My little spec of the world is on fire at the moment. Ablaze in orange, red, gold, and the last remnants of green. It’s stunning, comforting, and a little sad—only because when it ends it will be months of gray nakedness. But for now, let’s celebrate the beauty that is autumn with this vegan acorn squash, kale, & barley soup.
The sautéed cubes of acorn squash are paired with pieces of emerald green kale and chewy grains of barley, all bathed in a bold, rich, golden broth. If you ever wanted to capture the beauty of the season and put it in a bowl, this soup would be it. It looks like fall, smells like fall, and tastes like I imagine fall would taste.
The acorn squash is sautéed in a tiny bit of avocado oil until it begins to brown around the edges, then it’s drowned in vegetable broth and seasoned with fresh oregano, cumin, sea salt, and black pepper. It’s so savory and warm.
The barley gives the soup a wonderful chewy texture and the kale is added at the last minute so you get the full benefits of its flavor and nutritional value. Just look at the colors in this gorgeous bowl of acorn squash, kale, & barley soup.
This is the perfect vegan acorn squash soup recipe to make on meatless Monday because it’s so easy to make and it’s healthy. A great way to wash away the food sins of the weekend. It takes an hour to simmer because of the barley, and that’s a good thing. While it’s cooking you can get a work out in, clean a room or two, do laundry, or just read a good book.
As the days get shorter and the nights longer, soup is the perfect food. Once you get everything in the pot, all it needs is a stir every once in a while, which gives you time to enjoy the last moments of daylight. No standing over the stove while you watch the sun sink into the western sky, this hearty soup recipe allows you to step outside and enjoy the view the way it was meant to be seen. Outside.
Halloween is on Saturday this year! That gives you time to make a big pot of this no hassle acorn squash, kale, and barley soup so you can enjoy the evening. Or you could try one of these fun recipes.
Tell me:
Do you love the chewiness of barley the way I do?
Acorn or butternut squash?
Is your little corner of the world as colorful as mine is at the moment?
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Acorn Squash, Kale, and Barley Soup (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon of avocado oil
- 1 medium red onion – finely diced
- 1 large clove of garlic – minced
- 1 large acorn squash aprox. 5 cups – peeled, seeded, and finely cubed
- 2 quarts of vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons of finely ground sea salt add more or less according to your tastes
- ¾ teaspoon of ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons of fresh oregano leaves – finely chopped
- Black pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup of barley
- 8 cups of coarsely chopped kale
Instructions
- In a large soup pot heat the oil on medium heat. When the oil is hot add the onion and sauté until it’s transparent.
- Add the squash and cook for five minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the broth, salt, cumin, oregano, and black pepper and stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
- Add the barley, stir well and reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for one hour. Add the kale and stir well. When it’s just wilted it’s ready to serve.
- Enjoy!
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