Roasted Butternut, Apple and Cardamom Soup

This Roasted Butternut, Apple and Cardamom Soup is creamy, cozy comfort in a bowl!

Sweet, earthy butternut squash, tart apples and savory onions are roasted until caramelized and tender.

Then they’re blended with fragrant ground cardamom for a smooth, well-balanced soup that’s perfect when it’s cold outside.

Plus it’s naturally vegan, dairy-free, Paleo and Whole30 friendly!

roasted apple and butternut soup in a white bowl with a spoon and garnished with fresh thyme

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Roasted Butternut, Apple and Cardamom Soup

Blended root vegetable soups are one of my favorite things ever. They’re just inherently comforting, simple to make and easy to make healthy.

That’s why I already have a bunch of recipes on my site like 3-Ingredient Curried Sweet Potato Soup, Parsnip, Pear and Pistachio Soup and Purple Soup.

And this combination of butternut squash, apples and cardamom is one of my favorites and deserves to join the collection.

Plus I use my favorite method for roasting butternut squash – no peeling, no chopping. Roasting it whole makes cooking butternut so much easier. You can read more about that here.

Then you just throw the other ingredients in the oven too and then blend it all up with some seasonings and you’re ready to go!

If you’re not familiar with ground cardamom, it has a sweet, musky, almost floral aroma and flavor. It’s great with other spices like cinnamon and ginger, as seen in my recipe for Spiced Candied Pecans.

 

What you need for Roasted Butternut, Apple and Cardamom Soup

Ingredients:

Equipment:

 

How to make Roasted Butternut, Apple and Cardamom Soup

First, heat the oven to 425°.

Line the baking sheets with foil.

Lay the squash on one sheet and use a paring knife to stab it in the bottom, making sure the knife gets all the way in to the cavity where the seeds are (until you don’t feel resistance). This incision will let steam escape as it cooks.

A hand sticking a paring knife into the bottom of a butternut squash on a baking sheet

Then roast the squash for 60-90 minutes, depending on its size. (More information about roasting a whole butternut squash here.)

When the squash has about 30 minutes left in the oven, cut the apples in half from top to bottom, then cut in half again so you have 4 wedges. Cut out the seeds and stem.

Peel, halve and roughly chop the onion.

Add the apples and onion to the 2nd foil-lined baking sheet and toss with oil and salt.

chopped apples and onions on a baking sheet

Roast them in the lower rack of the oven for about 25-30 minutes, until they’re soft and caramelized.

Once the squash is done, remove from the oven and cut it in half lengthwise and split it open to release the heat. Scoop out and discard the seeds.

butternut squash roasted on a foil-lined baking sheet, split in half lengthwise and seeded

Add the apples and onion to a large pot. Scoop the butternut squash flesh out of the skin (if the squash is still too hot, hold it with a towel) and add to the pot.

Add the broth, salt, cardamom and pepper and use a stick blender to blend everything together until smooth.

Or, if using a regular blender, add half the vegetables and half the broth, remove the inner insert from the blender’s lid and hold a folded-up towel over the hole. Blend until smooth and pour into the pot. Repeat the process with the remaining vegetables and broth.

Put the pot over medium-high heat and once the soup is warmed through, taste to adjust seasonings and serve.

 

Make ahead and storage

The soup can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.

The soup can also be frozen in an air-tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheat the soup on the stove over medium heat.

 

Substitutions and variations

  • You can use about 2.5 lbs. of sweet potatoes instead of the squash. Poke them a few times with a fork, wrap in foil, place on a baking sheet and roast for 45-60 minutes, depending on their size.
  • You can add other spices as well, such as cinnamon, ginger, paprika or a bit of cayenne for heat.
  • You could use two pears instead of the apples.
  • You could use two large shallots in place of the onion.
  • Feel free to add your favorite garnishes, such as finely diced apple, toasted, chopped nuts or seeds, chopped fresh herbs, or a dollop of yogurt (vegan/dairy-free, if necessary).

a blended root vegetable soup in a white bowl with a spoon and fresh thyme on top

Other recipes you might like:

roasted apple and butternut soup in a white bowl with a spoon and garnished with fresh thyme
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Roasted Butternut, Apple and Cardamom Soup

This easy soup is cozy comfort in a bowl! Sweet, earthy butternut, tangy apples and savory onions are blended with fragrant cardamom for the perfect bowl food when the weather starts to get colder.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apples, butternut squash, cardamom, chicken soup, fall
Servings: 4 people
Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

  • 1 (2½-3 pounds) butternut squash
  • 2 Granny Smith apples (or you favorite apples)
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus 1¾ teaspoons, divided
  • 1 quart (4 cups) vegetable broth (for vegan) or chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • First, heat the oven to 425°. Line two baking sheets with foil.
  • Lay the squash on one sheet and use a paring knife to stab it in the bottom, making sure the knife gets all the way in to the cavity where the seeds are (until you don't feel resistance). This incision will let steam escape as it cooks.
  • Then roast the squash for 60-90 minutes, depending on its size, until a knife easily slides through the center.
  • When the squash has about 30 minutes left in the oven, cut the apples in half from top to bottom, then cut in half again so you have 4 wedges. Cut out the seeds and stem.
  • Peel, halve and roughly chop the onion.
  • Add the apples and onion to the 2nd foil-lined baking sheet and toss with the oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Roast them in the lower rack of the oven for about 25-30 minutes, until they're soft and caramelized. 
  • Once the squash is done, remove from the oven and cut it in half lengthwise and split it open to release the heat. Scoop out and discard the seeds.
  • Add the roasted apples and onion to a large soup pot. Scoop the butternut squash flesh out of the skin (if the squash is still too hot, hold it with a towel) and add to the pot.
  • Add the broth, 1¾ teaspoons salt, cardamom and pepper and use a stick blender to blend everything together until smooth.
    Or, if using a regular blender, add half the vegetables and half the broth, remove the inner insert from the blender's lid and hold a folded-up towel over the hole. Blend until smooth and pour into the pot. Repeat the process with the remaining vegetables and broth.
  • Put the pot over medium-high heat and once the soup is warmed through, taste to adjust seasonings and serve.

Notes

Make ahead and storage
The soup can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
The soup can also be frozen in an air-tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheat the soup on the stove over medium heat.
 
Substitutions and variations
  • You can use about 2.5 lbs. of sweet potatoes instead of the squash. Poke them a few times with a fork, wrap in foil, place on a baking sheet and roast for 45-60 minutes, depending on their size.
  • You can add other spices as well, such as cinnamon, ginger, paprika or a bit of cayenne for heat.
  • You could use two pears instead of the apples.
  • You could use two large shallots in place of the onion.
  • Feel free to add your favorite garnishes, such as finely diced apple, toasted, chopped nuts or seeds, chopped fresh herbs, or a dollop of yogurt (vegan/dairy-free, if necessary).

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