Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cut the butternuts in half and place them cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. There’s no need to remove the seeds now because it’s incredibly easy to do this once they have been roasted. Slice the very bottom (root end) of the bulb of garlic off, then rub it with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Wrap it in foil, then place it on the sheet with the butternuts. Roast the butternuts and garlic for 40-50 minutes or until the flesh of the butternuts is very soft. Allow them to cool for a bit before proceeding with the recipe.

Decrease the oven temperature to 375 degrees. While the butternuts and garlic are cooling, make the croutons. Toss the bread with the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil, the minced fresh rosemary, the nutritional yeast, and sea salt to taste (I used a couple of pinches). Spread the croutons in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake the croutons for 15-20 minutes or until they are crisp and golden. Make sure to toss them halfway through the baking time. Set the croutons aside while you make the soup.

Once the butternuts and garlic have cooled enough to handle, remove the seeds from the butternuts. Scoop the flesh into a blender. Remove the garlic from the foil and squeeze all of the roasted cloves into the blender as well. Add the coconut milk, vegan bouillon cube, paprika, and apple cider vinegar to the blender. Blend until very smooth then taste and add sea salt to your liking. Pour the soup into a pot and heat it through on the stove before serving it topped with a handful of the croutons.