Why You’ll Love It
It’s easy to make. There’s no need to roast the butternut squash ahead of time, so everything cooks in one pot! It’s flavorful. Curried butternut squash soup is made with coconut milk, curry powder, and a splash of maple syrup to help balance out the spice. It’s inspired by Thai-style cuisine, but uses simple ingredients that you probably already keep in your pantry. It’s versatile. This soup makes an excellent starter or side dish for a Fall or Winter meal, but you can also use the leftovers as a curry sauce the next day! Serve it over rice and veggies, for a fast weeknight meal. It’s dairy-free. Instead of using heavy cream, this recipe is made with canned, full-fat coconut milk. If you prefer to use almond milk or oat milk, that should work, too. (Just make sure they don’t have vanilla flavoring, which might affect the final flavor.)
Ingredients You’ll Need
What’s in butternut squash soup?
Butternut squashYellow onionGarlicCurry powderSalt & pepperMaple syrupCoconut milk
Looking to use different ingredients? Try my Classic Butternut Squash Soup instead, which is made with cinnamon and apple.
How to Make Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- Saute the onion. Drizzle the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, and saute the onion until it softens, about 8 minutes. Add in the garlic and curry powder, and stir for 1 more minute, just until it smells fragrant.
- Add in the squash. Peel and cut the squash into small pieces, then add it to the pot, along with the water, salt, and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover the pot and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook until the squash is fork tender, about 20 minutes.
- Blend. Transfer the soup to a high-speed blender, and carefully blend until the soup is smooth. For safety, be sure to remove the vent from your blender’s lid and cover it with a thin dish towel to let steam escape. This will prevent the lid from blowing off your blender from the steam pressure. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to blend the soup directly in the pot. Once the soup is smooth, stir in the coconut milk and maple syrup. Taste and adjust as needed, adding more salt, or a squeeze of lime juice to help brighten the flavor.
- Enjoy! Serve the soup warm, with a topping of roasted squash seeds, sour cream, or fresh cilantro, if you like. You can use any garnish you like! Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Or you can store this soup in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Common Questions & Substitutions
Can I use vegetable broth instead of water? Yes! I use water for this soup because it doesn’t require the standard 4 cups found in a store-bought box (and water is more affordable). However, if you prefer to use veggie or chicken broth, just be sure to cut-back on the salt that this recipe calls for, since the broth may already be seasoned. Can I use another type of squash? Sure! I imagine acorn squash would also work in this recipe, or you could even use peeled and cubed sweet potato instead. If you try this Curried Butternut Squash Soup recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
