Gluten Free Dairy Free Vegetable Nut Butter Soup

… A Masterpiece Starter Course for Thanksgiving!

This soup will definitely begin your Thanksgiving feast deliciously. By using the listed ingredients as a guideline, you can easily alter this soup to be vegan by using dairy-free, vegan sour cream and vegetable broth. If heeding peanut or tree nut allergies, peanut butter or tree nut butters work equally well, so customizing this recipe requires no additional recipe adjustments. The ingredients I’ve used pair flavors to express a subtle earthiness. The rich and sweet almond butter makes a creamy, luxurious complement to the undertones of the hot chile sauce. The heat is mellowed by the sour cream. Adding nut butter, or peanut butter, to a soup may sound unusual, and that is exactly what I enjoy about this recipe. The unusual nuttiness and vegetable flavors complementing one another lusciously to create a perfect autumn flavor palate.

Prep time: 20-30 minutes

Cooking time: about 40 minutes

Serves: 10-12 starters or 8 large main course servings

Ingredients:

3-4 Tablespoons cooking oil

1 cup carrots, peeled and diced

2 cups broccoli, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups cauliflower, coarsely chopped

1 rutabaga, peeled and diced

1 cup cabbage, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

4 mini sweet peppers, topped, seeded and diced

2 cloves garlic

6 cups chicken broth (I used Swanson’s Natural Goodness Chicken Broth)

2 cups water

1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained (I used Del Monte unsalted)

1 1/2 teaspoon Vietnam-style hot chile garlic sauce

1/4 teaspoon black pepper (I used McCormick’s)

1/8 teaspoon coriander (I used McCormick’s)

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika (I used McCormick’s)

1 cup creamy-style almond butter (I used Justin’s Classic Almond Butter)

1/4 cup sour cream (I used gluten-free, dairy-free Tofutti Sour Cream)

4 Tablespoons flat leaf parsley

Directions:

In a large stock pot, warm oil over low heat. Add carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, rutabaga, cabbage, celery, onion, sweet peppers, and garlic. Sweat all vegetables until almost tender, about 10-15 minutes, stirring often. 

Add broth, water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Add chile sauce, pepper, coriander, salt, and paprika. Stir to mix well. Continue simmering about 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender. With an immersion blender, or using an upright blender, puree all vegetables until smooth or partially smooth, depending on how chunky you prefer your soup. If using an upright blender, blend in batches, then return soup to stock pot. 

With all soup in stock pot, add almond butter. Stir well to melt the almond butter and create an even, smooth texture throughout the soup. Add sour cream and stir until well blended. Continue simmering until soup is heated thoroughly. Taste. Add more salt or pepper if needed. Garnish with parsley. Serve.