Curried Butternut Squash Soup

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This vegan Curried Butternut Squash Soup is full of flavor! It's made with Thai red curry paste, coconut milk, and a lime peanut topping.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Thai

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: Thai butternut squash soup, butternut squash Thai curry soup, butternut squash soup coconut milk,

Servings:

Calories: 294kcal

Author: Christine Rooney

Equipment

Ingredients

For The Soup:

6 cloves garlic
1 onion any color
1 jalapeno pepper or Thai chili, seeds and membranes removed for less heat
7-8 cups butternut squash diced, equals 1 large butternut squash
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
½ cup full fat coconut milk
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. Thai red curry paste
2 Tbsp. lime juice

For The Topping:

¾ cup dry roasted peanuts lightly salted if less sodium preferred
lime zest of 1 lime
2 Tbsp. Thai basil or fresh herb of choice

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Peel and Cut Butternut Squash:

Remove both the top and bottom from a large butternut squash with a sharp knife. This will give you a flat surface on both the top and bottom portion of the fruit, which makes it easier to peel and cut.
Cut the butternut squash in half crosswise (or widthwise). Place each half, flat side down, onto the cutting board.
Carefully run the knife down the outer surface of each butternut squash half, or peel it with a vegetable peeler. Discard the skins in the compost or trash bin.
Cut each half of the squash in half again. Scoop out the seeds and membranes from the bottom portion of the squash with a large spoon, just as you would a pumpkin. Discard the seeds and membranes.
Cut each half of the butternut squash into slices and then cut those slices into chunks (yields 7-8 cups of diced butternut squash).
It's important that the squash chunks are relatively the same size to ensure that they cook evenly.

For The Soup:

Mince 6 cloves of garlic, 1 onion (any color) and 1 jalapeno pepper (remove seeds and membranes for less heat). Feel free to use 1-2 Thai chili peppers if you prefer (removing seeds and membranes for less heat).
Place a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot on the stove top and heat to medium. Add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil to the pot.
Add the minced garlic, onions, and peppers to the Dutch oven. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring often.
Add 2 Tbsp. of Thai red curry paste to the Dutch oven. Sauté along with the aromatics for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
Add the diced butternut squash to the Dutch oven along with ½ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring often.
Pour 3 cups of vegetable broth (regular or low sodium) into the Dutch oven along with ½ cup of full fat coconut milk. Stir until completely combined.
Bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a low boil, cover, and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the butternut squash is tender and easily pierced with a knife or fork.
Once the butternut squash is fully cooked, remove the Dutch oven from the heat.
Place an immersion blender into the pot and puree the soup on the low setting. Make sure that the blender is immersed in the soup so that it doesn't splash all over the place. Be sure to do this carefully as the immersion blender can cause the hot soup to splatter.
It is also important not to scrape the bottom of your soup pot with the blade of the immersion blender as it can damage the pan.
Puree the soup until it is smooth and creamy, or has reached your desired consistency.
If using a potato masher, simply mash the butternut squash in the soup pot. The soup will be a bit chunkier if using this method.
Add 2 Tbsp. of lime juice to the soup and stir until completely combined.

For The Topping:

Roughly chop ¾ cup of dry roasted peanuts (lightly salted for less sodium if preferred) (or nuts of choice).
Mince 2 Tbsp. of fresh Thai basil (or herbs of choice).
Add the minced herbs to the chopped peanuts.
Using a Microplane or small zester, add the zest of 1 lime to the peanuts.
Stir the mixture until completely combined.
To Serve: Serve the soup with desired amount of crunchy peanut topping. Feel free to add more fresh minced herbs for extra flavor and color (optional).

Notes

Fresh basil, cilantro, mint, or chives may be used in place of Thai basil if preferred.

Feel free to use any variety of toasted nuts or seeds in place of the dry roasted peanuts. Use lightly salted peanuts to reduce sodium.

Feel free to use homemade red Thai curry paste or choose your favorite brand. Make sure brand is vegan and gluten free is this is a concern for you.

Nutrition