Thai-Spiced Butternut Squash Soup
Stay warm with this flavorful vegan butternut squash soup that’s flavored with Asian spices. It’s a creamy soup that you can serve as an appetizer or a light meal. Made with just 10 ingredients!
Ingredients
Soup
- 2 to 3 stalks lemongrass, (see note 1)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, (see note 2)
- 1 small onion (about 130g), diced
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1-inch piece of ginger, sliced
- 2 to 3 Thai chilis, sliced (see note 3)
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided
- 5 cups cubed butternut squash, about 1 1/2 pounds, (see note 4)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, optional
- 1/2 cup full-fat canned coconut milk, (see note 5)
Optional Add-Ins
- sliced limes
- coconut milk, for drizzling
- chopped scallions
- chili flakes
Instructions
- Prepare the lemongrass stalks by peeling off 1 or 2 layers of the dry outer leaves (if any). Slice the lemongrass stalks into 4-inch sections. If the tips at the top look dry, discard them. If the tips look fresh, tie them into a bundle with string (see photo below, left). Take a kitchen mallet and bash the bottom sections of the lemongrass to release more flavor. Set the lemongrass aside.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, add the Thai chili, lemongrass sections, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and cook for another minute.
- Add the cubed butternut squash, vegetable broth, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, coriander, and turmeric (if using). Use tongs to dig out the lemongrass sections and lay them at the top. Placing the lemongrass here will make them easier to remove when the soup is done cooking.
- Cover the pot and bring the broth to boil. Then, reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 10 to 13 minutes, covered. The soup is ready when the squash is fork tender.
- Uncover the pot and let the contents cool for 10 minutes.
- Use tongs to remove the lemongrass and discard. Add the coconut milk.
- Scoop the contents into a high-speed blender and blend in smaller batches until smooth. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender and blend the soup directly inside the pot. Taste the soup and add more salt, if necessary.
- Serve the soup in bowls. Add a squeeze of lime juice, coconut milk, sliced scallions, and chili flakes, if you like.
Notes
- Use 2 stalks of lemongrass if they are nice and thick (the bottom of the stalk is about 3/4 to 1 inch wide); use 3 stalks if they are thinner.
- Olive oil, canola, or safflower oil works for this too.
- The soup won’t be too spicy when you add the 2 Thai chilis. Rather, you’ll feel a tiny bit of heat in the back of your throat as you eat the soup. Feel free to leave it out completely or add a few more to suit your taste.
- At the supermarket, pick a squash that is somewhere between 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds.
- My original recipe used 1 cup of soy milk instead of coconut milk. If you don’t like the flavor of coconut milk, add the soy milk instead. The soup will be slightly more runny but not by much.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 52.6g | Protein: 5.5g | Fat: 13.5g | Saturated Fat: 6.4g | Sodium: 1151mg | Fiber: 6.4g | Sugar: 10.2g
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