Cozy comforting soups are a staple in our home, especially when the snow starts falling outside. I love making thick and creamy soups that are packed with nourishing ingredients and this Roasted Fall Vegetable Soup is no different. I first made it when I had crates full of garden vegetables and wanted to make a big batch for the freezer. The parsnips give this a uniquely different flavor and the spicy pumpkin seeds add just the right kick! If you are not a fan of parsnips – and they definitely come through in this soup – try swapping them out for sweet potatoes.
The toasted pumpkin seeds add a delicious and lightly spicy crunch and I love serving this nourishing soup with a slice of crusty sourdough bread.
Step by Step Instructions for Roasted Fall Vegetable Soup
Gather your ingredients: Parsnips, carrots, yellow onion, cauliflower, garlic, cauliflower, winter squash, sage, rosemary, parsley, extra virgin olive oil, water, pumpkin seeds, fine sea salt, black pepper, ground ginger, cayenne.
Cut the winter squash in half, scoop out the seeds and place, cut-side down, onto a baking sheet. Roast for about 40-50 minutes or until tender.
Add the carrots, parsnips, onions, cauliflower and garlic to a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Scoop the flesh from the winter squash and add it to a large pot along with the roasted vegetables. Squeeze the garlic out of its skins and add to the pot. Top with the sage, rosemary and water. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.
Once cool enough to blend, add the contents from your pot to a blender, top with the parsley and blend (in batches) until smooth. Return the mixture to the pot to reheat for serving and season with additional fine sea salt and pepper to taste.
For the pumpkin seeds; heat a small saucepan to medium low. Add the pumpkin seeds, extra virgin olive oil, ground ginger, pinch of cayenne and fine sea salt.
Cook, stirringly frequently, until the pumpkin seeds begin to puff up and some of them turn lightly golden; approximately 10 minutes.
Roasted Fall Vegetable Soup
Parsnips, fresh herbs and spicy pumpkin seeds give this nourishing and comforting soup just the right balance of flavors.
6
servings30
minutes50
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
2 parsnips (about 1/2 lb), scrubbed and cut into 1 inch chunks*
3 medium carrots (about 1/2 lb), scrubbed and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic (skin on)
1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 lb winter squash (such as butternut or acorn)
1 tsp fine sea salt (more to taste)
a few cracks of black pepper
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or avocado oil)
4 sage leaves
leaves from one sprig of rosemary (about 1 packed tsp)
1/4 cup roughly chopped parsley, loosely packed
4 cups water or vegetable broth
- For the toasted pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp ground ginger
pinch of cayenne**
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
Directions
- Position two racks in your oven and preheat the oven to 350F.
- Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and place, cut-side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for approximately 35-45 minutes or until the skin is browned and the squash can be easily pierced with a fork (depending on the thickness of your squash, this may take longer). Once fully roasted, remove from the oven and let rest until cool enough to handle.
- Line another baking sheet with parchment paper and add the parsnips, carrots, chopped onion and cauliflower. Drizzle with 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, sprinkle with 1 tsp fine sea salt and a few cracks of black pepper and toss to coat the veggies thoroughly. Add the garlic cloves to the baking sheet and, stirring once around the 20-minute mark, roast in the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
- Place a large pot on the stovetop. With a spoon, scoop the flesh from the winter squash and add it to the pot. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and into the pot. Add the remaining roasted vegetables, sage leaves, rosemary leaves, and 4 cups of water or broth (add more if you prefer a thinner soup). Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly before transferring to a blender, along with the parsley.
- Once cool enough, blend the soup in batches until smooth, then return it to the pot to gently reheat before serving. Season with additional fine sea salt and a few cracks of black pepper to taste - you will likely need more if you used water, and less if you used vegetable broth.
- For the pumpkin seeds; heat a small saucepan to medium low heat. Add the pumpkin seeds, 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, ground ginger, pinch of cayenne and fine sea salt. Toast, stirring frequently, until the seeds are fragrant and just begin to puff up a bit, about 5 minutes.
- To serve the soup, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and freshly chopped parsley and drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Notes
- *If parsnips aren't your thing, feel free to swap them out for more carrots, as this soup does have a noticeable parsnip taste.
- ** I like to start slow here, but feel free to add more cayenne if you like spice. Once added to the soup for serving, this can lend a nice zip to the whole dish.
