This Curried Butternut Squash Soup is made with classic autumn flavors such as fresh ginger, garlic, butternut squash, and hints of ground cinnamon. Just as creamy and delicious as my popular butternut squash soup recipe, this easy, flavorful, and simply spiced Curried Butternut Squash Soup Recipe is guaranteed to warm you from the inside out.
Curried Butternut Squash Soup
If you’ve visited this site before then you may recall my (not so) small obsession with all winter squash – spaghetti squash, acorn squash, delicata squash, pumpkin, and, of course, butternut squash! A true lover of all types, butternut squash is my absolute favorite.
Delicious in muffins, cakes, and pies, to salads, pasta, or TACOS, my absolute favorite way to enjoy butternut squash is in soup. Why? Because it is so creamy.
This easy and delicious curried butternut squash soup is perfect anytime I’m craving a rich flavorful bowl of hot soup (minus all the extra added cream!) to warm me up when it’s cold outside. Completely vegan and gluten-free, it’s a soup everyone can love!
Ingredients in Curried Butternut Squash Soup
I feel like I should mention that this is going to be a large pot of soup. Don’t worry, the leftovers are fantastic and it’s super easy to freeze. That said, you will need a large pot. This is the pot that I own – it’s 13.25 quarts and my all-time favorite soup pot.
To make this butternut squash soup recipe, you will need –
- Butternut squash – You will need two medium or one really large butternut squash to make this recipe. The exact weight or amount isn’t really important, however, I always buy extra rather than less since the leftovers are so good. Read my tutorial all about how to pick a good butternut squash here.
- Carrot, celery, onion – Also known as a mirepoix, these vegetables are first sauteed before being boiled and pureed. They contribute loads of sweet and savory notes to the soup.
- Garlic and ginger – So much delicious flavor from two super simple ingredients. Fresh is best. Fortunately, everything is going to be blended together, so there is no need to finely dice (however, you will want to peel and remove the skin).
- Apple juice or apples – Delicately sweetens the soup. Apple juice is optional. If you do choose to use juice, please use one that is fresh and not from concentrate.
- Curry powder, ground cumin, ground cinnamon – Your magical spice trio. Realistically, it’s mostly curry seasoning that you’ll be adding as it’s already a mixture of all the popular spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, etc), however, I like to add a touch of extra cumin and a sprinkle of cinnamon. If you like things a little spicy, feel free to add a pinch or two of cayenne powder.
- Vegetable broth or water – I’ve used water, vegetable broth, bone broth, and chicken broth. All make a wonderful soup.
- Canned coconut milk or another creamer – Creamer of any kind is completely optional. You can add it to the whole pot, to individual serving bowls, or add none at all. I like to add a can of full-fat coconut milk to this particular curried butternut squash soup recipe, but add whatever works best for you and your family.
Optional Toppings:
A few of my favorite toppings include –
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- Cheese – shredded mozzarella is my favorite, as it’s pretty mild and melts really well.
- Nuts and seeds – pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds add a fun and surprising crunch.
- Croutons – either homemade or store-bought.
- Coconut cream or regular cream – but just a tablespoon or two!
- Freshly cracked black pepper (is a must) and a small pinch of ground cinnamon.
How to make Curried Butternut Squash Soup
There are two parts to making this creamy curried butternut squash soup recipe. The first is preparing and roasting your butternut squash. Once the squash is in the oven, prepare your remaining ingredients and start cooking.
Here are the step-by-step instructions to making this easy butternut squash soup,
First, roast your butternut squash.
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Preheat oven and prepare squash. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper). Use a large, sturdy knife to trim ends from the butternut squash. Next, use a vegetable peeler or a paring knife to slice the skin from the butternut squash by holding one end of the squash with one hand and slicing with the other. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits from each half. Cut your butternut squash into small half-inch to one-inch cubes and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
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Season. Toss the butternut squash cubes with two tablespoons of olive oil, a generous tablespoon of curry powder, ground cumin, and salt.
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Bake. Transfer the seasoned butternut squash to a lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for approximately 25 minutes, or until cooked to desired doneness. Once finished, remove from the oven and set aside.
Once the squash is in the oven, start your soup.
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Cook the root vegetables. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes or until the onions soften and turn translucent. Add the carrots and celery and mix well to combine with the onion. Cover and continue to cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring often.
- This step is pretty important. Rather than speed cook or brown and caramelize the vegetables, we’re actually cooking them slow and low. This will sweeten them and give your soup an all-around better flavor.
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Add the aromatics and spices. After approximately 10 minutes or so, stir in the minced garlic and ginger and sautè for approximately 1 minute. Stir in the curry powder, salt, and pepper, mixing well, before adding the pre-roasted butternut squash to the pot.
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Add the apple juice and broth. Add the apple juice and vegetable broth (or water) to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Allow vegetables to simmer for approximately 30 minutes, or until everything is softened.
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Blend soup – Once all the vegetables have softened, remove from heat and grab your best blender, food processor, or immersion blender. Working in batches, fill your blender approximately half full with the butternut squash and broth mixture and blend until completely pureed. Pour your pureed soup into a new pot. Repeat until all the vegetables have been pureed.
- I find that my Vitamix gives me the creamiest soup, but use whatever works best for you.
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Season to taste – Place your blended soup over low heat. Stir in the coconut milk and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir often to prevent the soup from burning.
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Serve – Serve with all your favorite toppings including homemade croutons, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, fresh herbs, shredded cheese, bacon bits, ground cinnamon, and coconut cream, if desired.
Do you have to roast the butternut squash?
No.
However…if you have the time, it’s highly recommended. Coating your butternut squash in spices and roasting before adding it to your soup adds a more complex and delicious layer of flavor that can’t be achieved from simply boiling the squash in the broth.
Tips and Tricks
- The broth (or water) should reach just below the top of the chopped vegetables after it’s been added to the pot. In other words, enough broth should be added that all the vegetables can cook in the broth, but not so much that they’re swimming in it.
- If you prefer not to add apple juice – add two cored and roughly chopped apples at the same time as the spices and replace the juice with additional broth or water (if needed). You may also omit the apples or apple juice altogether.
- For soups like this, don’t worry about overboiling your vegetables (so no need to set a timer for 30 minutes exactly). As long as all your vegetables are nice and mushy, you’re good to start blending.
- You may want to let your vegetables and broth cool slightly before blending. If you’re in a hurry, make sure to only fill your blender halfway and pulse before blending. If your mixture is too thick or you’re having trouble blending, don’t hesitate to add more vegetable broth until you reach your desired consistency.
- The soup will thicken after cooling. Add additional vegetable broth or water as needed to reach the desired thickness when reheating.
- Feel free to add milk or cream in place of the coconut milk. Keep in mind, however, that your curried butternut squash soup will no longer be vegan or dairy-free.
- Save time by purchasing pre-chopped butternut squash from the market. You will need approximately 8 cups.
- Or, cook the soup in segments by roasting your butternut squash the day before and adding to the soup when needed.
How to store leftover Curried Butternut Squash Soup
The beauty of this curried butternut squash soup is that it really does get better and better with age. The flavors mature and intensify and unlike other types of soup, there’s no need to worry about things turning mushy or meat going bad.
One thing to note, however, is that this recipe makes a very large pot of soup, so unless you’re feeding a large group, be prepared for some delicious leftovers.
To store this leftover curried butternut squash soup,
- In the refrigerator – Stored in the refrigerator and reheated properly, you may enjoy leftovers for up to 7 days. You may need to add a cup or two of water when reheating.
- In the freezer – Allow soup to cool before transferring to freezer-safe ziplock bags or storage containers. Remove as much air as possible. Lay flat on a baking sheet and transfer to the freezer (stacking multiple bags, one on top of the other, if necessary). Allow soup to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or transfer to a bowl filled with warm water for faster thawing. Best enjoyed within 4 months.
MORE BUTTERNUT SQUASH RECIPES,
- Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili
- Easy Chicken and Butternut Squash Recipe with Mushrooms
- Pork Chops with Apples and Butternut Squash
- Vegetarian Butternut Squash Black Bean Soup
- Miso Coconut Butternut Squash Soup
- How to Roast Butternut Squash
- Spiced Butternut Squash Chia Pudding
If you make this curried butternut squash soup recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
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Curried Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
This Curried Butternut Squash Soup is made with classic autumn flavors such as fresh ginger, garlic, butternut squash, and hints of ground cinnamon. Just as creamy and delicious as my popular butternut squash soup recipe.
Ingredients
For the Roasted Butternut Squash
- 2 medium butternut squash
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions - chopped
- 5 stalks celery - chopped
- 5 large carrots - chopped
- 6 cloves garlic - peeled and crushed
- 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger - minced or roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup apple juice
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth - plus more as needed
- 1 (13.5 ounce) can full fat coconut milk - optional
Optional Toppings
- pumpkin or sunflower seeds
- homemade croutons
- fresh herbs or ground cinnamon
- cheese
- coconut cream
Instructions
For the Roasted Butternut Squash
- Preheat oven and prepare squash. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper). Using a large, sturdy knife to cut ends from the butternut squash. Next, use a vegetable peeler or a paring knife to slice the skin from the butternut squash by holding one end of the squash with one hand and slicing with the other. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits from each half. Cut your butternut squash into small half-inch to one-inch cubes and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Season. Toss the butternut squash cubes with two tablespoons of olive oil, curry powder, ground cumin, and salt.
- Bake. Transfer the seasoned butternut squash to a lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for approximately 25 minutes, or until cooked to desired doneness. Set aside until ready to use (this step may also be done ahead of time).
For the Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- Cook the root vegetables - Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes or until the onions soften and turn translucent. Add the carrots and celery and mix well to combine with the onion. Cover and continue to cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the aromatics and spices. After approximately 10 minutes or so, stir in the minced garlic and ginger and sautè for approximately 1 minute. Stir in the curry powder, salt, and pepper, mixing well, before adding the pre-roasted butternut squash to the pot.
- Add the apple juice and broth. Add the apple juice and vegetable broth (or water) to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Allow vegetables to simmer for approximately 30 minutes, or until everything is softened.
- Blend soup - Once all the vegetables have softened, remove from heat and grab your best blender, food processor, or immersion blender. Working in batches, fill your blender approximately half full with the butternut squash and broth mixture and blend until completely pureed. Pour your pureed soup into a new pot. Repeat until all the vegetables have been pureed.
- Season to taste - Place your blended soup over low heat. Stir in the coconut milk and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir often to prevent the soup from burning.
- Serve - Serve with all your favorite toppings including homemade croutons, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, fresh herbs, shredded cheese, bacon bits, ground cinnamon, and coconut cream, if desired.
Jessica's Notes
- The broth (or water) should reach just below the top of the chopped vegetables - or enough for all the vegetables to cook in the broth.
- If you prefer not to add apple juice - add two cored and roughly chopped apples at the same time as the spices and replace the juice with additional broth or water (if needed).
- For soups like this, don't worry about overboiling your vegetables (so no need to set a timer for 30 minutes exactly). As long as all your vegetables are nice and mushy, you're good to go.
- You may want to let your vegetables and broth cool slightly before blending. If you're in a hurry, make sure to only fill your blender half way and pulse before blending. If your mixture is too thick or you're having trouble blending, don't hesitate to add more vegetable broth until you reach your desired consistency.
- Soup will thicken after cooling. Add additional vegetable broth or water as needed to reach desired thickness when reheating.
- Nutrition information does not include suggested toppings.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 620mg | Potassium: 856mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 21352IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 2mg
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
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In the process of making this soup. Do I just add the 2” piece of ginger, then blend it into the soup with other? Or, do I fish it out? Or, ?
This recipe sounds divine….can’t wait to try it.
The 2″ piece of ginger is minced before adding to the pot in step two. Then it all gets blended in step 4 🙂