I created this soup on a rainy day in Arizona (Yes – we truly do have a few of these) and it is now one of my favorite things to eat. This soup will take several hours to prepare because the vegetables are roasted so they caramelize which is so worth the time.
- 1 1/2 lb Butternut Squash
- 3 Carrots, Cut in 2" pieces
- 1 Onion, cut in chunks
- 1 cup Leeks, chopped (mainly white part)
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Coriander
- 1 1/4 cup Split Peas, rinsed
- 8 cups Vegetable Broth
- Olive Oil
- Sea Salt
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream or Vegan Sour Cream
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment pan and brushing olive oil on top of paper.
- Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise. Use a large knife and insert knife deeply into squash. I place a cutting board on my counter and lift the squash with the knife inserted and bang it against the counter. Do not seed the halves now. It will be much easier once the squash is roasted. Place squash face down on the oiled parchment paper.
- In a bowl place the carrots and onions and 1-2 Tbsps of olive oil together. This will help these vegetables not dry out. Place them on the parchment paper next to the squash. Sprinkle with salt.
- The following directions below have pictures below to help guide the process.
- Place the baking pan into the oven for 50-60 minutes. Watch the carrots and onions carefully and remove earlier than the squash if they start turning dark.
- The squash will be done when a sharp knife can be easily inserted. Remove from oven and place baking sheet on cooling sheet for 30 minutes allowing the squash to cool a bit making it a little easier to work with.
- Seed the squash and then remove the softened flesh. Set the squash, onion and carrot aside.
- Heat 2 Tbsps of olive oil in a dutch oven and saute the leeks over low-medium heat until they are softened. Add the cumin and coriander into leeks and mix well. Add in the 8 cups of vegetable broth and stir to combine. Add in the roasted veggies (squash, onions and carrots) and split peas. Bring to a boil and then simmer covered for a minimum of 2 hours.
- Let the soup cool for 30-45 minutes. Now it's time to blend into a lovely smoothness - This can be done by carefully placing small portions into a blender. Overfilling can cause a huge mess and possible burns. I use an immersion blender for this. For more information on immersion blenders....
- If soup needs to be thinned - add a couple of cups of water.
- Return soup into blender to reheat.
- 1/2 cup of sour cream - Tofutti Sour Cream can be used for a vegan option
- 1 Tbsp of olive oil
- 1 tsp coriander
- Mix together.
- Ladle soup in a bowl. Add a spoonful of the topping on top of the soup. Swirl with spoon.
- Tip - Vegetables can be roasted a day or two ahead to cut down on the time to prepare.
Place the baking pan into the oven for 50-60 minutes. Watch the carrots and onions carefully and remove earlier than the squash if they start turning dark.
The squash will be done when a sharp knife can be easily inserted. Remove from oven and place baking sheet on cooling sheet for 30 minutes allowing the squash to cool a bit making it a little easier to work with.
Seed the squash and then remove the softened flesh. Set the squash, onion and carrot aside.
Heat 2 Tbsps of olive oil in a dutch oven and saute the leeks over low-medium heat until they are softened. Add the cumin and coriander into leeks and mix well. Add in the 8 cups of vegetable broth and stir to combine. Add in the roasted veggies (squash, onions and carrots) and split peas. Bring to a boil and then simmer covered for a minimum of 2 hours.
