savory tinge that pairs well with the nutty flavor of pecans.

The soup is warm, creamy and satisfying. I think Granny would be proud…

Recipe Variations

I know not everyone is fond of rosemary—including my husband. If you are in that camp, feel free to swap out the rosemary for other herbs, like sage, tarragon, or oregano. You could also go spicey with chili powder and cumin—or sweet with cinnamon and cloves. Experiment and see what you like best.

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Acorn Squash Soup with rosemary and pecans

A slow cooker and high-speed blender make this vegan and gluten free acorn squash soup a cinch to prepare.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash (should yield about 3 cups cooked squash)
• 1½ cups almond milk unsweetened
• 8-10 Medjool dates pitted
• 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary
• ½ lemon juiced
• ½ tsp. ground all spice
• ¼ tsp. fine sea salt
• ⅛ tsp. garlic granules
• ¼ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Slow Cooked Acorn Squash

• Wash and place whole acorn squash in a large slow cooker with 1 tbsp. water.
• Pierce the top of each squash with a sharp knife 2-3 times, cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until squash are somewhat soft when squeezed.
• Allow squash to cool and then slice in half. Use a large spoon to scoop out and discard the seeds. Then scrape the flesh from the rind.
• If you are making the soup right away, add the cooked squash directly to a high-speed blender. Or you can refrigerate or freeze the cooked squash for later use.

Acorn Squash Soup

• Place cooked squash in a high-speed blender and add the remaining ingredients (except pecans) in the order they are listed.
• Begin blending on lowest setting and slowly turn up to highest setting. Use tamper if necessary.
• Blend on high for approximately 1 minute. If the squash was refrigerated, blend for 3-4 more minutes or until the soup reaches the desired temperature.
• Sprinkle chopped pecans over individual servings.

Notes

If squash is cooked ahead of time, the soup can be made in about 5 minutes.

Note: Nutrition information is a rough estimate for special dietary needs. I subscribe to the theories presented in the book Whole and believe we should focus on eating a variety of whole foods instead of counting calories or keeping track of individual nutrients.

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 250mg | Potassium: 1161mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 981IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 239mg | Iron: 2mg

More Soup Recipes

Looking for more soup recipes? Give these a try:

Ginger Butternut Carrot Soup {Vegan}

Blender Borscht – a.k.a. Cold Beet Soup

Quick Mushroom Quinoa Soup

Simple Tomato Basil Gazpacho

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