Carrot and Acorn Squash Soup with Carrot Top Pistou

Carrot and acorn squash soup with carrot top pistou is a delicious soup that uses the carrot tops to make the most delicious garlicky topping! This pistou is a pesto made from carrot greens and is so delicious. This makes a great soup for Fall, Thanksgiving or whenever the mood strikes.

For this squash soup I have used acorn squash. This is my favorite acorn squash recipe and such a great way to use this squash and I think you will love it too. I prefer acorn squash to all others but you can certainly substitute butternut squash if that is what you have on hand.

The difference between butternut squash and acorn squash in this soup:

I am not a big fan of sweet squash so I decided to try a soup made with acorn squash which is only mildly sweet. Most people use butternut squash for their squash soup.

I prefer mixing the mild acorn squash with carrots for a more balanced flavor. The carrot adds a nice depth of flavor and sweetness and the acorn squash lends that creamy squash texture and flavor.

As I mentioned earlier, you can substitute butternut squash or any other creamy squash to replace the acorn squash in this recipe.

It will taste amazing either way.

What is the carrot top pistou?

If you are not familiar with pistou, it is sort of like a French pesto. It comes from the Provence region and is usually made with basil. garlic and olive oil and it's used to top soups.

This recipe forgoes the basil and uses the green tops of the carrots instead. It is essentially a carrot green pesto. It is amazing!

This soup goes so well as a main dish or as a side for Thanksgiving or larger gatherings. It is really easy to make and really big on flavor.

Here are the steps to making this easy carrot and acorn squash soup:

First you are going to add all of your veggies to a large sheet pan.

You are going to roast the vegetables in the oven. Add just a little bit of olive oil to them before roasting. This will bring out a beautiful deep flavor in your squash and carrots and make the soup taste amazing.

Now you add the fully roasted vegetables into a large pot

In this step you are going to mash down your vegetables. You don't have to mash too much since they will be going into the blender later.

Add your stock and mix that into your mashed veggies.

You will add your chicken stock to your mashed up veggies and mix it well. Once you do this you will start to bring it over to your blender to puree it into a soup. This can be done in batches. You always want to make sure to only fill your blender half way with hot liquids so it doesn't pop out of the container during blending.

Add the pureed soup back into your large pot on the stove and then add your heavy cream.

This is where it all starts to come together. After you are done pureeing your soup in the blender you add it back to your pot and mix in the heavy cream. The soup will become thick and silky.

Once the cream is well incorporated then you begin warming the soup over a low heat

Now that you have a creamy a delicious soup, the last steps are making sure it is nice and warm all the way through and tasting for seasoning. This is a great time to add any salt or pepper that it may need (to taste). You would be surprised how much cream takes away from the saltiness of soup.

That is it. It is very easy. To serve the squash and carrot soup, just ladel some soup into a bowl and top with a dollop of your pistou. The pistou is so good!

Helpful tips and ideas when making this acorn squash soup:

What can I serve with this acorn squash soup?

In our house all soups are served with a good crusty bread and this one is no exception. I like making my oregano crostini to serve alongside this soup for dipping.

Do I need to roast the squash when making this soup?

Yes. This is where all the flavor comes from with the vegetables. The roasting brings out the sweetness from the vegetables and helps soften them up for pureeing.

If I am serving this as a side dish, what meat goes well with this squash soup?

I always make this as a main dish but at larger gatherings I will make this as a side. I like to serve this squash soup with poultry (turkey, chicken..).

Can I freeze the leftover soup?

Yes. This soup freezes beautifully. Just let it cool completely and place it in a freezer proof container or bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.

To thaw, place the frozen soup in the fridge overnight to gently defrost.

To re-heat, place your soup into a large pot and heat on low until fully warmed through.

Highlights of this easy carrot and acorn squash soup:

• The carrots and squash are roasted until caramelized adding a great lightly sweet and nutty flavor
• There is little food waste since we are using the carrot tops to make the pistou
• The garlic and Parmesan from the pistou compliments the sweetness of the soup adding depth of flavor

This is so easy to make and not a boring fall squash soup at all!

If you want more soup inspiration for the cooler weather you might like:

• Kale and farro minestrone
• Indian garlic soup
• Pasta fagioli
• Vegetable Soup with Cabbage
• Coconut Curry Ramen Soup
• Sausage and Tortellini Soup