Nut Butter Bisques

Serves: 6-8
Prep and cook time: 30-60 minutes
Equipment needed: Immersion blender or food processor and blender if making nut cream

This (un)recipe is a great basic formula to create a wide range of healthy, nutrient-packed bisques that are free from gluten, dairy, soy, corn, grains, legumes, refined sugar and animal protein. Whole-food plant-based, vegan, Whole30 and Paleo, these soups get their protein and healthy fats from the addition of nut/seed butters and “creams”. They are packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals from a variety of vegetables and fruits and full of flavor from the addition of aromatics, spices and fresh herbs. These bisques freeze well and the basic recipe template allows creative cooks to come up almost endless variations to satisfy your taste buds!

Ingredients

• Vegetables/Fruits: 4-8 C of organic vegetables and fruits of your choice, washed and chopped – mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, yellow potatoes, brussel sprouts, carrots, parsnips, apples, pears, etc.
• Oil: 3 tbsp olive, grape seed or avocado oil for roasting (optional)
• Aromatics:  1-2 C of chopped onions, leeks and/or shallots, 2-4 cloves of crushed garlic and/or a 1-2 inch piece of fresh peeled and minced ginger root
• Organic Vegetable Broth: 8 − 10 C 
• Spices/Seasonings: 2-3 tsp sea salt, 1-2 tsp white pepper, 1-2 tbsp garlic powder, 1-2 tbsp onion powder and other spices of your choice
• Nut Butters/Cream: 1/2 C of cashew butter, peanut butter, almond butter, tahini, or sun butter, or 1 C of nut cream made from almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, pecans, macadamia nuts, etc. 
• Fresh Herbs: basil, thyme, oregano, cilantro, parsley, dill, and/or tarragon
• Flavor Enhancers: honey, maple syrup, fresh lemon juice and/or hot sauce

Directions

Chefs Notes: you can cut the cooking and clean-up time down by boiling the vegetables instead of roasting them first, but you will lose some of the rich depth of flavor from the caramelizing process. If you choose this method skip step #2 and boil vegetables until very soft, about 15 minutes, in step #4.

1. If making a nut cream, soak 2/3 C roasted or raw nuts in hot water for 1-8 hours or boil for 15 minutes and drain – then puree in a blender until very smooth with enough water to make a thick cream. This step can be done 1-2 days ahead and stored in the fridge.
2. Heat oven to 425° and roast vegetables (and fruits if using) in oil or vegetable broth until caramelized, about 30-45 minutes depending on the vegetable
3. In a large stock pot sauté onions, leeks and/or shallots with garlic and/or ginger root in oil or broth until translucent
4. Add 8 C vegetable broth and bring to a boil
5. Add seasonings (always add salt, white pepper, onion powder and garlic powder plus others according to variations below)
6. Add roasted vegetables and cook for 5-10 minutes until vegetables are very soft
7. Remove from heat and purée with an immersion blender or blend in batches in a food processor until smooth
8. Return to medium heat and add nut butter or cream
9. Add more vegetable broth if needed to achieve desired thickness
10. Add fresh herbs if using
11. Adjust spices to taste
12. Adjust for sweet, sour and spicy to taste
13. Top with roasted chopped nuts and additional herbs if desired

Variations

Broccoli, Tahini and Lemon 

• Vegetables/Fruits: 3-4 C broccoli and 2 C Yukon gold potatoes
• Aromatics:  2 C onions and 4 cloves of crushed garlic or a combo of onions and shallots
• Additional Spices/Seasonings: 1 tsp each: cinnamon and cumin, 1/2 tsp cayenne and cardamom
• Nut Butters/Cream: 1/2 C tahini (sesame paste)
• Fresh Herbs: 1/4 C chopped dill
• Flavor Enhancers: 1-3 tsp honey and 3-5 tbsp fresh lemon juice to taste

Butternut Squash, Apple and Cashew

• Vegetables/Fruits: 4 C butternut squash and 2 C peeled apples (optional: 2 C apple cider in place of an equal amount of vegetable broth)
• Aromatics:  1-2 C onions and 2-4 cloves of crushed garlic or 2 C shallots
• Additional Spices/Seasonings: 1-3 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp allspice OR 1-2 tbsp curry powder
• Nut Butters/Cream: 1/2 C cashew butter or 1 C cashew cream
• Fresh Herbs: 1/4 C chopped cilantro  or parsley if desired
• Flavor Enhancers: maple syrup and lemon juice to taste

Potato, Leek and Cashew Cream

• Vegetables/Fruits: 6 C Yukon Gold or other yellow waxy potatoes with the skin on
• Aromatics: 2 C leeks, white and light green part only, and 4 cloves of crushed garlic
• Nut Butters/Cream: 1 C cashew cream
• Fresh Herbs: 1/4 C tarragon or dill if desired

Sweet Potato, Pear and Pecan 

• Vegetables/Fruits: 4 C sweet potatoes with the skin on and 2 unripe C pears with the skin on
• Aromatics: 1-2 C shallots or onions, 2-4 cloves of crushed garlic and a 2 inch piece of minced ginger
• Additional Spices/Seasonings: 1-2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2-1 tsp nutmeg and ginger
• Nut Butters/Cream: 1 C pecan cream
• Flavor Enhancers: maple syrup and/or lemon juice to taste

Mushroom, Leek and Almond Butter

• Vegetables/Fruits: 8-10 C mix of white, Crimini and Portobello mushrooms
• Aromatics: 2 C leeks and 4 cloves of crushed garlic
• Nut Butters/Cream: 1/2 C almond butter or  1 C almond cream
• Fresh Herbs: 1/8 C chopped thyme or tarragon
• Flavor Enhancers: lemon juice to taste

Carrot, Ginger and Almond Cream

• Vegetables/Fruits: 5 C carrots and 1-2 C pears
• Aromatics: 2 C onions, 4 cloves of crushed garlic and 3-4 inch piece of fresh minced ginger
• Additional Spices/Seasonings: 1-3 tsp ginger
• Nut Butters/Cream: 1 C almond cream
• Flavor Enhancers: honey and/or lemon juice to taste

Parsnip, Leek and Hazelnut 

• Vegetables/Fruits: 6 C parsnips and 1 C acorn squash
• Aromatics: 2 C leeks and 2-4 cloves of crushed garlic
• Additional Spices/Seasonings: 1-2 tsp nutmeg
• Nut Butters/Cream: 1 C hazelnut cream
• Flavor Enhancers: honey and/or lemon juice to taste

Brussel Sprout, Shallot and Walnut

• Vegetables/Fruits: 5-6 C brussel sprouts
• Aromatics: 1.5-2 C onions or shallots
• Nut Butters/Cream: 3/4 C walnut cream
• Fresh Herbs: 1/4 C parsley if desired
• Flavor enhancers: honey, lemon juice and hot sauce to taste

Sweet Potato, Tomato and Peanut

• Vegetables/Fruits: 3-4 C sweet potatoes with skin on, 1-2 C carrots and one 29-ounce can organic crushed tomatoes (note: add tomatoes with broth)
• Aromatics:  1-2 C onions, 2-4 cloves of crushed garlic and a 2 inch piece of minced ginger
• Additional Spices/Seasonings: 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp cayenne, 1-2 tsp cinnamon, cumin and ginger
• Nut Butters/Cream: 1/2-1 C smooth unsalted peanut butter
• Fresh Herbs: 1/4 C cilantro if desired
• Flavor Enhancers: add honey and hot sauce to taste

Asparagus, Caramelized Onion and Pistachio

• Vegetables/Fruits: 6 C trimmed asparagus
• Aromatics: 1-2 C onions and 2-4 cloves of crushed garlic
• Nut Butters/Cream: 1 C pistachio cream
• Fresh Herbs: 1/8 C each basil and tarragon if desired
• Flavor Enhancers: honey and/or lemon juice to taste

Acorn Squash, Apple and Pumpkin Seed

• Vegetables/Fruits: 5 C peeled acorn squash, 2 cups peeled apples
• Aromatics: 1-2 C onions and 4 cloves of crushed garlic
• Additional Spices/Seasonings: 1-3 tsp cinnamon and cumin
• Nut Butters/Cream: 2/3-1 C pumpkin seed (pepita) cream
• Fresh Herbs: 1/4 C cilantro or 1/8 C thyme if desired
• Flavor Enhancers: maple syrup and/or lemon juice to taste

Cauliflower, Potato and Macadamia Nut

• Vegetables/Fruits: 5 C cauliflower and 2 C Yukon Gold or other yellow waxy potatoes
• Aromatics: 2 C onions and 4 cloves of crushed garlic
• Additional Spices/Seasonings: 1-2 tsp nutmeg and cumin
• Nut Butters/Cream: 3/4 C macadamia nut cream
• Flavor Enhancers: honey and/or lemon juice to taste

Nutrition

Nutrition information is based on the Parsnip Hazelnut Bisque and will vary slightly according to the ingredients used.

Cook’s Notes:

1. To reduce fat and calories, omit oil when roasting or boil vegetables
2.  To reduce sodium, use low-salt or homemade vegetable broth and omit salt
3.  For higher fiber bisques choose high fiber ingredients and keep the skin on your vegetables when possible. Good choices include: sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, brussel sprouts, asparagus, acorn squash, butternut squash, pears, apples, pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds/tahini
4. For Whole30 compliance omit honey and maple syrup
5. For strict whole-food plant-based use vegetable broth without salt and omit oil, salt and honey/maple syrup