Vegan Japanese Winter Squash and Leek Soup

Ingredients

• 1 (2 pound) Japanese winter squash (kabocha), halved and seeded
• 3 tablespoons canola oil, or more as needed
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 3 large leeks – white part cut horizontally and green parts cut lengthwise
• 2 cups water, or more as needed
• 3 small russet potatoes, chopped
• 3 large carrots, cut into rounds
• 4 cups vegetable stock, or more if needed
• 1 pinch garlic salt, or more to taste
• Ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Arrange squash, cut-side up, on a baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven until squash is tender, 30 to 40 minutes; cool slightly. Remove skin from squash and chop the flesh.

Heat canola oil in a large pot over medium heat; cook and stir onion and white parts of leek until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Mix water, green parts of leeks, potatoes, baked squash, and carrots to onion mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer, stirring every 10 minutes and adding more water as needed, until vegetables are tender, about 1 hour.

Pour vegetable stock into vegetable mixture; season with garlic salt and pepper. Raise temperature to medium and cook until boiling, 15 to 20 minutes.