This vegan butternut squash soup is delicious and different. It has an unexpected Indonesian inspired flavor profile that is incredibly balanced. This pureed squash soup is sweet, spicy, zesty and fresh with a silky smooth texture and creaminess that will make you shocked that it is dairy free. With coconut milk, fresh lime juice, cilantro and mint involved you can't go wrong.
Why you will love this Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
There is so much to love about this Vegan Butternut Squash soup! First, it tastes amazing. If you like Indonesian and Asian flavors you will love this vegan soup. Everyone's favorite Fall squash is blended with unsweetened coconut milk, roasted garlic and jalapeños, fresh mint and cilantro, tomato paste and lime. The resulting flavor is balanced and the texture is silky smooth. Second, this soup is wicked easy to make. The butternut squash, garlic and jalapeños are roasted on a sheet pan until fork tender. Then everything get's blended together. It's super quick and easy!
Ingredients for Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
This soup is a seasonal recipe because Butternut squash is mostly available in Fall and Winter. Let's run down the ingredients list and talk about any possible substitutes.
- Butternut Squash- Since butternut squash is the meat of this recipe, it would chance it quite a bit to sub a different ingredient. That being said, kabocha squash would be a good substitute which would produce a similar taste and texture.
- Garlic-Roasted garlic gives this soup a delicious sweet garlicky undertone.
- Jalapeño-Roasted jalapeño gives a warmth to this soup that creeps up on you. It's not fiery hot but it brings the heat. If spicy is not your thing, sub a roasted red pepper or skip the peppers entirely.
- Extra virgin olive oil- I use extra virgin olive oil to roast the butternut, garlic and jalapeño. If you are oil-free, dry roast them instead.
- Tomato paste- Tomato paste gives a little acidic tang to the soup that balances out the other flavors.
- Cilantro- Cilantro has a fresh zing that really brings out the flavor here. But if you are one of the unlucky folks who hate cilantro, skip it or add extra mint.
- Mint- Fresh mint really makes the flavors pop in this vegan soup. You can skip it, but I wouldn't. It is really special.
- Unsweetened coconut milk- I use coconut milk because it is extra creamy and allergy friendly. But if you prefer, any unsweetened plant-milk will do. I would choose cashew milk or almond milk over oat or soy.
- Lime- A squeezed fresh lime makes all the flavors pop with it's citrusy juice.
- Sugar or maple syrup-Just a touch of sugar balances the tang of the lime and the tomato paste.
- Smoked paprika- Seasoning the butternut with smoked paprika for roasting gives it a delicious smoky undertone.
- Red pepper flakes-Crushed red pepper flakes are optional but recommended for another layer of heat. If you don't like spicy, simply omit them.
How to make vegan butternut squash soup
Like I said earlier, this is a really easy soup to make. Even a beginner cook can execute this one and impress all their friends.
- Oven Roast the veggies- Step one is roasting the spiced butternut squash, the garlic and the jalapeños in the oven on a sheet pan.
- Peel the roasted veggies- Once the butternut is fork tender, remove the "meat" of the squash from its skin. Squash the garlic out of it's skin as well,
- Assemble the soup- Add the peeled garlic and butternut to a pot with the jalapeño, tomato paste, water, coconut milk, cilantro, mint, sugar and salt.
- Blend the soup- With an immersion blender, or carefully in a blender blend the soup until it's smooth and creamy.
- Finish- Finish the soup by stirring in the squeezed lime juice, tasting for salt and adjusting and adding a sprinkle of crushed red pepper and some chopped mint and cilantro.
More Vegan Soups you will love
Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
Equipment
- 1 immersion blender
Ingredients
- 2 butternut squash cut in half lengthwise
- 1 head garlic cut in half horizontally
- 1 jalapeno seeded
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ bunch cilantro
- 16 leaves mint
- 15 oz unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 cups water
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar or maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400
- On a sheet pan place halved squash. Drizzle with oil, season with a pinch of salt and smoked paprika. Nestle halved garlic cloves and halved jalapenos into the hollows of the squash. Bake for 45 minutes until squash is fork tender.
- Let cool enough to handle and then scoop or cut squash out of the skin and squash garlic from it’s skin and place both in a large pot with all the other ingredients.
- Blend with an immersion blender or alternately place all ingredients in a high speed blender. Always be careful when putting hot ingredients in a blender because sometimes the cover can blow off because of the steam buildup. Always keep a hand on the cover when blending to avoid this happening.
- Once soup ingredients are pureed, put on heat and mke hot. Add lime juice, then taste for salt and add more if desired. Garnish with chopped herbs and crushed red pepper.
- Enjoy for 4-5 days for best quality