SoupsShawna GuttmanSoups, Curry, Butternut Squash, fall1 Comment

Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup

SoupsShawna GuttmanSoups, Curry, Butternut Squash, fall1 Comment
Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup

There is a chill in the air and the leaves are just beginning to change color. The markets are filling up with beautiful winter squash, figs, pears... all of my favorite autumnal produce! This is by far my favorite season to cook! When this season rolls around, the first thing I crave is this Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup. The squash lends a sweet nutty flavor which is enhanced by the curried undertones. The coconut milk makes the soup creamy and delicious without adding all of the calories that a heavy cream would add.

What I love most about this soup is that it has a character of its own. I make this soup every year and every year the soup takes on different nuances, but of course always tasty! Maybe it just depends on the crop. With that in mind, you can definitely play with the ingredients to make this soup more to your liking. When I buy the ingredients for this soup, I always like to have extra on hand so I can tweak the soup. For example you may want the soup to be creamier, so you can add less broth, more squash or more coconut milk.

Beautiful butternut squash!

Ingredients:

* Note: this recipe requires a blender or food processor

  • 4 lbs of butternut squash (2 large squash or 3 small squash)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 ½ cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 (14oz) can of lite coconut milk
  • 1 TBS curry powder
  • ½ TSP cumin
  • ¼ TSP Turmeric
  • ½ - 1 TSP cayenne pepper depending on your taste
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • Salt to taste

To garnish:

  • Cilantro
  • Plain Greek yogurt

Yield: 15 - 1 cup servings  

Directions:

Preparing the squash:

            *Note: Steps 1-6 may be completed a day in advance.

  1. Pre-heat the oven on 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Using a very sharp chef’s knife to slice the squash in half, horizontally. Then slice the each half vertically (see images below).
  3.  Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. You can discard the seeds or if you are feeling ambitious, save them to roast later. 
  4. Place the squash in a pyrex roasting pan and fill the pan with water until it covers the bottom half of the squash (see image below).
  5.  Place the roasting pan in the oven and bake until the squash is easily pierced with a fork, approximately 45min-1hour.
  6. When the squash is done, remove it from the water and set it out on a plate to cool until it can be easily handled. At this stage the squash may also be refrigerated for later use.
  7. When the squash is cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop the meat of the squash away from the skin. Set the scooped out squash aside in a separate bowl.

Preparing the soup:

  1. Heat 1 TBS of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat on the stove.
  2. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the pot and cook until the onion appears translucent. Using a spatula, move the onion and garlic around to make sure that the garlic doesn’t burn.
  3. When the onion appears translucent, add the butternut squash and spices. Using a large spoon, mix the ingredients until they are roughly combined.  
  4. Add the broth and coconut milk to the pot and stir. Cook over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  
  5. Remove the pot from the heat. Working in batches, pour the soup in to the blender and puree until the soup appears creamy and smooth. The soup may then be poured into another pot and placed over low heat to keep warm or into a serving bowl.
  6. The soup may be served with a dollop of Greek yogurt and cilantro as a garnish.

And there you have it... a bowl of delicious fall flavor!

Coconut Curry Butternut Squash

Nutrition Value:

- 1 Cup Serving

  • 110 calories
  • 3g protein
  • 3g fat
  • 16g carbohydrate
    • 3g fiber