Nourishing Soup with Roasted Vegetables for Darker Days

Original Recipe: https://againstallgrain.com/2013/01/30/leftover-roast-chicken-soup-with-roasted-vegetables/

The original recipe is DELICIOUS, but I don't often have leftover chicken. Instead, I replace the chicken with white beans. I also recommend cutting the carrots, butternut squash, and sweet potato in relatively small cubes.

Equipment Needed:

Blender

Large Stockpot

Sharp knife

Sheet pan

Oven or Air Fryer

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 carrots, peeled and cubed

1 cup butternut squash, peeled and cubed (I like relatively small cubes)

1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed (I like relatively small cubes)

1/2 yellow onion, quartered

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 cans white beans (great northern beans, cannellini beans, white kidney beans), drained and rinsed

3/4 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon dried rosemary

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 cup water

2 cups baby spinach

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Prepare your vegetables and toss them with oil of choice and a bit of salt and pepper. Roast on a sheet pan for 20-25 minutes (depending on your oven, less if using an air fryer) until the vegetables are tender

Toss the vegetables in the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

While the vegetables are roasting, bring the stock to a simmer in a stockpot. Add the herbs and salt and pepper. Cover and simmer gently until the vegetables are done.

Add all of the onions, 1 cup of water, and half of the remaining vegetables to the soup*. Add the remaining vegetables as well as the white beans** to the stockpot.

Blend the items together until smooth and then add the puree and spinach to the stockpot.

Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

*If texture is a concern for you, you might consider putting ALL of the butternut squash into the blender and leaving all of the carrots and sweet potato out of the blender. I find the butternut squash can get a little slimy feeling, which I don't mind, but I suspect others might not like.

**If you like really creamy soup, you can put 1/2 a can of the white beans into the blender with the other vegetables.

This soup freezes REALLY well. I used to make a double batch and freeze it in mason jars for my daughter's school lunch. Until she got tired of it. :)