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Thai Spiced Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk and Lime Recipe

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3.9 from 14 reviews

This Thai Spiced Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is a comforting, creamy, and flavorful dish featuring roasted squash infused with Thai curry paste, ginger, lemongrass, and coconut milk. It’s a perfect blend of sweet, spicy, and savory notes, finished with fresh herbs and crunchy spiced peanuts for a delightful texture contrast. Ideal for a cozy meal, this soup is adaptable with options to use pumpkin or sweet potatoes, and can be made vegan or with chicken broth according to preference.

Ingredients

For the Soup:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (for roasting the squash – omit if not roasting)
  • 1 medium butternut squash (approx. 2½ lbs), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons butter (or olive oil or coconut oil)
  • 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
  • 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 small red chili, seeds removed, finely chopped (optional for extra heat)
  • 2-3 tablespoons Thai curry paste (red or yellow; red used in this recipe)
  • 3-4 cups broth (vegetable or chicken broth preferred)
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce or tamari (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or sugar (optional)
  • 1 cup coconut milk, plus extra for drizzling when serving
  • 2 lime leaves or 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1 large stalk fresh lemongrass, smashed and sliced in half lengthwise (or dried lemongrass)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

For Serving (Optional):

  • Handful fresh mint or cilantro leaves, chopped
  • Sliced limes
  • Roasted chopped peanuts or spiced peanuts (see recipe below)
  • Chopped scallions
  • Chili flakes

Spicy Roasted Peanuts:

  • 1 cup raw shelled peanuts (reduce roasting time if dry roasted peanuts are used)
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil
  • 1 dry kefir lime leaf, crumbled or ground (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro or chadon beni

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Roast Butternut Squash: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Toss the peeled and cubed butternut squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large baking sheet. Roast for 15-20 minutes until tender and lightly golden, tossing once halfway through. Remove and set aside.
  2. Sauté Aromatics: In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons butter or preferred oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and grated ginger, sautéing for 4-6 minutes until soft and translucent.
  3. Add Curry Paste and Garlic: Stir in the Thai curry paste, chopped garlic, and the red chili if using. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Combine Roasted Squash: Add the roasted butternut squash cubes to the pot, stirring well to coat with the aromatics and curry paste.
  5. Simmer Soup: Pour in 3-4 cups of broth, add lime leaves, fish sauce or tamari (optional), maple syrup or sugar (optional), and lemongrass stalk. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes to meld the flavors.
  6. Remove Aromatics and Blend: Remove the pot from heat. Use a slotted spoon to discard the lime leaves and lemongrass. Carefully blend the soup in batches in a blender or use an immersion blender to puree until smooth and creamy.
  7. Finish Soup: Return the pureed soup to the pot, stir in 1 cup of coconut milk, and gently heat through. Adjust consistency with additional broth or water if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with extra coconut milk, and garnish with chopped fresh herbs, sliced limes, scallions, chili flakes, and crunchy spiced peanuts as desired.
  9. Prepare Spicy Roasted Peanuts: (Optional) Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix peanuts with coconut oil, ground kefir lime leaf (if using), chili powder, and salt in a bowl. Spread on baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes until golden and fragrant (or 7-10 minutes if using pre-roasted peanuts). Toss with lime juice and chopped cilantro, cool before serving.

Notes

  • Broth amount affects soup thickness: 3 cups for thicker consistency, 4 cups for thinner.
  • You can roast garlic along with the squash whole for extra flavor instead of chopping before sautéing.
  • This soup can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated; reheat with extra broth or water to adjust thickness.
  • Freezes well up to 3 months; defrost overnight and reheat on stovetop, thinning as needed.
  • For added spice, optional ground coriander, curry powder, cumin, or chili flakes can be included.
  • The recipe is adaptable for pumpkin or sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash.

Find it online: https://marthatasty.com/thai-spiced-roasted-butternut-squash-soup-with-coconut-milk-and-lime-recipe/