This mild and creamy vegan curried coconut butternut squash soup is free from gluten, soy, and nuts, is thick, hearty, and warming. It’s ready in around 50 minutes, is perfect for lunch or supper, and will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.
I know I’ve said it many times before but for me, autumn and winter foods are the best. I love nothing better than feeling all warm and cosy indoors, tucking into a big bowl of hearty chilli, jota, tagine, or soup while the weather rages outside.
In fact, last week we had snow here in Transylvania. Admittedly, it wasn’t enough to settle but given that we’re moving back to Britain in December, it’s likely to be the only snow we see this winter. So it totally counts, right?!
When I originally came up with the recipe for this soup, I roasted the squash - then one time, having made it a gazillion times, I completely forgot, and guess what? It made no difference at all! Being all for getting food on the table as quickly as possible (without sacrificing flavour or quality, of course), I’ve since done away with the roasting altogether.
Although, TBH, if you happen to have some leftover roast squash (or pumpkin), there's nothing to stop you using it!
Making this curried coconut butternut squash soup is so simple; just make as you would a curry, then add stock, simmer until the veggies are done, add coconut milk, blend, and serve. Easy peasy, and completely delicious!
And it’s pretty customisable too; don’t have butternut? Use another sweetish squash or pumpkin. Want it to have more of a kick? Add more chilli.
Own that soup! 😉
Curried Coconut Butternut Squash Soup
Is...
- smooth
- creamy
- mildly spicy
- warming
- filling
- comforting
- nut-free
- full of goodness
- easy to make
- really, really delicious
Naturally, this soup is great with a hunk of fresh bread but if you want it to be even more filling, serve it with a bowl of rice or couscous. Or even soft and creamy polenta. Trust me on this!
Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Curried Coconut Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil (note 1)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed
- 1 large onion sliced
- 6 large cloves garlic smashed
- 5 cm ginger root smashed
- 2 fresh large red chillies de-seeded, chopped and smashed (note 2)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 kg butternut squash de-seeded and cut into bite-sized chunks (note 3)
- 1.5 litres vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 400 ml canned low-fat coconut milk (note 5)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (note 6)
- 2 tablespoon fresh coriander chopped (aka cilantro)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat, and then splutter the cumin seeds for 30 seconds to release their oils.
- Add the onion, and sauté for 5 mins, until it starts to become translucent.
- Stir in the garlic, ginger, and chillies, and continue to fry for another 5 mins or so, stirring occasionally, until the raw aroma has gone.
- Lower the heat a little, and add the turmeric, ground cumin, and ground coriander. Mix well, fry for another 2 minutes.
- Add the squash to the pan, stir well, cover with a lid, and allow to sweat for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the stock and the miso paste, raise the heat, and bring to the boil. Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, replace the lid, and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the squash is soft.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and blend the soup until it's smooth. (note 7)
- With the blender running, carefully pour the coconut milk into the soup, and continue to blend for a couple of minutes, until velvety smooth.
- Serve into bowls, and finish with a squirt of lime juice and some chopped coriander leaf.
- To store; once cool, keep in an airtight container in the 'fridge for up to two weeks.
Notes
- It's entirely up to you whether you use virgin or refined coconut oil - it will make no difference to the taste of the soup.
- Use as many or as few chillies as you like. I prefer to use large, mild ones but if hot Thai chillies (for example) are your thing, then go for it! I prefer to leave the pith intact, as much of the flavour (and most of the heat) is there but if you want to remove it, that's fine.
- Unless the squash is very old, there's no need to peel it. Don't discard the seeds though - they can be roasted and used as snacks, or ground up, and used as a thickener for sauces, soups, and casseroles.
- I use my own stock, made from peelings etc. but if you use cubes or bouillon, then do use the low-sodium variety. Nutritional values assume you're using low-sodium vegetable bouillon.
- AKA light coconut milk. Keep a few tablespoons back to swirl on top of the soup if you want it to look fancy-schmancy when serving!
- Feel free to use fresh lime juice but bottled is absolutely fine.
- I find an immersion blender is the easiest way to do this, plus it means less washing up afterward!
- 1 cup = US cup = 240 ml
- 1 tablespoon = US/UK = 15 ml
- 1 fl oz = US = 30 ml
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I love anything curried! There is just never a lack of fantastic flavor!
Nico
You and me both, Rebecca - curry all the way! xx
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins
Oooh Nico this soup looks and sounds amazing! I love coconot and I bet it makes the soup really creamy. Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Nico
It's totally creamy, Kirsty - and soooo deelish! :-p xx
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie
Oh wow - this sounds absolutely gorgeous! I love all those flavours and all together they would be even more magnificent...like a big hug in a bowl! Perfect for chilly weather 🙂 Thanks for linking it up to #CookBlogShare. Eb x
Nico
Yes... that's so what it is, Eb - a big, squishy hug! xx
Mari
Pumpkin is my favourite autumn star! Cooked, baked, curried, souped (well, souped is not a word, haha, but you know what I mean 😉 ), swirled into some sweet dessert... pumpkin has it all! I love how you made it more sweet and rich with coconut milk and lime juice is something I have to remember to do next time! 😀 Thank you for this one, Nico, it goes into my pot asap! 🙂
Nico
I'm sure you'll love it as much as we do, Mari - it's a total winner! xx
Amber | Quite Good Food
Yum this sounds fantastic! I love the spice combination, so warming and satisfying 🙂
Nico
Thanks so much, Amber! xx
Corina Blum
It looks so pretty! It really makes me want to eat it. In fact, I actually have some leftover coconut and pumpkin soup in the fridge so I will at least be able to eat something similar later! Thanks for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice!
Nico
Ha ha ha - just chuck in some spices, and you're good to go! xx
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food
Oh, my goodness! This soup is absolutely gorgeous! Pureéd squash soups are now an autumn favorite in my house—they're so easy and healthy. I agree: this soup practically DEMANDS a crusty hunk of bread, although we like naan as well. SNOW already?! Ah, I forgot: it's November. We usually have our first snowfall in Wisconsin USA by now, but it's just plain COLD here. This soup will be a welcome warm-up!
Nico
Y'know, I've never thought of having it with naan... WTH is wrong with me! LOLOL! And yeah, snow at the end of October... bit of a shocker, that! xx