Vegetarian Butternut Squash Soup

With a creamy texture and warm flavours of curry and ginger, this vegetarian butternut squash soup is the perfect comfort food. Vegetarian and gluten free, this is a soup everyone will enjoy.

It is definitely soup season here on the West Coast of Canada. The weather is getting colder, the air is damp, and the days are getting shorter. During autumn and winter we often like to have a good bowl of soup for dinner.

I have always preferred creamy soups over broth based soups, but often they come at a price of higher calories and fat. This vegetarian butternut squash soup, however, is creamy and luscious and contains nothing to feel guilty about.

This soup gets its creamy texture simply from pureeing the squash, which is first softened and made delicious by roasting it in the oven. It has warm spices of curry and ginger, and is made a little more indulgent with coconut milk.

This soup ticks all the boxes and because it is vegetarian (actually it’s vegan!) and gluten free, it is great for people with food sensitivities as well.

The best part about this soup is that it is so easy to make and you can have it on the table in around an hour.

HOW TO MAKE VEGETARIAN BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

The first thing to do is prepare the squash. You will want to peel it, seed it, then cut it into one inch cubes. You really don’t have to be precise here as it is all going to be pureed anyway. Squash can be difficult to cut because it is so dense, so you will want to use a heavy, sharp knife and a stable surface to cut it on.

After cubing the squash, toss it in a large bowl with a couple tablespoons of olive oil and some garlic cloves then spread it on a baking sheet and pop it in the oven for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees.

To make clean up easy, I always line my baking sheet with parchment paper. You certainly don’t have to do this, but some of the squash may stick.

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Once the squash is roasted, the rest is easy.

You can sauté your onion, ginger and spices while the squash is roasting. Then remove the squash from the oven and add it to the pot. You will want to use a fairly large pot, at least 5 quarts, to prevent overflow.

Add the vegetable broth, then very carefully blend the soup with an immersion blender. Make sure the blender is fully submerged to avoid spraying orange soup all over your kitchen – just trust me on this!

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If you don’t have an immersion blender you can work in small batches in a standard blender. Be sure not to fill it more than half full, start on low and gently work your way up in speed. It is also wise to hold the lid down with a folded towel or it may pop off from the steam, and butternut squash on the ceiling is never fun.

Now simply stir in the coconut milk, season with salt and pepper to taste, and continue heating until heated through.

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Your soup is ready to serve!

You can garnish it with a bit of coconut milk, pumpkin seeds, or a few croutons if you like. Enjoy!

WHAT TO SERVE WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

This soup makes a great meal all on its own, but if you are looking for something to serve it with, and are not gluten free, then I love to serve it with some fresh garlic knots.

If you are wanting something a little richer, and dairy isn’t a problem for you, then this everything spiced grilled cheese is a tasty side.

If you want to keep things vegetarian and gluten free, then these easy to make keto paleo low carb crackers are a great option. And if you want to keep the entire meal vegan and gluten free, then you need to try these roasted brussel sprouts with garlic, you can even toss some in the soup!

THINGS TO KNOW & HELPFUL HINTS

• What if I don’t like coconut? You can leave the coconut milk out and replace it with additional broth, or you could try almond or cashew milk.
• How spicy is this soup? That really depends on your curry. We love spice, but I recommend starting with 2 teaspoons of curry and adding more if you want it spicier. Some curry is spicier than others, so taste as you go.
• Does this soup freeze well? Yes it does, and it makes a wonderful lunch. Freeze in individual containers and reheat in the microwave or stove top.
• Why does it say salt “to taste”? How much salt you like is highly subjective, it also depends a lot on how much sodium is in the vegetable broth you use. Taste the soup before serving and adjust as needed.

OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Roasted Cauliflower Cheese Soup

Sausage and mushroom stuffed squash

Chicken and gnocchi sheet pan

Printable Recipe

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