Cheesy Butternut Squash Soup

Initially, this soup was made to be a pasta sauce for a mac n’ cheese-type dish, but it turned out so well that it could stand by itself!  Inspiration of course came from forksoverknives.com, so definitely check that recipe out too!  I hope y’all try this one and let me know what you think!

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash, whole
• 3-5 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup plant milk (I used soy milk)
• 1-2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1-3 purple sweet potatoes, chopped (optional)
• Cashew cream for garnish (optional)
  • ½ cup cashews, soaked
  • ½ cup water, OR
  • 1 spoonful cashew butter
  • 1-3 Tbsp. water

Method

1. Bake butternut squash for 30 minutes at 350°F
2. Take squash out of oven and place potatoes in, sprinkled with thyme (optional), to bake for 40 minutes at 400°F
3. Once slightly cooled, peel squash, scoop out seeds, and roughly chop
4. Place squash in steamer and steam for approximately 15-20 minutes
5. Place squash in large bowl and add garlic, plant milk, and spices
6. Blend soup with immersion blender (or traditional blender)
7. For the cashew cream, blend soaked cashews with water or mix cashew butter with water to reach desired consistency (I used cashew butter for less dishes to do)
8. Serve soup with potatoes on the side and garnished with cashew cream
9. Enjoy!