(Vegan) Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup with Paprika Chickpeas

It's that time of the year again, pumpkin everything!
Of course, everyone hears about pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pies, pumpkin muffins, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
But what about a delicious pumpkin soup so that you can put to good use all that extra pumpkin you have?


This soup is as simple as it gets, there’s some chopping involved, but nothing too crazy,
The oven does all the heavy lifting. While all you need to do is puree everything with an immersion blender and voilà, it’s done.
Baking the butternut squash increases the flavor that develops through caramelization. I also roasted the tomatoes and the pears to add depth to their taste as well.
The paprika roasted chickpeas are a perfect garnish, they add a nice crunch and a smoked flavor which is to die for.


The soup is blended smooth, which creates a creamy texture that doesn’t require the addition of heavy cream to thicken it.
If you don’t feel like making the roasted chickpeas you can garnish this soup with a variety of different options such as a dollop of Greek yogurt (or sour cream), diced pears or some chopped fresh greens (such as watercress).
It can be a perfect choice for Thanksgiving or to begin any special fall dinner. Since the flavors seem to develop further the day after it is made, it is a great soup to make the day before you plan on serving it.
I use my hand immersion blender, which works perfectly for jobs like this, but any blender or food processor will work.
The amount of broth needed for the soup will depend on how much moisture is in your pumpkin, as well as how thick you prefer your soup to be.


This (Vegan) Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup is thick, velvety, and full of delicious roasted butternut flavor. The pear enhances the taste and improves the creaminess.
This soup is a show stopper. Every dinner party I make it for, there are never any leftovers, and jaws drop when they learn that it is vegan.

(Vegan) Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup with Paprika Chickpeas

Ingredients
Serves 6

1 lb (453 gr) butternut squash chunks
2 ripe medium tomatoes, quartered
2 pears, peeled, cored, and quartered
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon fine grain salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (15.5 oz / 440 gr) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 ½ cups / 625 ml vegetable stock

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and place a rack in the middle.
Lightly grease a baking sheet and place butternut squash chunks, quartered tomatoes, quartered pears, and quartered onion in a single layer. Drizzle with two tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place chickpeas in another small baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika. Toss to coat.
Bake butternut squash baking sheet for 35 to 40 minutes until the vegetables are nicely roasted.
Bake the chickpea baking sheet for 30 minutes until the chickpeas are golden and nicely roasted.
When done, remove both baking sheets from the oven and set aside.
Transfer the chickpeas to a bowl and set aside.
Transfer the vegetables to a large pot, add vegetable stock, and puree using an immersion blender (alternatively you can use a regular blender)
Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes or until it starts to thicken.
If it’s too thick add more stock, ¼ cup at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
Take a taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Serve in a bowl topped with paprika chickpeas.

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 242 calories, 12 grams of fat, 43 grams of carbs, and 8 grams of protein.