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Curried Butternut Squash Soup Recipe (Vegan)

This curried butternut squash soup is supremely creamy with a touch of sweetness and spice. Roasted butternut squash and coconut milk give the soup richness, while ginger, curry powder and warming spices lend an incredible flavor. It's the perfect first course to an elegant dinner or a satisfying and easy main dish, and nobody will know it's a vegan butternut squash soup. If you roast the squash the day before, the soup comes together in just 30 minutes!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: coconut curry squash soup, curried butternut squash soup, curried squash soup
Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

  • 1 3 ½ to 4 pound butternut or buttercup squash
  • ¼ cup virgin coconut oil or neutral vegetable oil
  • 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
  • 1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 13.5- ounce can coconut milk
  • 3 cups water
  • Juice of half lime

For serving

  • Coconut cream or coconut milk, for swirling (optional)
  • Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
  • Toasted coconut flakes (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
     
  • Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Spoon out and discard the seeds. Drizzle the squash flesh lightly with olive oil, then place the halves, cut sides down, on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the flesh is tender when pierced with a small knife, 45 minutes-1 hour. Let cool, then scoop out the flesh (you should have roughly 4 cups). Do Ahead: The cooked squash can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
  • In a large saucepan, heat the coconut oil over medium-low heat. Add the leeks, ginger and serrano chile, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes, or until the leeks are tender but not browned. Add the curry powder, cinnamon and allspice, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the cooked squash and brown sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Pour in the coconut milk and water. Stir, breaking up any large chunks of squash with a wooden spoon. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, 20 minutes.
  • Working in batches, puree the soup using a blender or hand blender. Pour the pureed soup into a clean saucepan. If the soup is too thick, thin it with water. Squeeze in the lime juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until warmed through.
  • Ladle the soup into serving bowls. If you'd like, drizzle the soup with coconut cream and garnish with cilantro leaves and toasted coconut flakes.

Notes

Do Ahead: The soup tastes even better with time and can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Reheat and thin with water as needed before serving.
Tips:
  • You'll need a large butternut squash soup for this vegan squash soup recipe. Buttercup squash also works wonderfully (it's slightly sweeter and denser than butternut). 
  • You can roast the squash several days in advance, which turns this into a quick and easy weeknight meal.
  • For an ultra silky texture, use a high-speed blender (like a Vitamix) to puree the soup. For a slightly coarser texture, use a regular blender or a stick blender.
  • Don’t feel tied down by the measurements in this recipe. Feel free to adjust the flavors and seasonings according to what you like and/or have! 
  • Like all soups, this roasted squash soup tastes even better with time and can be made a few days in advance.
  • For slow cooker soup ideas, check out my book, Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker!