Kicking off soup season (yay!) with this super flavorful, comforting vegan coconut curry butternut squash soup. It’s creamy, luscious, warming and easy to make – perfect for a weeknight fall/winter dinner! If soup alone isn’t enough to fill you up, feel free to add a grain or protein on the side.
This post is sponsored by Le Creuset. All opinions are our own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support us!
When it comes to puréed vegan soup recipes, squash is my go-to ingredient. It makes for the creamiest soup and has plenty of body, so it’s actually filling! Paired with rich full-fat coconut milk, you’d honestly never even guess that this soup is vegan.
Paired with warming curry powder, turmeric, a pinch of red pepper flakes and a little bit of peanut butter (for richness), this coconut curry butternut squash soup is most definitely not lacking in flavor! Whether you enjoy it plain (without garnishes) or piled high with toppings, this vegan soup is a great way to switch up your weekly dinner menu.
I’m not sure about you, but I make soup at least once a week (usually two or three times) in cooler months. It’s always great to have a few go-to soups, but it’s also nice to branch out with different spices and vegetables. Skip the chicken noodle this week, and give this delicious coconut curry squash soup a try instead!
Speaking of squash…
What kind of squash should I use in soup?
When it comes to squash-based soups, you’ll want to opt for a squash that gives you a high yield of flesh. Butternut squash, acorn squash, kabocha and other pumpkins are all fair game, though we most often opt for butternut in this recipe.
Avoid varieties like delicata or smaller heirloom squashes, which may not have much flesh and thus won’t adapt well to this recipe. Spaghetti squash will not work either – you’ll need something with a soft (not stringy) flesh.
We denote butternut squash in this recipe, because it’s typically very easy to find and it’s easy to work with. Butternut squash has a sweet, slightly nutty flavor and it’s not at all stringy, so it’s perfect for puréeing into soup.
My next choice would be Kabocha squash, a Japanese variety of winter squash. It’s not always easy to find, but if you do find it, I highly suggest giving it a try. It’s incredibly flavorful and has a velvety texture that’s fantastic in stews, curries and soups. I also enjoy it roasted with olive oil and plenty of salt – so delicious!
While you could also use acorn squash in this recipe, I find it’s a bit harder to work with. The exterior is difficult to peel, and there’s not quite as much yield as a butternut squash.
Whichever variety you use, be sure to stick to the measurements below so you don’t end up with too much (or too little) squash!
How to purée soup
Onto the next dilemma…what’s the best way to purée a hot soup?
While we often use our blender, it can be a bit of a pain to transfer hot soup to a blender, especially if your blender container is on the small side. It’s pretty much impossible to do without making a mess (at least if you’re as clumsy as I am!).
That being said, a blender will likely yield the creamiest, smoothest results, so it’s certainly not a bad option. Furthermore, it only takes about 60 seconds to purée once it’s been transferred to the blender.
Since I’m particularly prone to making a huge mess every time I cook, I prefer keeping the soup in the pot and using an immersion blender. I’ve had an immersion blender for years and just started using it frequently about a year ago.
It’s incredibly easy to use (and clean!), it doesn’t make a mess, and it doesn’t require transferring hot liquids. I use it for soups, spicy black beans, vegan shakshuka, homemade jams and various other purées. This is the immersion blender I have and use all the time. It’s truly a must-have kitchen appliance (in my opinion), and it costs less than $100, which is a pretty good deal compared to a new blender. (affiliate link)
How to make Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup
This vegan butternut squash soup is really quite easy to make, and it doesn’t involve much hands-on time.
Essentially, you’ll sauté the onions and garlic until fragrant, then add in the carrots, squash, spices and liquids and let everything simmer until the squash is tender. Once that’s done, all you have to do is purée! Easy to make, easy to clean, and super delicious.
Our favorite cookware: Le Creuset!
You guys. I can’t even explain to you how completely over-the-moon excited we are to be partnering with Le Creuset to share the recipe for this vegan butternut squash soup. If for some reason you’re not familiar with Le Creuset, they make the most insanely gorgeous cookware and bakeware!
While they offer everything from stainless steel to nonstick cookware, Le Creuset is best known for their gorgeous, high-quality enameled cast iron cookware. Their cast iron cook and bakeware comes in a rainbow of stunning hues. We’re always keeping on eye on their site for new color releases!
Apart from the obvious fact that Le Creuset cookware makes for a beautiful addition to any kitchen, the products are extremely high-quality and essentially last forever. My two most-used kitchen items are probably my blender and my Le Creuset skillet and/or my 5 1/2 qt. round dutch oven. They’re so versatile, and bonus points for the fact that they’re easy to clean!
We were so excited to test out their Round Deep Dutch Oven for this vegan coconut curry squash soup! As the name suggests, it’s deeper than their standard dutch oven, which is perfect for this soup. Especially when puréeing this with an immersion blender, it’s great to have a bit of extra height to reduce splatter mess!
How gorgeous is that color? It’s called “Oyster”, and it’s a stunning ombré gray that looks great in just about any kitchen.
We filmed the video for this vegan butternut squash soup (below the recipe) in my brother’s kitchen, which is much brighter and whiter than where we typically shoot in my mom’s kitchen. It’s mostly white and gray, so this pot looked great on his stovetop – he’s trying to steal it from us as payment for using his kitchen 😉
In case you’re not convinced just by the colors, enameled cast iron is (in my opinion) the best material for cookware. It heats evenly and slowly, making it ideal for almost every single method of cooking. A smooth enamel finish prevents sticking and makes clean-up super easy. Unlike other cast iron, it doesn’t require seasoning, so you can use it without any issues straight out of the box!
Good quality cookware is always a bit of an investment, but it’s very well worth your money. And hey, the holidays are coming up…why not put Le Creuset on your wishlist?
More of our favorite fall soup recipes
Now that soup season is in full swing, here are a few more of our favorite vegan weeknight soup recipes to try:
- White Bean and Kale Soup
- Cheesy Vegan Broccoli Soup
- Vegan Red Lentil Soup
- Fall Vegetable Minestrone
- Thai Red Curry Pumpkin Soup with Crispy Tofu
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Kicking off soup season (yay!) with this super flavorful, comforting vegan coconut curry squash soup. It’s creamy, luscious, warming and easy to make – perfect for a weeknight fall/winter dinner!
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash
- 3 cups diced carrots
- 2 1/4– 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp + 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/4–1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 13.5 oz can full-fat coconut milk
- 3 tbsp unsweetened peanut butter
- 1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar
- For garnish: extra coconut milk, chopped peanuts, cilantro, sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven, heat sesame oil over medium heat.
- Add onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add garlic and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add in squash, carrots, and spices and stir well to coat. Cook for 5-7 minutes stirring a few times. Add broth and coconut milk and bring to boil. Then, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer until squash is fork-tender (about 40 minutes).
- After veggies have softened, add peanut butter, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, and coconut sugar and stir well.
- Use either an immersion blender or regular blender to purée soup until smooth. If using a blender, make sure it’s heat-safe.
- Taste and adjust spices as desired.
- Garnish with extra coconut milk, cilantro, sesame seeds and/or chopped peanuts.
Keywords: coconut curry squash soup
Oh yum, this looks like the perfect fall recipe for them cold nights! I cant wait to try this.
★★★★★