There are sooooo many lovely variations on simple squash soup. Use the guidelines in the unrecipe below to make your own variation on this comforting fall classic!
Pro Tip: It’s easy to overcomplicate squash soup and muddy the gorgeous flavors and magical ingredient pairings. Keep it simple! I recommend choosing just one thing from each category below, especially from the flavor options.
Ingredients*
Squash (Choose One)
- 1 medium sugar pumpkin
- 1 large butternut squash
- 1 large acorn squash
- 2 small delicata squash
Aromatics
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
Fruit (Choose One)
- 1 large apple I love honeycrisps!
- 1 large ripe pear
Broth & Seasonings
- 1 cup veggie broth more to reach desired consistency
- pinch of salt
Creamy Element (Choose One)
- 1 cup regular fat coconut milk 8 oz
- 1 cup cream dairy or plant-based
- 1 cup plant-based milk 8 oz
- 1 cup cashews soaked, drained and rinsed
Flavor Ideas (Choose One)
- 1/2 tsp curry powder more to taste
- 1/2 tsp red curry paste
- 1 thumb of ginger root peeled and roughly chopped
Garnish Ideas
- pumpkin seeds
- roasted chickpeas
- drizzle of coconut milk
- dollop of sour cream
- fresh thyme or sage leaves
- chopped parsley or cilantro
Suggested Equipment*
Instructions
- Roasting squash is unarguably the best method for cooking squash, as it becomes caramelized and yummy and brings out the sweetness and flavor. Roasting is not essential however, you can also add cubed squash with the veggie broth after sautéing the onions and simmer until the squash is soft and fully cooked.
- Carefully cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
- On a parchment lined baking sheet, roast the squash halves brushed with oil, salt, and pepper at 375°F for 35-45 minutes, or until very soft. Let cool for 15 minutes or so, then scoop out the squash. Set aside to cool.
- In a heavy bottomed soup pot, sauté the onions and fruit for a few minutes over low heat, until the onions are translucent and the fruit is softened.
- Add squash, sautéed fruit and onions, coconut milk, and chosen seasonings to a blender. Add broth as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Return to pot and gently heat over low heat. Do not boil, it’s easy to scald this soup, especially if using coconut milk, which is delicate.
- Season to taste, and garnish with a drizzle of coconut milk, pumpkin seeds, fresh herbs, or other desired garnishes.
*Affiliate Link Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that I earn a small commission on sales made from my links at no extra cost to you. The products I recommend in my posts are only brands that I can personally recommend and use myself.
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Doesnt the milk count as a protein?
Coconut milk is usually counted as a fat, if you’re using other plant-milk or dairy milk it’s usually counted as a protein. It’s pretty arbitrary, count it as you like! ☺️
Katie, I love your recipes, your so creative. Do you have a gluten free, dairy free pumpkin pie recipe?
Thank you,
Marie
Thanks Marie! I don’t, but challenge accepted! I’ll see what I can come up with. 😉
I don’t know that I can get the ingredients I need to play around with this, but I love this one! https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-gluten-free-pumpkin-pie/