Butternut squash and celery root soup
My garden is overrun with butternut squash! Certainly not a bad problem to have, especially because I also have celery root, and together these two vegetables make a stunningly good soup.
Many butternut squash soups are cloying, so I like adding a savory element. Celery root may be an ugly vegetable, but it sure works beautifully here.
Adding a topping to the soup can also add layers of flavor and texture, and I have three different suggestions:
– Sautéed oyster and shiitake mushrooms
– Whole wheat croutons, made by quickly sautéing bread cubes in olive oil
– Fig balsamic vinegar – a few drops or a little swirl will do the trick
And of course, if you’re a purist, the soup is also quite lovely in its unadorned state.
This is an exceptionally healthy soup. Butternut squash, with its vibrant orange hue, is a rich source of carotenoids – pigments with heart disease prevention power – as well as fiber and vitamins A and C. But most of all, it’s delicious.
Butternut Squash and Celery Root Soup
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 6 cups)
1 celery root, peeled and cubed (about 3 cups
2-3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 or 5 fresh sage leaves
1 cup dry white wine
7 cups vegetable stock (use gluten-free stock if you are gluten-sensitive)
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the squash and celery root with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet (or two). Roast until tender and starting to brown, about 25 minutes.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven. Saute onions, red pepper flakes and sage until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the stock and roasted vegetables and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly and puree thoroughly in a food processor or blender. Season to taste with pepper, and additional salt if necessary. Return to the pot to reheat, and serve.
Oh, this looks great! I’ve been eating a lot of butternut squash soups lately; it would be nice to have a slightly less sweet variation. (And I happen to love celery root, as annoying as it is to peel and work with sometimes!)
I’m jealous you have those at your disposal! I love all winter squash but butternut is great because it is so versatile. I never thought of adding celery root – I bet it adds terrific creaminess.
This soup is delicious, rich and spicy. I sautéed mushrooms and pureed them into the soup which added a nice flavor. I will definitely plan to make this soup again. It is perfect for a fall or winter day.
Cathy, I linked to this recipe on the facebook page of Fiddleheads Food Co-op in New London, CT, where I volunteer as a Produce Buyer. I hope that’s ok. I wanted to give your name in my post but couldn’t find your last name on the blog! I’d like to link to some of your other recipes in future – you are about the only person I know of who has recipes that are vegan AND heart-healthy, and actually make my mouth water just reading them!
Regards, Janice
Ooops, forgot to add the link to the fiddleheads page in my last post. Here it is:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/New-London-CT/Fiddleheads-Food-Co-op/360787304895
Thanks so much for linking to me, Janice!
This is a delicious soup! I’m glad I was able to find a recipe for both butternut squash AND celery root. It’s definitely worth the work. Thanks for sharing!
Outstanding soup! We don’t use any oil (have totally reversed my husband’s heart disease). I accidentally used ground red pepper instead of crushed flakes. So this batch had a real KICK. Loved it anyway. Thanks for sharing some new ideas. I just leave out the oil or substitute in your recipes and so far so good.
I am definitely trying some of your Thanksgiving goodies. Will let you know how they are received in my Vegan family.
I just made a butternut squash soup I like even better than this one. I will post it soon …. as soon as I can manage to take a decent photo of the stuff. Orange is a difficult color, for some odd reason!
I made this but added tons of veggies – it was amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn’t have as much squash and celery root so it came out more like a broth.