Butternut squash soup kicked up with Thai curry flavor and served with sweet and spicy candied peanuts. Want a soup that’ll warm you up? This is it.
I was vegetarian for most of my twenties and though I eat (ethically-raised, organic) meat now, I wouldn’t have that much trouble giving it up. On the other hand, I was vegan for about 45 minutes and almost lost my mind craving cheese.
I admit that I’m slightly weird with dairy. The thought of drinking a glass of milk makes me shudder with horror, but cheesy pastas and creamy soups are my comfort foods of choice. It would take a lot for me to say goodbye to them forever.
This soup is absolutely comfort food in the best way but, surprise! It also happens to be vegan. Yes, vegan. The trick (if it could even be called that) is to combine silky puréed butternut squash with creamy, rich coconut milk. The texture becomes as smooth as bisque, without a drop of dairy.
The addition of sweet caramelized onions, bright ginger and fiery Thai red curry paste* gives it incredible flavor.
Note: Thai red curry paste can be found in many larger grocery stores as well as in Asian markets. Of course, there’s always the internet if you can’t find it locally. A small warning; it can vary quite a bit in heat level from brand to brand so you might want to start with one or two tablespoons and add more as desired. Full disclosure: I got cocky and added way, way too much initially and almost killed us both. I’m pretty sure Matt ran off to check that I hadn’t suddenly increased his life insurance policy.
Also, some brands of curry paste contain shrimp and or fish sauce so check the label if you’re vegan or are cooking for vegans. I know that Thai Kitchen brand is vegan and gluten free but I’m sure there are others.
The great thing about this kind of soup is that it’s very forgiving (unless you pour a metric ton of spicy curry paste in it) so it’s a great recipe for beginners. Cut everything roughly the same size (so it cooks evenly) and let it simmer slowly in the broth until the squash is very soft, then purée it until it’s smooth. Once that’s done, you can get it to taste exactly the way you like it. Taste it for seasoning and add more salt if it needs it. If it’s too thick, add a bit more stock or even water. Want it spicier? Add some more curry paste or a pinch of cayenne pepper. A squirt of lime is always a good idea to brighten the flavor of anything long-cooked. A sprinkle of mint, basil and cilantro on top also adds to the freshness.
We topped ours with a swirl of extra coconut milk, lots of fresh mint and cilantro and a squeeze of lime. I like a crunchy texture with soup so we sprinkled on some Sweet and Spicy Candied Peanuts as well. It’s a fantastic combination with the soup but the nuts are made with egg whites so are not vegan. Any toasted nuts or seeds would be great on top though.
This would be a fantastic start to a Thanksgiving dinner (whether your guests are vegan or not) because the bright spices work to complement the traditional flavors of the meal. Plus, it just looks so pretty.
Thai Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut or vegetable oil
- 2 1/2 pounds 1kilo butternut or kabocha squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 inch piece fresh ginger grated
- 2 - 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste see note above about vegan brands of paste
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt more to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons agave or honey, not vegan
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 5 cups vegetable broth or chicken - not vegan, obviously (1liter)
- 1 cup coconut milk save the rest of the can for drizzling (250ml)
- Handful fresh mint or cilantro leaves chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add onions and cook until soft and translucent (about 5-7 minutes). Add squash, garlic, ginger, curry paste, and salt. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute, until garlic is fragrant. Add broth and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until squash is completely soft, about 20-25 minutes.
- While soup is simmering, make Spiced Candied Peanuts (if using)
- Blend soup well using a stick blender or, working in batches, transfer soup to a blender (do not fill blender more than halfway with hot liquid and use a kitchen towel to protect your hand from any escaping steam). Purée soup and add back to the pot. Add coconut milk and re-heat the soup until just hot, then stir in the lime juice and honey, and adjust the seasoning with salt. Ladle soup into individual bowls. Use a spoon to drizzle a bit coconut milk over each bowl. Top with Spiced Peanuts and a sprinkle of cilantro or mint.
This is a lovely soup. I couldn’t help but follow the image from Foodgawker, and I’m glad I did!
So glad you did. Your blog is lovely!
The photos alone are making my mouth water and I love the idea of using the candied peanuts for a crunchy garnish! I can’t wait to make this…
I love thai curry and this soup sounds amazing!!! P.S. I love your blog name!
Ha, thanks! Yours is a great name too!
I just made this – so good!!!
Fantastic, Flynn! We went a bit mad with the red paste (obtained from the Welcome Grocery next to Cafe L’Express) and nearly killed ourselves in the process but I’m sure you used a sensible amount, RIGHT? 🙂
This soup looks amazing! I love these flavors together and am looking forward to trying out your recipe 🙂
Hi ! Just wanted to let you know that we’ve added this recipe to our top 100 recipes for thanksgiving 2015! Check it out: http://ohmydish.com/100-best-thanksgiving-recipes-for-2015/ 🙂
WOW. Both the photography and the concept here are AMAZING. Definitely going to need to add this to the menu. From a photography standpoint, I’m curious about the plate in the background – pewter?
Thank you! The plate is actually a cheap tin plate I found at a yard sale. It’s quite pitted and rusted so it looks terrible in person but it photographs really well.
Ha! Ha! I got a couple of chuckles out of your post especially the bit about checking the insurance policy. But can we talk about this soup as it looks like it was sent down from the heavens above. It looks so creamy and dreamy and those spiced candied peanuts add just the right amount of fun crunch to this silky bowl of goodness.
I love your photos and this soup looks sooo delicious! Thanks for sharing, Matt & Emily (& Arya)!
Thanks so much! Love your blog too!
Just had some sweets, but seeing these photos I’m hungry again. Thanks for the great recipe. With a 15 minutes preparation time it’s great for those of us being time-strapped 🙂
i made this for a birthday surprise for my son for Thanksgiving (it was his 31st bday) and it was a HUGE hit!! Everyone loved it! Good thing I doubled the recipe so folks could take some home and my son still had some leftover. it complemented our Tday feast very well. Thank you!!
Fantastic! So glad everyone liked it. 🙂
You mention red pepper flakes in the recipe but not in the ingredient list. Quantity, please?
Hi Judy, thanks for pointing that out. I originally added red pepper flakes but the red curry paste turned out to be plenty hot on its own so I eliminated it. I must have forgotten to take it out of the directions and will do so now.
Once the soup is ready, taste it and if you decide you do want to add more heat, you could add the flakes at the end. I would start with a 1/4 teaspoon and taste. Different brands of curry paste can vary drastically when it comes to spice level see how you like yours.
Holy moly, made this last night and it was VERY well received by my family. They couldn’t stop raving about it! The 2 tablespoons of red curry paste gave it just enough heat so it was enjoyable and flavorful for everyone. Any more than that would just be a tad too much.
I roasted the butternut squash beforehand along with 2 carrots too. Oiled with coconut oil and left in the oven for an hour at 350 degrees. Makes the squash way easier to chop and peel after.
Can’t wait to make this again for the in-laws.
Thanks!!!
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This turned out amazing…..I used masaman curry paste and followed the recipe as written, I cannot wait to make it again. So easy and delicious. Thanks for sharing.
So glad you liked it,
Maggie! I love the idea of using Massaman curry. Going to try that next time 🙂
This is the best soup I have ever had! Honestly, bravo on such a great recipe! I cannot wait to have the left overs tomorrow! Definitely making it again.
This soup looks amazing! Have you tired making it in Instant pot?
Hi! When it says 6 to 7 servings about how many cups would that be? Thank you! Can’t wait to make this for my fall soup exchange group!!
Hi Eliza, it should make about 8-9 cups. A soup exchange sounds like so much fun!
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