When I first made this soup I basically happened upon it by mistake. I had tested it and shot it, but didn’t find the photos until I was scrolling through my old camera card months and months later. I remember thinking, “OH MY GOD I LOVE THIS SOUP. IT MUST GO ON THE BLOG ASAP!”
So of course, I had to post this healing butternut squash lentil soup on the blog! I’ve since updated this recipe with some fresh photos, a brand new video, and more tips and tricks for making it extra delicious. This recipe is a creamy, nutritious, curry-flavored soup with butternut squash, lentils, turmeric, coconut milk, ginger and garlic. To give it an extra umami flavor, I added in peanut butter and stirred in spinach for a little nutritional boost (kale would also work well).
It’s addicting and I love crushing up crackers to absorb more of the creamy butternut broth. Also, who doesn’t love crackers in their soup?!
This soup is SUPER easy to make and I even have a slow cooker option for you available in the note section. It’s great if you’re trying to incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet too. Best of all, this soup is lovely for helping you heal after you’ve been sick — you’ll find plenty of superfoods, anti-inflammatory ingredients and herbs in this recipe. Time to make it ASAP!
Cook the AK Recipe of the Month with us
This gorgeous soup is January’s AK Recipe of the Month recipe! Learn more and sign up here to get all of the Recipe of the Month deets, cook with the AK Community, and enter to win an amazing prize.
Everything you’ll need to make this curry butternut squash lentil soup
Get ready to fall in love with the amazing flavors and textures in this butternut squash lentil soup. It’s filled with plenty of veggies and good-for-you, healing ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Coconut oil: you’ll be cooking down your veggies to start in a little coconut oil.
- Produce: this nourishing soup is filled with carrots, butternut squash, onion and 3 whole cups of spinach for a boost of nutrients. Don’t forget the garlic and freshly grated ginger, too! Be sure to check out our best tips & tricks for cubing a butternut squash here, too.
- Spices: you’ll be mixing in yellow curry powder, turmeric, and plenty of salt and pepper.
- Lentils: I love using lentils in this soup because they make it thick and creamy while also providing plenty of plant based protein and fiber. Feel free to use green or brown lentils.
- For the broth: the creamy broth is made with light coconut milk and low sodium vegetarian broth.
- Secret ingredient: for extra richness and delicious umami flavor I like to add natural, creamy peanut butter. It’s the BEST. Use the code ‘AMBITIOUS15’ for 15% off my favorite brand, Wild Friends.
- Optional: I also love topping my bowl with fresh cilantro, chopped peanuts and a dash of hot sauce!
Simple ingredient swaps
The ingredients in this soup are relatively easy to customize with what you have on hand. Here’s what I can recommend:
- Swap the butternut squash. Cubed sweet potato or even pumpkin would be perfect in this soup.
- Choose your veggies. I love mixing in fresh spinach, but kale would be another perfect green to add!
- Add some spice. Looking for a kick of heat? Feel free to add a pinch of cayenne pepper when you add the spices. As I mentioned above, you can also top your bowl with some hot sauce!
- Boost the protein. Lentils give this soup a good amount of protein, but you could also add ground chicken or turkey (if you’re not vegan).
How to make this butternut squash lentil soup
This soup couldn’t be easier to make! Here’s how to make it on the stovetop:
- Cook your veggies. Start by cooking down the onion, garlic and ginger in coconut oil for a few minutes until the onion softens. Then add in the cubed butternut squash and carrots to cook for a few minutes more.
- Add the spices & broth. Next, stir in the curry powder and turmeric, let them coat the veggies a bit and then add in the coconut milk, broth, lentils and peanut butter. Season it all with salt and pepper.
- Simmer it up. You’ll then want to bring everything to a boil, then reduce it to low heat to let the soup simmer until the lentils are soft.
- Time to blend. To make the soup thick and creamy you’re then going to transfer half of it to a blender and puree it until it’s nice and smooth. Pour it back into the rest of the soup.
- Add the greens & serve. Finally, stir in the fresh spinach until it’s just wilted, taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Feel free to add more peanut butter or even a squeeze of lime juice for freshness. Add toppings and serve!
Make it in your slow cooker
Yes, you can make this butternut squash lentil soup right in your slow cooker for an easy, hands-off option!
- Add everything together. Seriously, just add all of the soup ingredients (except the spinach) right to your slow cooker. I recommend reducing the broth to 2 1/2 cups.
- Slow cook it! You can cook the soup on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
- Blend it. Once the soup is cooked and the squash is tender, blend half of it and add it back to the slow cooker.
- Add spinach & serve. Stir in the spinach at the ends, taste & adjust seasonings if you’d like, and then serve!
Storing & freezing tips
- To store: store this curry butternut squash lentil soup recipe in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Feel free to reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop!
- To freeze: let the soup completely cool and then transfer it to a freezer-safe container (or multiple containers for meal prep purposes). Freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, first let the soup thaw in the refrigerator, then heat the soup in the microwave or on the stovetop.
More healthy soup recipes you’ll love
- Butternut Squash Green Chile Chicken Soup
- Vegan Curried Pumpkin Lentil Soup
- Vegan White Bean & Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- The Best Chicken Soup You’ll Ever Eat
- Lightened Up Cheddar Cauliflower Broccoli Soup
Get all of our amazing soup recipes here!
I hope you love this healing curry butternut squash lentil soup! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Healing Curry Butternut Squash Lentil Soup
Healing curry butternut squash lentil soup that's vegan, protein-packed, and incredibly nourishing. You're going to love this creamy, flavorful soup that's packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients! Make it on the stovetop or in your slow cooker for ease.
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, thinly sliced or diced
- 1 medium (2 pound) butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 5-6 cups diced)
- 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated turmeric (or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric)
- 1 (15 ounce) can light coconut milk
- 3 cups organic low sodium vegetarian broth
- 1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed and sorted
- 2 tablespoons all natural creamy peanut butter or cashew butter
- ¾ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups organic spinach
Instructions
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Add coconut oil oil to a large pot or dutch oven and place over medium high heat. Next add in garlic, ginger and onion and saute for 3-5 minutes until onion begin to soften.
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Add in carrot and butternut squash cubes; saute for a few more minutes then add in the yellow curry powder and turmeric. Allow spices to cook together for 30 seconds then immediately stir in coconut milk, vegetarian broth, lentils and peanut butter. Season with salt and pepper.
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Bring soup to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and allow soup to simmer for 20 minutes until lentils soften.
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After 20 minutes, transfer approximately half of the soup (about 3 cups) to a blender. It’s very important to protect your hands from steam and a potential heat explosion, so please place a clean dish towel over the lid and puree the soup until smooth. I like to start slow, then gradually increase the speed of the blender.
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Pour the puree back into the pot with the rest of the soup and stir to combine. Finally stir the fresh spinach until just wilted.
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Taste and adjust the seasoning of the soup as necessary. If you like more of a umami flavor try adding another tablespoon of peanut butter, or even a squeeze of fresh lime juice. This is a soup that can do no wrong! I like to serve mine with cilantro and a handful of peanuts -- it’s also great with a little hot sauce if you prefer a little spice!
Recipe Notes
To make yours in the slow cooker: add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a slow cooker, except I recommend reducing the broth to 2 ½ cups. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Continue with blending part of the soup after it is cooked.
Feel free to use cubed sweet potato or pumpkin if that's what you have on hand.
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on March 15, 2018, and republished on October 11, 2021.
295 comments
Yummy!
to do it in the slow cooker do you need to fry the onion and garlic first, or is it really just throw it all in? Could it be that easy? 🙂
I like to fry the onion and garlic first to release the flavors a bit more, but you can definitely throw it all in if you want!
Hello Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe, which I’ve made many times on the stovetop. Just now I carefully followed the instructions for the slow-cooker version:”Add everything together. Seriously, just add all of the soup ingredients (except the spinach) right to your slow cooker”, Now I see the above comment and your reply from four years ago, where you say you fry the onion and garlic first. I’d suggest you go edit the recipe, because as written when you say “Seriously, just add all the soup ingredients (…) to your slow cooker” that’s not clear that you recommend frying first. What are your thoughts on the matter?
Thanks again for the great recipe, well described and with such great photos. All it needs is a small edit on the slow-cooker section, in my humble opinion.
Hi! Sorry for any confusion there! You actually can do either. Throwing everything into the slow cooker is easier, but if you have time to fry the onions and garlic first, it’ll help develop the flavor. I’ve done both, so the choice is yours! 🙂
I have red lentils from Trader Joe’s. Can I use those instead? Thank you!
Red lentils tend to break down a bit easier, so I’d recommend sticking with brown or green!
Talk about an easy meal!! I like the addition of the lentils!
YES so easy and so delicious!!
Could you use maybe chickpeas in place of lentils? Looks yummy! The thai flavours are so awesome!
It’s so flavorful! Chickpeas should work 🙂
Unfinished posts going live = basically sums up the story of my blog. RIP. XD
Anyways, I absolutely adore Thai food, butternut squash, and lentils. Can’t think of a better recipe that combines the three! You seriously nailed it with this one!
Ah it happens! This combo is seriously delish – hope you get a chance to try it!
This soup? Or the thai tuna patties from earlier this week? Or both this weekend?!
Omg BOTH! Tuna patties with a side of soup 😉
The soup looks amazing! Is it on the sweet side due to the butternut squash?
It’s a good mix of sweet and savory with the spices, but definitely has that butternut squash flavor!
This was super good! Definitely tasted the peanut butter and the curry and coconut milk go so well together! Another AK winner – thank you! I did cook it a bit longer as I thought the lentils were quite done after 20 min.
Not quite done
So glad you liked this one! That flavor combo is one of my favorites 🙂
made this weekend both my husband i loved!
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂
So good!! Creamy and slightly sweet with a mild curry spice. I love how nutrient dense this recipe is too!
Absolutely! Some of my favorite flavor combos in here. Perfect weekday dinner!
I made this tonight, and we loved it! I used sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash since I had them in the house already. The texture with part of the soup pureed is just perfect!! Thanks for another great soup recipe!
So happy to hear that! I love using sweet potatoes in soups like this too 🙂
This looks fantastic! I am a vegan college athlete, so I’m always looking for easy and healthy meals! Quick question, is there anything I can sub the coconut milk with? I’m not a huge fan of it for some reason 🙁 Thank you!
I have tons of great vegan options on the blog here! With plenty of protein 🙂 You could try cashew milk in this one!
This is so good! I loved it! I can’t say enough about it! I have an immersion blender and went a little crazy (so fun to use), but whatever! I added the lime juice what a yummy addition! Thank you for another great recipe!
So happy to hear that Denise! I love using immersion blenders too 🙂 Enjoy!
My toddler, 9 month old and husband could not get enough of this soup! They were scrapping the bottom of the pot trying to get thirds as they flew threw seconds! Absolutely divine, so delicious! Thanks for sharing and I must mention we all love your oat/almond flour chocolate chip muffins too, 9 muffins is never enough 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that! Kiddo and husband approved is always a win 🙂 Glad you guys love those muffins, too!
Hey Monique,
Made this yesterday for Dinner with butter rolls n the side. The soup was too good. Kids and Hubby loved it ! Will be a keeper for long time .
Hi! Delicious 🙂 So happy to hear that!
Can I make this without nut butter? I am not allergic, but I just don’t like nuts or nut butters in my savory dishes. Thx! x
Yep! If you want a more mild flavor you could use tahini or cashew butter, too.
I just got to this recipe via your Butternut Squash, Chickpea and Lentil Moroccan Stew recipe (don’t know how I missed it in the first place! 🙂) and it sounds perfect for a gray, rainy September day. I have one request, if possible? Your nutritional breakdown does not include sodium level. I can still work it out ingredient by ingredient but I’m trying to keep sodium levels low for family health reasons, and often a quick glance at a recipe level will let me know that there are too many omission/substitutions required for easy prep. Would that addition in each recipe’s nutrition list be something doable for you?
Love this one! I don’t typically calculate sodium content as the brands + types of ingredients that people use really vary in terms of sodium. Feel free to calculate with the brands that you use in these recipes!
Absolutely DELICIOUS! Perfectly balanced ans sooo comforting.
YES absolutely! Perfect for fall/winter 🙂
Just made this for dinner & it is perfection!! Everything I want a soup to be. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
So happy to hear that, Caitlin!
Made this yesterday for a luncheon and everyone ADORED it – gone, gone, gone. Thanks Monique
So happy to hear that, Ellen!
Hi Monica, do you have a favourite no sodium broth? I have been making my own but sometimes I need the convenience of an already made one. Heading to the store to pick up the ingredients, can’t wait to try this! Thank you
Hi Alex! I typically just use an organic, low sodium chicken broth from Whole Foods (I think the brand is Pacific Foods).
This sounds delish!! Do you use a cup of dry or canned lentils?
It is! Dry lentils 🙂
Delicious, nutritious & easy!! I used red lentils as that is what I had on-hand, and so it was more like a dal. Also added jasmine rice. I’m trying it tonight as written. Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes. Thank you!!
So glad you loved it! Hope you find some more favorites here too 🙂
I’ve been living off of your slow cooker recipes and this might be my favorite. Absolutely delicious hearty and so satisfying !!!!
Amazing! So happy to hear that.
I invited my parents for dinner, and we all loved it! Plus plenty of leftovers 🙂 Thanks!
Amazing! I’m so glad 🙂
I made this and absolutely ADORE this recipe. Super versatile for what’s in your cupboards and super warm, delicious and a good belly feel. I will make this again. It really comes together quickly too which is always nice.
Absolutely! So cozy. Glad you love it, Carolyn!
This is THE BEST soup!! I started to become skeptical adding in the peanut butter and curry but go for it,you will be amazed! Plus all of the benefits are great. I added in some turkey meatballs for extra protein too.
So glad you love it! The peanut butter is next level (and turkey meatballs sound delicious).
Is there a way to make this without a blender???
You could simply not blend it and enjoy as is.
Just made this in an instant pot (pressure cooker). Added all the ingredients at once and set the pot on high pressure for 3 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of cool down time. Absolutely fantastic result. I can not suggest changing anything. Suggest serving with crusty bread or jasmine rice.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Dennis!
I’m a big fan of your recipes and have made over a dozen or so of your muffin and entree recipes. Most recently I made your pumpkin bread with the glaze (as muffins) and they are so moist and delicious! I’m super interested in trying out this recipe, with butternut squash being in season! What brand of curry powder do you recommend? I haven’t had any luck finding a good brand of curry powder to be honest..
Thanks!
So glad you’re finding recipes here that you love! I usually get Simply Organic or McCormick curry powder and they work well 🙂
Absolutely fabulous recepy. I did a little trick and blended the entire soup so my 4 year old could not see the squash,we all loved it.
So glad you all loved it! And great idea to blend it all for him 🙂
My daughter referred me to this site because she made the GF chickpea blondies. And they were amazing. Went thru some of the recipes tonight and they look so good. Looking forward to trying a few recipe. Thank you!
So happy to hear that! I hope you found some new favorite recipes here 🙂 enjoy!
Is there anything else that I can add besides spinach? My husband is not a fan, but this recipe looks delicious! Thank you!
Any dark leafy green (like kale) would be delicious, too, or even peas!
I just made this recipe and it turned out amazing! The only thing I did differently was to double the lentils used. Thanks for posting a vegan-friendly meal.
So happy to hear that! One of my favorite soups for winter 🙂
This is absolutely delicious, as is every recipe of yours I’ve tried. I made some lazy curry the night before with only a can of coconut milk, 2T green curry paste and chickpeas. I added that to this recipe, along with 1/4c fresh squeezed OJ when it was too spicy for me due to my own green curry addition. Since I didn’t have a lime I also added 1T seasoned rice vinegar to go for unami flavor you mentioned. You’re right, this soup can handle a lot and still turn out fantastic! I served with white rice and felt very nourished after my meal. Thank you!!!
Perfect! Glad those swaps worked out well 🙂 this ones great for customizing and so nourishing!
I have made this for the 3rd time, the best new soup recipe for me. I have eaten it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So filling, and flavorful. Looking forward to finding other recipes to try.
So happy you love this one! I hope you fine more recipes here that you like, too 🙂
OMG. This was SOOOOOOOO good!!!!! You do not fail when it comes to soups! I used sweet potato instead of butternut and skipped the peanut butter. I’m obsessed. I didn’t purée either as I love it thick and chunky. It took a lot more than 20 mins to cook but I knew it would because of the sweet potatoes – prob 40 mins. I served over brown rice and topped with cilantro green onion and sriracha sauce. Flavor explosion!!!
Delicious! Great idea with the sweet potato. So glad you loved it!
wonderfully satisfying. Hmmm!
Glad you liked this one!
OMG! I just made this soup andy is SO delicious! Seriously! I followed the recipe exactly! We had some naan bread with it. PERFECT! This is a keeper for sure.
So good! Glad you loved it!
I found the recipe Healing Thai Butternut Squash Lentil Soup because I was looking for something to do with the Coconut Milk my supermarket online sent me in error. It is super delicious. But, I found the squash needed to cook longer than the lentils. I just checked the softness of the lentils before blending, as recommended. I use a hand blender. It’s so much simpler than trying to
transfer the soup into a stationary blender. I didn’t blend it all, as recommended. And, when I
went to eat the soup, I found the unblended cubes of squash were still hard. Therefore, I recommend checking the softness of the squash as well as the lentils before blending.
Sorry to hear that, Miriam! Next time I’d recommend cubing the squash a bit smaller to ensure that they cook through 🙂
Sauteed a diced jalapeno along with the onion, ginger and garlic. Only used turmeric, omitted the curry powder (not a fan) and peanut butter (to keep fat under control) but added in red curry paste with milk and broth. Used 1/2 of a kabocha instead of butternut. AMAZING!!!
I’m glad that worked out well! So good 🙂
This soup is so delicious! I used sweet potatoes instead of squash, and it turned out really well. I also added about 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a bit of spice. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Perfect! So delicious 🙂
Oh my gosh, this is seriously amazing! So much flavour. Cooked in pressure cooker for 15mins and used immersion blender.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
I love this soup so much.. just curious about freezing it. Should I freeze without coconut milk and spinach? Thanks!
I’m so glad! And feel free to freeze with both in it!
Hello,
can I ask how many grams do you consider a serving, please? Trying to log my macros at the moment.
The whole family loves this soupl!
thank you
Hi! The soup should be about 1.5 cups per serving. I’m not 100% sure how many grams as I don’t typically weigh the ingredients – sorry!
Hi, could I make this in the Instapot? Thanks in advance.
Hi! I don’t cook with an Instant Pot so I’m not 100% sure what the instructions would be. Let me know if you try it!
This was absolutely delicious!!! Looking forward to leftovers! I added a little jalapeño b/c I’m a spice addict. Thank you and how do I find other recipes from you???
Delicious! Have shared this recipe with several friends and they all love it! Just wondering if this can be frozen? If so, should I not add the spinach to the portion that I am freeing? Thanks for all the great recipes
So happy to hear that! Yes, this will freeze well. It should be fine with the spinach in it but you can also feel free to add some when you warm it back up 🙂
This soup is incredible. I followed the recipe as is except for skipping the blender step (out of pure laziness) – still absolutely delicious! Thank you!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
This soup is absolutely delicious!! Even my mom, who initially turned her nose up at the recipe, LOVED it!! Will definitely be in regular rotation!
Amazing! I’m so glad!
This soup was delicious! But to make my husband happy, I subbed chicken broth for the vegie broth. He LOVED it!! I will be making it again soon and will add the 6th cup (I used 5C) of squash to see if it thickens it up a bit.
Note: Instead of a blender, I used an immersion blender and that worked well.
Perfect! So glad it was a hit!
Should I roast the squash first or no? I’m going to try this today, I have everything except instead of coconut milk I have coconut cream.
Nope! It will cook in the soup itself. Coconut cream might be a bit too thick and/or sweet so I’d suggest using coconut milk!
OH MY WORD- THIS IS DIVINE!!! I made this last night and it is perfection. It came together absolutely seamlessly. I followed recipe exactly as directed and could not have been happier. I did serve with cilantro and several dashes of hot sauce (I love spice!).
Warm, filling, comforting AND delicious. Thank you for my new favorite soup recipe!!!
Amazing! So glad you loved it!
Amazing recipe and tasting soup. I LOVED IT! Simple and great ingredients and I enjoyed it alot. Thank you!
So happy to hear that!
I wish I could give this a thousand stars! So, so, so good and is made with pantry staples. I make it at least twice a month (currently have a pot on the stove right now for a friend that just had a baby). Could not be easier or more delicious. Keeps very well in the fridge for 10 days for me. Make this IMMEDIATELY!
Amazing! So glad you love it!
Amazing for those cold winter nights! Thank you!!
This recipe was super easy and quick to make. I’ve been enjoying it for lunch all week. I subbed the green lentils for 3/4 cup red lentils.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
We made this on a whim because we were feeling those lazy cozy Sunday vibes, but we were tired of all our soup recipes, and this was AMAZING! It was so simple and warm and spunky in all of it’s flavors.
My roommate made this soup and it was amazing! I’m not even the biggest fan of butternut squash and this was still so tasty. It’s the perfect winter meal, and is extra good with the peanuts on top and naan.
Title doesn’t lie – will heal your soul and fix your life. I’ve never made the slow cooker option, but find the traditional way super easy (albeit not necessarily quick and can be dish-heavy. But it’s hard to mess up – super flexible to throw in whatever you currently have on hand, or I always leave out carrots and garlic and it’s still perfect. Makes a pretty large amount I find, so great for meal prep to last the week or to feed a larger group.
Absolutely! This one’s great for customizing and perfect for winter 🙂
This soup is amazing!.
The best one I’ve had the pleasure of eating in a long time, all the flavors blend perfectly!
I’m so glad!
This was amazing!!!!
So glad you loved it!
Can you freeze this soup?
Yes, absolutely!
Absolutely delish, followed to a T and it turned out amazing.
So happy to hear that!
Delicious, my 3 year old liked it too!! I added a few extra lentils that had been soaked overnight, but otherwise stuck to the recipe.
Perfect! So glad it was a hit!
Unfortunately my soup was so, so thick I had to add a lot of broth at the end because I had almost no liquid left, and even then it had the texture of a bean stew. I could have served it over rice. It is a healthy soup, the flavors are interesting, the colors are beautiful, but I’m disappointed mine turned out so thick. I would not make it again. My husband liked it and gave it a 7.5 out of 10, he just didn’t like the texture either. Maybe the chef was the problem, and not the recipe.
Sorry to hear that! Mine’s never turned out that thick, are you sure you measured all the liquid ingredients correctly? Totally fine to add more broth or even some water if that happens again.
Great fall time soup, super simple and easy to make!
Cozy, right?! So happy you’re loving it!
Hi, just a quick question: I have a bad reaction with coconut milk. Would oat or nut milk work in well in place of coconut milk? Thanks!
Hi, Susanna! I’d recommend unsweetened almond milk in here. It would be quite as creamy as coconut but still delicious, I think!
Thank you! Hoping to try that this weekend 🙂
Question – I try not to use oil in my cooking, using only water to saute veggies. If I use the slow cooker method for this recipe, would I need to change anything if just omit the oil from the slow cooker?
Nope, totally fine to omit the oil for the slow cooker version! Enjoy 🙂
Wow. This soup is amazing! I don’t move squash so I’m kinda surprised I like it. I do want to try the sweet potato option next time. But man, such a good soup! I cooked it in the crockpot on high and it was ready in 4 hrs.
Since I’m the only one who’ll eat this (don’t ask), I’ll make this in the crockpot, but only half the recipe.
Can you freeze the soup
Yep there are instructions in the blog post for how to freeze it!
When doing it in the crockpot, do you really add the spinach in the beginning with all the other items? Because then it would be blended also.
Nope, as mentioned in the blog post, the spinach gets stirred in at the end!
This was really good! I would recommend chopping up the spinach a little bit before adding. ❤️🧡💛
So I’m clearly not vegan, but I was looking for a good curried butternut squash soup recipe and stumbled across this one. I followed the recipe as written with the following modifications:
1. Definitely needed more than 3/4 teaspoon of salt. I think I ended up with just about 1 tablespoon. I didn’t really measure, I go by taste. I started with 1 teaspoon and it was way under seasoned. I added until it tasted good to me.
2. I used chicken stock instead of veggie stock. I know, I know, that made it not vegan.
3. I used regular coconut milk instead of lite.
4. I added 1 teaspoon of Garum Masala with the curry powder and turmeric powder. What a great warming spice.
5. I used Jif peanut butter. Hey, it’s what’s in the pantry.
6. I garnished with toasted pepitas that were tossed in Garum Masala, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Gave it a nice crunchy element.
Fantastic recipe, and I have leftovers for a couple of days.
Thanks so much for sharing all of this! Totally fine to add more salt anytime 🙂 Happy you enjoyed it!
YUM! This might be the best thing I’ve ever eaten. Made exactly as directed in slow cooker except (by accident) didn’t decrease broth amount and blended it all. Used cashew butter. This is SO GOOD that I’m recommending to all my friends. Just wonderful.
Omg I’m so happy you loved it, Michelle!! Thanks for sharing it with friends–that means a lot ❤️
Can this be made with frozen cubed butternut squash?
That should work! 🙂
Absolutely delicious. My son and husband loved it. I was thrilled to feed them with your soup knowing that is filled with so many anti-inflammatory ingredients. Thank you
I made this soup for a friend post knee surgery and she truly enjoyed. It was filling and soothing she says.
Unreal!!! So flavorful. Swapped out spinach with kale since I am still picking from my garden, and added ground sausage for more protein. Another winner!!
Made this soup for dinner tonight. This soup is great for those cold and rainy fall nights. My entire family loved it and we will definitely be revisiting this recipe again. Thank you for sharing your recipes, I can’t wait to try out more of the recipes in your blog.
The best soup in the WORLD! I loved this soup so much! My only alteration was I used crunchy peanut butter because that was all I had. Everything else I did according to the recipe and it was so so so good. You cant go wrong with lentils and butternut squash. Make this ASAP
Will try this soon! Can you dot the time you leave cooking?
Sorry not sure what you mean!
This looks great. Exactly how much is 1 serving? 1 cup? 2? Thanks
Not quite sure how much (I haven’t measured it!) but it’s 1/4th of the whole batch of soup 🙂
This soup is pure deliciousness!! I came upon this recipe when I happen to have all the ingredients on hand – which is soooo nice. I started chopping my veggies and my elderly mother who.lives with me insisted she doesn’t like Butternut squash refused to eat any. So she had some store bought tomatoe soup while my husband and I enjoyed this amazing Butternut squash soup, both of us commenting how good the soup was. That very evening I reiterated how delicious the soup was and my mom admitted it smelled good. The next day, I convinced her to try a teaspoon of soup and if she still didn’t like it…not a problem….she didn’t have to eat it. She was hooked. She had 2 bowls of soup and then went on to rave to my sisters about this soup and had Mr make another pot a few days later. She’s asked me to jar some up for her fircwhen she visits my sister this weekend. This soup is definitely a keeper!! Thank you!
Aw I’m so happy to hear you all loved this one, Marlene! Thanks so much for sharing, and really appreciate the review 🙂
Substituted cooked mung beans for the lentils and used Penzeys Singapore spice, instead of the curry paste. AMAZING! And economical! Will definitely put this into our meal rotation.
This was really good. It is a nice take on butternut squash soup that isn’t so sweet and has more protein and nutrients. It came together really quickly and easily. I probably only used 1/3 can of coconut milk, but it was still delicious. We used spinach, but I think kale would be nice because it holds up a tad better. Definitely would make this again!
I enjoy your recipes
Thanks so much, Diane! Happy you’re here 🙂
Gorgeous recipe that I have come back to several times and it never disappoints!! Love adding collard greens and letting them soften up, and using some sweet potato along with the squash. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Oooh the collards and sweet potato sound so good in here–thanks for those suggestions!
This was freaking incredible. The sweet-and-savory flavor and half-blended, half-chunkier texture is just going to ruin me for all other soups. Monique, you are amazing!
Ahhh so glad you loved it, Dena!! Thank you!
Loved this soup! Made it after a juice cleanse and it was the perfect meal. I also added mushrooms (but didn’t blend them with the purée). My husband has to have meat with every meal, so I did Italian sausage on the side for him. He loved it too!
Will definitely be making again!
I notice many recipes, including this one, include light coconut milk. Is it fine to use regular full fat canned coconut milk? Should I alter other ingredients?
You can absolutely use regular! I just personally prefer to lighten the recipes up a bit by using light coconut milk.
What size dutch oven did you use for the recipe video? Deciding between the 5.5 and 7 for myself and this looks like a good all-inclusive size 🙂
Hi! I’d have to ask my videographer but I *believe* this is the 7!
This was the most delicious soup I’ve had in a long time! I followed the recipe almost exactly… just went a little heavier on the spices (ginger and turmeric ❤️), and served with red pepper flakes and roasted unsalted peanuts, My whole family loved it and I loved the immune boost! Thank you for the delicious recipe!
So happy you and the fam loved it, Megan!
So delish! I left out the PB because my hubs isn’t a fan but all 4 of my kiddos (ages 1-6) loved it and so did my picky husband! It was so warm and nourishing
Nice! So glad you guys enjoyed this one 🙂
I am currently eating this soup and WOW! It’s amazing. The texture, the flavor – it is so comforting and delicious. Thank you for an amazing and easy recipe!
Oh I’m SO glad to hear you’re loving it. Thanks, Katy!
This was delicious!! Perfect for a cold wintery night. Leftovers are just as yummy. We served with micro greens, peanuts and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Grateful to mix up the menu!
Sounds INCREDIBLE! I’m so happy you loved it!
Just made this for dinner. Used 2 bags of frozen cubed butternut squash from Whole Foods. Also used an immersion blender. Read the comments and will try sweet potatoes next time I make it, and then try some squeezed lime tomorrow with our leftovers. Thank you so much for a healthy tasty recipe–when the husband likes it, it’s a win! You’re fabulous!!!!
Also, for one of the people above, the other night I needed coconut milk and only had coconut cream on hand; looked it up and all you have to do is add some water to a specific amount of the coconut cream and there you have a perfect substitute for coconut milk! Love Google. 😉
I’m SO happy you loved this one, Sherry! Thank you! And yes that’s a great tip about the coconut cream 🙂
I baked the squash and added it after the lentils were cooked. I used Rice Dream coconut beverage instead if canned and it all worked out very well. i added some extra curry and a few other spices. This is a great soup recipe that can easily be adjusted according to ingredients at hand.
Hey trying to reach you somehow, if you can e-mail me. i have regular coconut milk not light coconut milk. is this a huge problem? Feel free to e-mail me w/ thanks.
Whoopsie! just found my answer in the helpful comments section. Thanks!
Glad you found it! 🙂
I made this soup the other week and now I’m back for the recipe to make it again. It was amazing and delicious and I haven’t stopped thinking about it! Adding a dash of lime juice to each bowl really takes it up a notch.
Ahh I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks, Katie 🙂
A commenter complained about how thick this soup came out. Mine came out quite thick, also. The second day it was even thicker and I just served it over rice, topped with peanuts. It’s really good that way! I’m making it again now and it’s looking thick enough that I think I’ll just go ahead and again serve it as a stew over rice.
Interesting! I wonder if a lot of the liquid boiled off? Happy it was delicious though!
I made this for dinner last night & it was so delicious! I used my immersion blender & it turned out perfect. Thank you for another fantastic vegan dinner recipe!
I’m so happy it turned out amazing! Thanks so much for commenting 🙂
I “will” be making this & some of your other soup options … as I love soup & also need to adjust my diet for my newly discovered auto-immune diseases. I love all the ingredients you listed & was so happy to see the other options like sweet potatoes, cashiews, peanut butter (never would have guessed this one). Keep inventing new soups. This is exactly what I have been looking for!!! 5 stars
So happy you’re enjoying them and that they’ll fit into your diet ❤️ Glad you loved this one, too!!
I made this soup while sick with covid. Took a lot longer than 20 minutes to peel and cut the squash and everything else! I can’t wait to taste it when my taste buds are normal! I topped it with Sprouted pumpkin seeds. Will definitely share the recipe and make again!
Thanks for the feedback about the prep time! And hope your taste comes back ASAP!!
This is one of the best tasting soups I have ever made! Thank you for this recipe!
Absolutely delicious soup! I sautéed the onion, garlic and ginger and then added the other ingredients to my instant pot of 15 mins with a quick release at the end and it was perfect. Thank you
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
This recipe is excellent. Even better for lunch the next day. I took a shortcut and used cubed frozen squash. Absolutely five stars.
Thank you so much for commenting, Erin! I’m so glad you loved it. Frozen squash is a great shortcut 🙂
Fabulous recipe- love the diversity of the ingredients- not just plain old squash soup:) made 2 slow cookers full with half of a Hubbard squash- to share out with the family. Love the spices and the coconut milk- flavourful but not spicy! 🙏
Thanks so much, Cathy! SO glad you and the fam loved it ❤️
I was looking for a last minute soup to make with things I already had at home and this was the winner. The only ingredient I was missing was coconut milk which I subbed for almond milk and it still tastes great! I’m sure the coconut milk changes the flavor of the soup quite a bit but it is still delicious with my substitutes. I would make it again!
YAY! SO happy to hear it came out great 😊
On mobile the video blacks your article and will not go away. Just letting you know 😊
It makes reading your recipe kinda challenging.
Hi Suz – Which video are you referring to? If it is a pop-up, you should be able to close out of it on the upper left hand corner of the video
Perfect use of butternut squash. I used what I had (full-fat coconut milk) and opted to use African curry. The result is a delicious, creamy soup with a bit of heat. Cutting the squash was the most time-consuming of the prep work and the french green lentils took longer than 20 minutes to reach tenderness. A keeper. Thank you!
Best soup ever
Thank you! So glad you are enjoying this recipe!
Perfection! I subbed yellow lentils for the green lentils and kale for spinach. So delicious, hearty and cozy.
Ahh this is amazing. SO glad you loved this recipe ❤️
Terrible. Insipid, even after doubling the amount of spice
I made this recipe in my crockpot, which worked very well. After 6 hours on Low, I used my stick blender to partially puree the soup, and then added the fresh baby spinach and let it cook for a few minutes until it was wilted. I served it up with fresh ground pepper and chopped peanuts. Amazing flavor!!! I did use 3 cups of vegetable broth, and I think using 4 would have worked fine too, as the soup is quite thick. The spinach adds a lovely color, but the soup would still be tasty without spinach – but maybe add a little parsley for color instead. This recipe will go into frequent rotation.
Excellent. So glad this recipe came out great and that is was a hit 🙂❤️
I made this soup before I was having cataract surgery. Came home & heated up a bowl. So soothing & delicious. Very easy to prepare. I treated myself to prechopped butternut squash. It makes a huge pot so will freeze in portions. Will definitely make agsin
Oh yum! So glad you are loving this recipe, Rebecca. Such an easy soup to make ahead and enjoy whenever you need a comforting meal 🙂❤️
Delicious! The peanut butter and peanuts on top were brilliant. I used Thai yellow curry paste (1 tbsp) and it was amazing. Thanks.
I just made this delicious soup! I used a jalapeno pepper instead of cayenne pepper. I will make this again!
YUM! so glad you are enjoying this recipe 🙂
This recipe was amazing!! My husband and I both loved it. I used an immersion blender instead of dumping the soup into a blender and it worked perfectly. Can’t wait to make this again and try different recipes 🙂
Perfect! So glad you both enjoyed!
I have made this 3 times, absolutely love it. The last time I made it was for an addition to Christmas dinner, everyone said how delicious it was. I don’t add kale because I don’t like it. It’s so healthy and flavorful. I also love it for breakfast 😋 I kicked it up a notch adding a jalapeño. My go to recipe 😋
Yum! Love this, so glad this recipe is a hit! ❤️🙂
Oddly, for some reason, I woke up craving butternut squash soup. I figured Monique would have a great recipe, then noticed this had been posted as #AKRecipeoftheMonth. This was exactly what I was looking for! This soup was so delicious and comforting for the rainy days we’ve been having, and I loved the addition of the scoop of peanut butter. I put half of the soup in a bowl to immersion blend it since I don’t have a blender, and it still came out nice and creamy.
For some odd reason, I woke up craving butternut squash soup. I figured Monique would have a great recipe, then noticed this had been posted as #AKRecipeoftheMonth. This was exactly what I was looking for! This soup was so delicious and comforting for the rainy days we’ve been having, and I loved the addition of the scoop of peanut butter. I put half of the soup in a bowl to immersion blend it since I don’t have a blender, and it still came out nice and creamy.
Thanks Monique it was delicious and needed for all the patients in my house this week 😋
OMG, Monique, this was absolutely delicious! The flavors of the coconut milk, yellow curry, turmeric and butternut squash all went so well together. My husband and I loved it. Another winner. This will be our Friday night dinner this winter. I have made so many of your dishes that I honestly don’t know what one is my favorite as I love them all! Thank you so much for sharing all your recipes.
Delicious!! I used store-bought cubed squash and diced it into smaller pieces. Because of all the helpful comments, I added an extra cup of broth and slightly increased the salt, ginger, turmeric and curry. Topped soup bowls with splash of lime, cilantro and peanuts (chopped in blender). The chopped peanuts were game changers! I made jasmine rice on the side for anyone who wanted to add to their soup.
Delicious!! I used store-bought cubed squash and diced it into smaller pieces. Because of all the helpful comments, I added an extra cup of broth and slightly increased the salt, ginger, turmeric and curry. The consistency was thick like a pea soup. Topped soup bowls with splash of lime, cilantro and peanuts (chopped in blender). The chopped peanuts were game changers! I made jasmine rice on the side for anyone who wanted to add to their soup.
So delish! Made this for #AKRecipeoftheMonth and it will definitely be made again. We put it over steamed rice with a drizzle of Sriracha and soy sauce. Other than that we kept it the same (maybe added a but more of the curry powder) and it was great!
This was easy to make, filling, and perfect for a cold winter day. I used sweet potatoes as this is what was available. Turned out great. I did let it simmer for longer on the stove and therefore added in more broth as I saved for leftovers. I also don’t have a blender so I skipped this step but delicious none the less!
I loved all of the spices in this soup! I loved knowing there were so many veggies and nourishing spices in it. It was a great recipe for warming up on a cold winter day. I served it with naan, which was great on the side! It was a lighter recipe for sure – I might stick to using it for lunch. Such a fun and tasty recipe to try for #AKRecipeoftheMonth!
Smells amazing- I just couldnt wait to taste! So warm and comforting on my belly- perfect for my January meal prep! Love the mix of puréed soup along with some left as is for contrast! Beautiful color! Delicious!
Another delicious, soul-warming soup from AK. We love to double this recipe and have leftovers throughout the week. I love to throw in some sweet potatoes if I have them on hand too. A definite staple in our household this winter. #AKRecipeOfTheMonth
Aw thank you! SO glad you are loving this recipe ❤️
This soup is so delicious. I made it for my parents and they loved it. My dad was already talking about making it again. The use of peanut butter really added a nice depth of flavor. I used a trio of lentils that contained red, green, and brown. Even though it was suggested not to use the red lentils, I thought it still turned out well. #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Perfect! So glad you and your family are loving this recipe ❤️🙂
The recipe was so easy to follow and turned out so flavorful!! I swapped the lentils for ground turkey that I cooked on the side then added with the spinach and it was wonderful!! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
#AKRecipeoftheMonth: made this for lunch this week and absolutely love it!
Yay! So glad you are enjoying this recipe
Can frozen butternut squash cubes be successfully used?
Thank you!
I have not tested the recipe with frozen butternut squash cubes. I am afraid it might add too much water if you add them in froze, but they might work if you steam them first. They also might not hold their shape as well. If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out.
So comforting and warm and I happened to have all of these ingredients on hand so it was the perfect soup to make! So delicious for lunch or dinner during these cold months #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Yum! So glad you found this recipe and are loving it ❤️🙂
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
I made this in the slow cooker and it was great. Healthy ingredients but also cozy for the winter. I missed the step of blending part of it but it still turned out great. I would make it again but use precut squash or sweet potatoes.
Yay! Happy to hear it came out great, Carla 🙂
#AKRecipeoftheMonth This soup is so creamy and flavorful!! Immediately adding it to my favorites.
I really freaking love this soup and have made it a few times. It’s cozy and delicious and nourishing. Cilantro, lime and chopped peanuts or pepitas are a must for me. YUM.
Did this on the slow cooker & was suuuch an easy week night dinner. I made with ground turkey but definitely would opt for veg or chicken next time to get the full turmeric-curry flavor.
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
I made this in the slow cooker. We love curry but somehow this didn’t work the best for our family. If I made it again, I would try it on the stovetop.
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
I live in Seattle, where it’s rainy most of the winter. This soup really hit the spot! I made it exactly as written and it was tasty, easy to make, and filled with so many nutritious ingredients. We’ll be making this often! Thanks.
Hi! This look amazingly delish, but coconut milk and creams tend to make my stomach hurt and get upset. Could you suggest an alternative? thanks!
AKRecipeoftheMonth I made this delicious soup exactly as written and it was a hit! We loved the taste, nutritious ingredients, and ease of preparation. Definitely going into the rotation to warm us up during the cool, rainy Seattle winter! Thanks!!
Looks great-I have some coconut heavy lean alternative….or maybe it’s almond…left over from the holidays not opened. Do yo7 think that would work?
Do you mean for the liquid?
Out of this world flavors! I didn’t change a thing! Made it exactly as written. Delectable! Thank you so much for creating such a brilliant soup recipe!
AH I am so glad this recipe is a hit and that you are loving it ❤️🙂
Delicious and very hearty! I added a little more veggie stock because I don’t love how lentil soups thicken over time. I also reduced the spinach to 2 cups (preference of my hubby’s). It turned out great. I made some homemade rosemary sourdough to dip and it’s heavenly on a winter day. 🙂
Oops… #AKRecipeoftheMonth!
Sounds like perfection! So glad you and the hubby are loving this recipe ❤️
We enjoyed this soup very much. I found it benefited from a “rest” t help the flavors meld. I would make it again.
Excellent! Glad you are enjoying this recipe ❤️🙂
Yummy and comforting! And I have plenty of leftovers for lunch all week. I went the slow cooker route and it couldn’t have been easier.
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
I don’t care much for curry and almost NEVER make curry dishes, but I was swayed by all of the glowing reviews I found here, and the January #AKRecipeoftheMonth challenge hooked me! I made this today in the instant pot (literally just threw it all in there and let it go!), and Wowzers!!! I had two bowls today and portioned the rest of it for this week’s lunches. As someone who doesn’t love curry, I didn’t find this to be overwhelming at all. The flavors were so balanced. I topped mine with fresh cilantro, sriracha, and chopped peanuts. Can’t wait for lunch tomorrow!
This soup is perfect for a cold rainy day when you are needing to be warmed up. It has a rich creamy and comforting texture. The additional suggestions of hot sauce, lime juice and peanut butter were key but I did find that it was lacking a little in spice. Overall still delicious but may add more spice next time.#AKRecipeoftheMonth
This was good-but my husband did not like the curry flavor/or maybe consistency. I loved it with peanuts, lime juice and cilantro on top. Lotssss of hot sauce! Yum!
My absolute favourite soup recipe of all time. I honestly make this recipe at least twice a month. It is so filling and flavourful. THE BEST.
Made this #AKRecipeoftheMonth today in the slow cooker for a snowy and cold night and it is so hearty and delicious. I love how I was able to use several items from my winter CSA, including sweet potatoes as a sub for the squash. Yum!
#AKRecipeoftheMonth – Made this! It was so great. Can’t wait to eat the leftovers. I used frozen spinach because that’s all I had but the rest was just like the recipe. It was SO good. Will definitely make it again.
I wasn’t too sure about this recipe the first time I tasted it, but then I added chili sauce (and later hot sauce when I ran out of chili sauce) and that took it to the next level. Delicious and so many good-for-you ingredients!
My comment posted before I could do the contest hashtag #AKRecipeoftheMonth
I started the year off getting quite sick so knew I wanted to try this out to help on the road to recovery – it was a win win all around 🙌🥣 Full of great flavor, so nourishing and nutritious too, packed with a ton of great ingredients that I knew were helping me heal.
I made it exactly as is, on the stove top, and the result was amazing …… loved it and will definitely make again 😋😍
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
Delicious with the line and coriander toppings. Yet another amazing dish – thank you Monique!
#AKRecipeoftheMonth I made this using chicken thighs instead of lentils and we had some leftover challah on the side. It was delicious! Tastes even better the next day.
This soup is another AK hit! Added some sautéed tofu for a little extra protein. Big hit for dinner in our house. I found the prep time to be significantly higher than what the recipe says.
Sooo cozy and nutritious! Added a decent amount of red pepper flakes and definitely needed the lime at the end to finish it off (without these it just felt a tad bland) but it was a total hit!
Hi I have to know where you’re getting your bowls. So beautiful 🤍
#AKRecipeoftheMonth This is a very warming and comforting soup! Perfect to have on a cold day. I didn’t have yellow curry powder so I used Hot Madras Curry Powder instead and it worked perfectly! It added just a hint of spice which was delicious.
Made this for the first time for dinner today for my family of six and it was a hit with all but one of my young children! We had it with buttered toast. I only had one yam on hand and also used three small packages of baby carrots from my kids’ school lunches, and used frozen chopped spinach. #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Yum! I am excited to hear that this recipe is a hit for you and your family ❤️🙂
I have made this recipe twice this month now! SO good! Could not be a more perfect time of year! I like to add pumpkin seeds as a topping:)
This is my favorite AK recipe! I’ve been making it for years for myself, and it has become a go to for meal trains when friends have a new baby, surgery, etc because it is so tasty, comforting and friendly for many diet types. #AKRecipeoftheMonth
The extra tablespoon of peanut butter was just perfect! I had an acorn squash so used it and your soup was OUTSTANDINGLY DELISH!
Thank you very much.
Made this for a low key girls night and it was a huge hit! Crock pot method worked perfectly and was so simple. Everyone asked for the recipe, it’s a keeper! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
I loved this soup! Made it last night and already cant wait to eat the leftovers. Will def make this again.
I loved this soup! Made it last night and already cant wait to eat the leftovers. Will def make this again. #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Amazing flavours! Easy to make.
Such a delicious and satisfying soup! It’s perfect for a cold winter night, when all you want to do is cozy up under a blanket with a bowl in one hand and a slice of sourdough in the other. I will definitely be making this again.
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
Oh my goodness this recipe warmed my soul. Served with warm naan to soak up all of the coconut brothy goodness and it was amazing. I know it’s no longer AK dinner party, but indeed, I did make this for a dinner party and everyone loved it. Will be making again for sure!! #AKRecipeoftheMonth