Carotene Queen Tomato Soup

Creamy tomato soup with butternut squash! Rich in Vitamin A and delicious for the whole family.

If you’ve been following us for a while, you know that we talk a lot about the importance of Vitamin A. To make Vitamin-A a kid-friendly topic, we call them Carotene Queens in our PB3 Plate! (Not sure what the PB3 Plate is? Grab our FREE download here!)

Vitamin A is essential for maintaining good vision, immune function, and overall health. Animal-foods like eggs and dairy are sources of preformed vitamin A (retinol), and plant-based foods offer a good source of provitamin A, primarily in the form of beta-carotene.

These foods include orange and yellow vegetables, like carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, pumpkin, cantaloupe, mango and papaya along with dark leafy green vegetables, like spinach, kale, collard greens. Other vegetables, like red bell peppers and broccoli also contain Vitamin A.

This creamy Carotene Queen tomato soup uses roasted butternut squash for extra Vitamin A, body and yumminess! If you want a creamy tomato soup, then you can add in some cashews and blend for extra richness.

Tips for Success

To easily roast the squash, halve your butternut and then rub with olive oil and season with salt, a little cinnamon and smoked paprika. I know that cinnamon sounds odd but the small amount helps enhance the umami-rich flavor of the tomatoes.

The squash should be very tender once roasted– you should be able to simply scoop it out with a spoon and add to the pot.

I simmer all of the vegetables together and then puree, but you can flip this. Add the cooked onion and garlic to a pot and cook until softened and then blend with squash and tomatoes until softened. Then, you can add to a pot and simmer for the 15-20 minutes.

As a healthy source of fat will increase the absorption of beta-carotene, I like to drizzle a little olive oil on top when serving. Or, I like to serve with grilled cheese for a full family-friendly meal!

For adults, I usually stir in a little spicy Calabrian chili peppers when serving. I discovered these last year and they are one of my favorite things in my pantry! If you also love spicy food, these peppers are a must.

More Vitamin-A Rich Recipes

• Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
• Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie
• Carrot Cake Oat Muffins
• Healthy Pumpkin Waffles
• Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

If you make this Carotene Queen Tomato Soup, then make sure to come back to leave a comment and a rating! Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day.

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Carotene Queen Tomato Soup

Creamy tomato soup with butternut squash! Rich in Vitamin A and delicious for the whole family.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:20 minutes minutes

Equipment

• blender
• Dutch Oven

Ingredients

• 1/2 large butternut squash, halved and seeded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped white or yellow onion
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable broth

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Halve the butternut squash, then remove the seeds. Rub with some of the olive oil (about 1-2 teaspoons) and sprinkle with smoked paprika, cinnamon, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Place in the oven and roast until very tender, about 1 hour. Remove and let cool slightly. Then scoop out the tender squash flesh and place in a bowl, discarding the skin.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a stock pot and cook over medium heat. Add the onion and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook until onion is very tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook another minute, taking care not to burn. Add in the tomatoes with their juices, the squash and 1 cup broth. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occassionally.
• Remove from heat and let cool slightly, then add to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and puree until smooth. Return back to the pot and simmer for another few minutes until hot, then divide into bowls and serve.