butternut soup with crispy chickpeas

An easy, creamy, and delicious soup for fall. Feel free to add more veggie stock if you prefer a thinner soup. As always, season to your taste and make substitutions whenever you like. At the bottom of the post, I’ve included some variations/options to try out if they call to you.

This recipe is part of the Yay for Earth meal plan/challenge II in collaboration with @stevieyaaay. Access the recipe list/info on the meal plan HERE.

for the chickpeas:

3 cups chickpeas (I used home cooked, but if you used canned, it’s 2 cans), drained well and patted dry
drizzle oil, enough to coat the chickpeas
seasonings- I like chili flakes, harissa, cayenne or hot paprika (anything spicy) and salt and garlic.  The spicy goes well with the sweetness of the soup.  But please use whatever you like!

for the soup:

2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, chopped
2 large sprigs thyme, leaves stripped, stems composted or saved for stock making
1 butternut squash or other orange fleshed sweet squash, or even sweet potatoes, mine was about 2 lbs.  Cut into small cubes.
1 apple (any kind except don’t use a tart green one), cut into small cubes.
1 can full fat coconut milk
2 cups veggie broth
s+p to taste, start with 1/2 tsp and add more as needed
optional nutmeg or cinnamon to make a more sweet/autumnal flavor

method:

Preheat oven to 400F / 200C , and while it’s coming up to temperature:

- chop onions and squash
- toss chickpeas with drizzle of oil and seasonings, place on a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Put chickpeas into the oven and set timer for 20 mins.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot or dutch oven, heat up the oil and then add the onions. Sauté until softened and golden, about 10 minutes.
- Add in the apple + thyme and sauté another minute or two till fragrant. Add in the butternut and veggie broth and simmer till tender, about 15 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk and cook until heated through. Turn off heat and use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
- By this time the chickpeas should be ready, when ready to serve, add the chickpeas on top of the bowls of soup along with a sprinkle of fresh minced thyme.
- Serve with a simple salad- I like arugula (1 large handful for every person eating) tossed with plenty of lemon juice and olive oil and either a sprinkle of vegan parm if I have it, or simple s+p.

options:

make it heartier: add a scoop of quinoa, rice, or serve with bread.
make it faster:  peel, deseed and cube the squash on the weekend.  Store in a sealed container like a mason jar in the fridge.
take it to the next level: roast the squash and then proceed with the recipe.  this will deepen the flavor.
less waste: rinse the seeds of the squash, pat them dry, and toss with seasonings and a bit of oil.  Roast on a separate pan while the chickpeas are roasting for a nice snack.