Acorn Squash Bisque with Roasted Sacha Inchi Seeds

vegan acorn squash bisque with sacha inchi seeds

Sacha inchi may be my favorite foodie find of the year. Plukenetia volubilis, which also goes by the name of “mountain peanuts” or “Incan peanuts,” and is native to the Amazon rainforest. Sacha inchi seeds are good sources of protein, but their main nutritional claim to fame is the fact that they are one of the richest plant-based sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, which may play a vital role in cardiovascular health and in fighting inflammation. A bottle of sacha inchi oil is 48% Omega-3 fatty acid—a stellar Omega 3:6 ratio! (For more on Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, check out this post.)

My favorite source for all things sacha inchi is the wonderful Sacha Vida company, based here in DC. I’ve featured their oil before, in my raw Brussels sprout slaw:

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I adore sacha inchi seeds as well: if you’ve never tried them, I recommend seeking them out! You can find them through Nuts.com, and I believe they’ll be on the way from Sacha Vida soon! The “jungle peanut” name is apt; they taste quite a bit like peanuts, especially when roasted. Some folks find that they’re slightly “fishy,” as are most Omega-3-rich foods, but I don’t personally detect that: I just taste a unique, nutty flavor.

The soup I’m about to share happened by accident. I had an acorn squash, which I wanted to turn into a simple, minimalist soup. I also wanted to make it a little rich and creamy, so I though it might be good to blend in some cashews or walnuts. But then I spied some of the sacha inchi seeds in my pantry and thought, why not make things a little more interesting? As it turns out, the rich, roasty sacha inchi seeds paried perfectly with the sweet flavor of acorn squash, and the rest is history.

The good news about this simple fall bisque is that you do not have to use sacha inchi seeds at all, especially if they’re hard for you to find. Just use peanuts instead! And if you do happen to sample some sacha inchi seeds soon, I hope you’ll appreciate the complexity and health properties they lend to this warm, sweet dish.

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Acorn Squash Bisque with Roasted Sacha Inchi Seeds (vegan, gluten free, soy free)

Serves 2-4

2 acorn squash
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
Sea salt salt and ground pepper
1 3/4 cups organic vegetable broth
1/4 cup hemp or almond milk
1/3 cup roasted or raw sacha inchi seeds or roasted peanuts (or 1/4 cup peanut butter)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slice squash in half along the equator and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Line a baking sheet with aluminum or parchment, and place the squash, skin-side-down, onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-45 minutes, or until the squash is very tender and skin can be pierced with a fork. Roast in oven for 45-50 minutes, or until flesh is tender and skin is starting to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once it cools, scoop the flesh out of the skin and set the flesh aside (you can discard the skin).

2. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sautee until golden and tender (about 10 minutes).

3. Transfer the onion and squash to a blender. Add the broth, almond milk or hemp milk, and sacha inchi seeds. Blend till very smooth, season to taste with salt and pepper, and blend again. Serve warm, with a drizzle of sacha inchi oil and/or extra seeds as garnish!

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So rich, sweet, and delicious! Try it soon, and don’t be afraid to use the peanuts or peanut butter if that’s what you have.

Speaking of squash, I was recently given this amazing squash as a gift.

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What does it remind you of?? I saw this:

So cool!

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Does anyone know what kind of squash it is? I think it’s a green hubbard, but I’m not an expert! Anyone?

xo

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Categories: Soups
Method: Blender
Dietary Preferences: Gluten Free, Soy Free, Tree Nut Free, Vegan

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    26 Comments
  1. I know this is an old post but I have googled this to death and can’t find an answer. We have tons of food allergies and eat sacha inchi a lot. I put it in the food processor and make butter. I’d like to use it in a cookie recipe in place of almond or sunflower butter. Can it be cooked? Do you know? Would it work the same more or less as other nut butters? Thank you!

  2. Just made this with some raw almond butter—it was absolutely delicious!! Thanks for the recipe 🙂 My favorite homemade squash soup yet!

  3. I made something similar last night! But blended up the roasted squash with its skin – thinking that there might be some added nutrition there. Was I right? Or should I have discarded the skin?
    Anyway I added in a little roast broccoli and garlic and it tasted delicious…
    Thanks for your inspiration

  4. I love how excited everyone is getting over the pretty squash! I love squash soup recipes, so this is just great. Also, I’ve been hearing a lot about the Sacha Inchi Seeds, so they will probably manifest into my kitchen in the near future! Thanks for the simple yummyness!

  5. Hi Gena,

    Sorry, I have never prepared squash before so I have a question. Are you supposed to roast the squash twice? I’m confused by the, ” Roast for 35-45 minutes, or until the squash is very tender and skin can be pierced with a fork. Roast in oven for 45-50 minutes, or until flesh is tender and skin is starting to turn golden brown.”

    Thanks, Gena!

  6. I was just searching your blog for Sacha inchi posts yesterday! Are you reading my mind?

    Does roasting the seeds cause significant destruction of the omega 3s? I really like them roasted so I hope it isn’t too bad!

    • I wouldn’t worry too much. If you eat a truly raw Sacha Inchi nut your mouth with gag in protest, they are bitter like an unripened persimmon!

      When people offer “raw Sacha Inchi” that is not oil (which can be cold pressed), I am a little skeptical.

      Source: I grow Sacha Inchi/Have Peruvian family

  7. I love creamy squash soups. They don’t need much added in to make them taste amazing! On a cold day like today, this is looking mighty delicious.

    I use sacha inchi seeds make any peanut-centric recipe taste even better. I wish they were a little cheaper, but they are an amazing ingredient to have on hand. I’ve never tried the oil before, but that’s great to know about the omega ratio.

  8. Thanks for spreading the word about sacha inchi, I’m so intrigued! I just read that they are also free of aflatoxin. I’m totally sold – must have them!

  9. What a gorgeous squash! So graceful and swan-like. I love this time of year for trying out new types of squash. We tried a Carnival squash for the first time last week (alot like acorn). My kids adored it! The two of them ate a whole little squash!

  10. Hi Gena,
    I’ve been curious about these sacha inchi seeds but I have never seen them in stores around here. Are they closer to seeds or closer to nuts?
    Thanks!

  11. Swan squash yes! I saw these at our grocery store the other day and wanted to get one! (But I already had 4 squashes in my basket… had to draw the line somewhere).

  12. The soup looks amazing! I love this time of year because I can eat winter squash as much as I want 🙂 I’ll be giving this recipe a try!

  13. The soup sounds and looks delicious but I’m really loving that squash! It totally looks like a duck! How could you cut into that??

  14. Sacha inchi are totally new to me …wow, never ever heard of them! Now I really want to try them!

    Your soup is absolutely gorgeous! So smooth and beautiful, creamy, just lovely!

    And what a cool Hubbard comparison!

  15. I LOVE Sacha Inchi seeds. I had heard about them about a year ago, but it wasn’t until about 6 months later that I tried them- and they were worth it. I usually just snack on them on the go, but putting them in soup, girl, you’re a genius!

  16. What a cool squash! The graceful “neck” on it reminds me of a swan or a goose.

  17. Awesome! I’ve never heard of these seeds, but if they taste anything like peanuts, I’m in.

    I love how simple your recipes are, Gena. You’re my fave!

  18. It is a swan squash, Gena! I just posted one that I didn’t buy because it is just ornamental. Love your simple squash bisque, though. I recently made a stuffed carnival squash which may be my newest favorite squash. 🙂