Simple, creamy and flavorful. This curried butternut squash soup is one of my favorite ways to enjoy butternut squash in the fall and winter months. In addition to the squash, ingredients like sweet potatoes and turmeric make this soup a bowl of nutritious goodness.
Although winter isn’t exactly my favorite season, being able to sip on soups makes it much more tolerable. Soups are hands down one of my favorite foods, with this curried butternut squash soup topping the list. I love that they come together quickly in a pressure cooker with a few simple ingredients or that you can slow cook them for hours filling your home with the most delicious and comforting smells.
Why I love this butternut squash soup
Fiber benefits– The fiber from the squash and sweet potatoes not only provides staying power, but also feeds the gut microbiome.
Anti-inflammatory– The turmeric in this recipe contains the active compound, curcumin, that provides major anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Loaded with veg– Trying to up your vegetable intake? This soup is an easy way to sneak more veggies into your diet. If you’re feeling extra you can add even more vegetables such as carrot, cauliflower and red pepper.
Hydrating– Soups are a great way to add stay hydrated during the winter months. Since soups are mostly liquid they add to your daily liquid intake which is helpful during winter months when we tend to become dehydrated.
Great for batch cookingand meal prep– Soup is the perfect food to batch cook or use for meal prep. It can be prepped ahead of time for meal prep and easily warmed up for meals throughout the week. Double or triple the recipe to batch cook and freeze for easy freezer meals.
What you will need to make this recipe
Butternut squash- The star of this dish. Roasting the squash before adding to the soup adds a depth of flavor. Save time by adding pre-peeled and chopped butternut squash in the produce section.
Onion- I use sweet onion but any onion will work, however I would stay away from red onion as it may affect the color of the soup.
Spices- Curry powder and turmeric add warmth and flavor to this soup.
Sweet potatoes- The perfect compliment to butternut squash in this recipe. Add both nutrition and another level of flavor.
Broth- I use vegetable broth, but chicken or bone broth would work as well.
Maple syrup- Adds a hint of sweetness to this soup.
Fresh thyme- Can be omitted but I love the hint of this fresh herb in my soup.
Coconut Milk- I use full fat canned for ultimate creaminess but you could use the light version to lighten the recipe up.
How to make curried butternut squash soup
Begin by spreading the cubed butternut squash on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 degree over for 20-25 minutes until easily pierced with a fork.
Meanwhile heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onions until soft and translucent. Then stir in the spices, curry and turmeric.
Next add in the sweet potatoes, broth and maple syrup. Stir to combine the ingredients and add a few sprigs of thyme. Raise the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender.
Add the roasted butternut squash to the soup along with the coconut milk.
Remove the thyme stems from the soup pulling off any remaining leaves and adding back to the soup.
Blend the soup using either an immersion blender or add to a high speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Optional toppings
I think it is so much fun to add a variety of toppings to soups. Not only does it make them visually appealing but toppings can add so much texture. Here are some of my favorite toppings:
Roasted chickpeas
Smoked paprika
Cashews
Pepitas
Fresh thyme
A swirl of fresh cream
Green onion
Butternut squash soup variations
Two variations of this soup that I would personally love to try are a carrot and butternut squash soup and a butternut squash and red pepper soup. For the carrot version, simply replace the sweet potato with peeled and chopped carrots and cook according to the recipe. If you’re feeling adventurous you could also add apples.
For the red pepper version roast 2-4 red peppers and the onions along with the squash. After roasting add the veg to a high speed blender with the remaining ingredients.
How to store butternut squash soup
Store leftover soup in airtight glass containers for up to 5 days. If you choose to batch cook this recipe then freeze in glass containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months.
Meet Jaime
I’m a registered dietitian who’s obsessed with all things food! From growing to recipe development, my life is centred around food and how it can nourish us from the inside out.
1medium butternut squashpeeled and cubed, about 3 cups of squash cooked
4tspextra virgin olive oildivided
1tspsalt
1/4tspfreshly ground pepper
1sweet onioncoarsely chopped
1tspcurry powder
1tspturmeric
2medium sweet potatoespeeled and cubed
7cupsvegetable broth
2Tbspmaple syrup
1/2-1cupfull-fat coconut milkdepending how creamy you want it
Method
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Peel and cube butternut squash. Melt 2 teaspoons of the coconut oil and drizzle over the squash. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the squash is easily pierced with a fork.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining coconut oil in a stock pot set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until the onion is almost translucent, about 4 minutes.
Add the curry powder and turmeric, stir to coat and cook until fragrant about 1 minute.
Add the sweet potatoes, stock and maple syrup.
Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Carefully remove the sprigs of thyme. Add any remaining thyme leaves back into the soup and discard the stem.
Add the roasted butternut squash to the soup along with the coconut milk.
Puree the soup until smooth with an immersion blender or a blender/food processor. Adjust seasonings as necessary.
Notes
Note on oil, I like to use coconut oil in this recipe since it pairs so well with the ingredients. Avocado or extra virgin olive oil will work if you prefer.
Add more broth or start with less, about 6 cups, depending on how thick you want your soup.
