Hi friends!
Butternut squash soup is my go-to soup to meal prep because it’s SO easy to prep while I cook everything else on the weekends and requires minimal effort. Not to mention it’s super budget friendly to whip up a huge batch since squash is in season in Fall and Winter, you can likely find it around $3-4 at your local grocery store.
For the flavouring, I used red curry paste but it doesn’t matter if you use green or red. Use what you have or whatever you prefer. I keep both red and green on hand and use them interchangeably but they do have different flavour profiles. I love keeping Thai curry paste on hand because it’s super flavourful, doesn’t really “go bad” as it’s just a blend of spices and the perfect addition to so many dishes. If you’re new to using Thai curry paste and in Canada, it’s pretty easy to find the Thai Kitchen brand or Aroy-D brand in the international aisle at your local grocery store or you can click here to check out Red Curry by Thai Kitchen or Green Curry by Aroy-D on Amazon. You could also look up recipes to make your own but given that the ingredients in the premade ones are relatively clean, I haven’t bothered to try to make my own yet out of pure laziness!
Butternut squash is a fall and winter staple for me and if it’s not for you, it should be! Not only is it super comforting, just 1 cup boasts almost 300% of your daily value of Vitamin A and 48% of Vitamin C. It also contains Fibre, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron and Vitamin B-6. This recipe is vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and contains no added sugar! It’s also Whole 30 friendly if you’re careful on which coconut milk brand you use.
To blend the soup, the easiest would be an immersion blender (like this one) so you don’t have to handle transferring hot soup into a blender. You just stick the bottom directly in the pot and it blends everything beautifully. I have this one by Cuisinart that comes with a mini chopper (which is great for grinding chicken or chopping onions) and other helpful attachments. If you don’t have one/don’t want one, you can wait for the soup mixture to cool a bit then transfer some of the mixture into a high power blender, cover the top with the lid and an additional cloth in case there are leaks and keep doing this in batches. Personally, I don’t prefer the latter method because soup is very very hot!
I can’t wait for you guys to try this recipe! Please tag me on socials @balancingandie so I can see your lovely creations. It makes my day when you guys reach out.
Notes
See post for explanation on immersion blender/blender and curry paste brands.
Any milk can be used in this recipe. I prefer coconut as it is creamy but you can use unsweetened almond or even cream (not vegan).
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 3 cups cooked butternut squash (canned or follow instructions)
- 1 - 400 ml can coconut milk (can use regular or light)
- 1.5 cups filtered water
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 tbsp - 1 tbsp green or red thai curry paste (depending on desired heat level)
- salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice butternut squash lengthwise, remove seeds. Place open side down on baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes or until a fork can be easily pierced into the skin. The more roasted the better as it will make the skin come off the squash easier. Once done, remove from the oven, flip up and allow to cool.
- Once the squash has cooled, using a spoon, scoop out the center, leaving the peel behind. Set aside.
- Heat a large pot on medium high heat, add oil, onion and garlic and saute until fragrant and lightly brown. Stir continuously to be careful to not burn.
- Add in remaining ingredients and heat through. Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth. If using blender, transfer liquid in batches until all is blended.
- Heat through one more time until lightly bubbling and enjoy right away!
