Curried Butternut Squash Soup is rich, creamy, and brimming with cozy fall flavors, like cinnamon and curry. This comforting fall soup is filling enough to be served as a vegetarian or vegan main dish yet elegant enough to round out your holiday menu. Best of all, it'll be on the table in just over 30 minutes!
Once you've tried this coconut curry butternut squash soup, you'll find yourself sneaking winter squash into your grocery cart every week this autumn. It might be a simple recipe, but believe me, it does not taste simple. Serve it with a soft ciabatta roll or a cranberry brie grilled cheese on the side to make it into a complete meal.
Why You'll Love This Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- Classic comfort food. Butternut squash is already comforting, but the maple syrup, curry powder, cinnamon, and coconut milk make this coconut curry butternut squash soup cozy in all the right ways. It's the best way to warm up on cold winter nights and makes great leftovers!
- Naturally vegetarian. One of my favorite things about this curried butternut squash soup recipe is that it is naturally vegetarian, vegan, and dairy-free, yet no one can tell, and it always gets rave reviews! It's a great choice when you need to satisfy several dietary needs at once.
- Crowd-pleasing flavors. This is one of my all-time favorite soups for a reason. The combination of savory and sweet flavors makes it irresistible, and you can make it look five-star by adding a few simple garnishes.
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious Curried Butternut Squash Soup, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- coconut oil - to sauté the aromatics. Olive oil or avocado oil is a good swap.
- aromatics - sauté chopped onions and minced garlic for a savory note to balance the sweetness of the squash.
- butternut squash - peeled and cubed into small pieces. You can also buy cubed butternut at the store to skip this step and save the bulk of the prep time.
- seasonings - you'll need a mixture of yellow curry powder, cinnamon, salt, and ground black pepper.
- vegetable broth - feel free to use chicken broth instead if you are not vegetarian.
- coconut milk - to give the soup a creamy texture. Save some extra full-fat coconut milk for a garnish.
- maple syrup - for extra sweetness and flavor. You can also substitute for honey if you are not keeping the recipe vegan.
- pumpkin seeds and thyme - these are optional to add as a soup garnishes on top.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a large pot, a wooden spoon, and an immersion blender or high-speed blender.
How to Make the Best Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- Sauté aromatics. Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic. Sauté until soft and translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add butternut squash. Add butternut squash, curry powder, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 6-8 minutes until softened a bit, stirring frequently for even cooking.
- Add base. Add vegetable broth, coconut milk and maple syrup, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
- Blend. Remove from heat and puree the soup in the pot using an immersion blender, or transfer the soup to a heavy duty blender and puree in batches. If the soup is too watery, place the pot of pureed soup back on the stove and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until desired consistency is reached, stirring occasionally. If the soup is too thick, add in some water to thin it out.
- Serve. Top with a drizzle of coconut milk, and sprinkle some pumpkin seeds and chopped thyme on top. Serve warm.
Recipe Variations
- Play around with garnishes. For more flavor, garnish with lemon or lime juice, fresh cilantro, pomegranate seeds, sliced green onions, a dollop of sour cream, croutons, toasted coconut flakes, etc. There are so many options!
- Add some heat. Simmer slices of fresh ginger in the soup for a bright, cleansing flavor, and add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to taste. Stir in a dollop of Thai red curry paste for a spicier flavor to balance out the sweetness of the butternut squash.
- Use different squash. Instead of butternut, use other winter squashes, like pumpkin, Red Kuri, Blue Hubbard, etc. It makes a great pumpkin soup, too!
How to Serve
This Curried Butternut Squash Soup is delicious served on its own with a side of crusty bread, or paired with some of my favorite sides including:
- Fall Harvest Salad with Butternut Squash and Apple
- Vegetarian Lasagna with Spinach
- Garlic Breadsticks
- Roasted Broccoli Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Winter Kale Salad
- Butternut Squash Quesadillas with Chicken and Kale
For more recipe ideas, see our 25 Side Dishes for Soup.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Roast ahead of time. If you know you want to make this butternut squash curry soup this week, roast a bunch of butternut squash on a baking sheet the night before and refrigerate until you need it. The soup will be ready way faster!
- Season multiple times. For a really flavorful soup, add a pinch of salt any time you add an ingredient. This will ensure that every layer is properly seasoned.
- Make a big batch. If you have a large soup pot, consider making a double (or triple) batch for easy leftovers all week. The leftovers freeze wonderfully, too!
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Allow leftover soup to cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
How to Reheat
Warm the soup in a small pan over medium heat or microwave for several minutes. Top with fresh garnishes and enjoy!
How to Freeze
Fill freezer safe containers almost all the way with soup, leaving at least 1 inch for expansion. Refrigerate until chilled, then freeze solid for 3-6 months. Thaw frozen soup in the fridge then reheat like normal.
FAQ
The natural sweetness of butternut squash pairs wonderfully with yellow curry powder, which has a sweeter flavor often used with potatoes, carrots, and other starchy root vegetables. It gives this soup a warm, cozy flavor!
There are so many options! This soup can be served without any garnishes, or add a little coconut milk, fresh herbs, and pumpkin seeds for texture and flavor. It's ideal with some crusty bread to sop up every last drop! If you want to serve it for a light meal, pair it with a grilled cheese, turkey and cheese sandwich, or a nice winter salad. For a heartier meal, offer it as a side dish with roasted turkey, prime rib, or honey baked ham.
Try to eat all of your leftover soup within 3-4 days, or freeze the leftovers for several months.
More Butternut Squash Soup Recipes
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Butternut Squash Apple Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash and Cauliflower Soup
- Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
- 30-Minute Butternut Squash Soup
- Acorn Squash Soup
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Recipe
Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Curried Butternut Squash Soup is rich, creamy, and brimming with cozy fall flavors, like cinnamon and curry. This comforting fall soup is filling enough to be served as a vegetarian or vegan main dish yet elegant enough to round out your holiday menu. Best of all, it'll be on the table in just over 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups butternut squash, chopped into ½-inch to 1-inch pieces (about 1 small butternut squash)
- 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 (400 ml) can coconut milk (plus more for topping)
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup
- pumpkin seeds (for topping)
- fresh thyme, chopped (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic. Sauté until soft and translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add butternut squash, curry powder, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 6-8 minutes until softened a bit, stirring frequently for even cooking.
- Add vegetable broth, coconut milk and maple syrup, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and puree the soup in the pot using an immersion blender, or transfer the soup to a heavy duty blender and puree in batches. If the soup is too watery, place the pot of pureed soup back on the stove and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until desired consistency is reached, stirring occasionally. If the soup is too thick, add in some water to thin it out.
- Top with a drizzle of coconut milk, and sprinkle some pumpkin seeds and chopped thyme on top. Serve warm.
Notes
How to store: Allow leftover soup to cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
How to reheat: Warm the soup in a small pan over medium heat or microwave for several minutes. Top with fresh garnishes and enjoy!
How to freeze: Fill freezer safe containers almost all the way with soup, leaving at least 1 inch for expansion. Refrigerate until chilled, then freeze solid for 3-6 months. Thaw frozen soup in the fridge then reheat like normal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Lisa says
Very yummy recipe! I didn't add the maple syrup on it. My parents are diabetic. So I cut a lot of sweets or syrups in my meals. Over all, very good recipe!