Thai-Inspired Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk
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This Thai-style butternut squash soup is soothing and flavorful, and the heat from the curry and Sriracha will warm you right up.
This Thai-style butternut squash soup, flavored with red curry paste and coconut milk, is as soothing as it is flavorful. The ginger and spices add just the right amount of heat to warm you up, while the toppings—Sriracha, peanuts, scallions, and cilantro—bring vibrant flavor, texture, and a pop of color. For me, this soup is hearty enough to enjoy as a main course, but if you’ve got heartier appetites at the table, a scoop of jasmine rice makes a perfect addition to bulk it up.
Table of Contents
“This might be my new favorite Once Upon a Chef recipe! Easy and delicious…a winning combination!”
What You’ll Need To Make Thai-Inspired Butternut Squash Soup
- Vegetable Oil: Helps sauté the onions, garlic, and ginger, forming a flavorful base for the soup.
- Onions And Garlic: Provide a savory depth that balances the sweetness of the squash and carrots.
- Fresh Ginger: Adds a warm, slightly spicy note that complements the curry flavor.
- Butternut Squash And Carrots: Create the creamy, slightly sweet body of the soup.
- Chicken Broth: Forms the liquid base, adding depth and richness.
- Fish Sauce: Enhances the umami element of the soup, adding a subtle savory note and authentic Thai flavor.
- Sugar: Balances the subtle heat of the curry paste with a hint of sweetness.
- Thai Red Curry Paste: Infuses the soup with a bold flavor. Red curry paste is generally not very spicy, but the flavor profile can vary between brands.
- Unsweetened Coconut Milk: Adds creaminess and a slight sweetness that tempers the spice.
- Lime Juice: Provides a bright, tangy contrast to the rich, creamy soup.
- Sriracha, Scallions, Peanuts, and Cilantro: Optional garnishes that add texture and additional layers of flavor to the finished dish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger.
Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the butternut squash, carrots, broth, fish sauce, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the curry paste.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
Using a hand-held immersion blender, purée the soup until silky smooth. (Alternatively, cool the soup slightly, then purée in a blender in batches, making sure to leave the hole in the lid open to allow the steam to escape.)
Stir in the coconut milk, lime juice, and salt; bring to a simmer but do not boil. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding the remaining tablespoon of curry paste if more heat is desired.
Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with Sriracha and garnish with the scallions, peanuts, and cilantro, if desired. Enjoy!
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Thai-Inspired Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, very roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh ginger, from a 2-inch (5-cm) knob (see note)
- 2½ lb pre-cut butternut squash or one 3-lb (1.3-kg) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
- 3 large carrots, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1½ tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 1 14-oz (400-ml) can unsweetened coconut milk (preferably not low fat)
- Juice of half a lime, plus more limes for serving
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Optional Garnishes
- Sriracha sauce, for drizzling
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- ¾ cup salted peanuts, roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Do not brown; reduce heat if necessary.
- Add the squash, carrots, broth, fish sauce, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the curry paste. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Using a hand-held immersion blender, purée the soup until silky smooth. (Alternatively, cool the soup slightly, then purée in a blender in batches, making sure to leave the hole in the lid open to allow the steam to escape.) Stir in the coconut milk, lime juice, and salt (if the coconut milk is solidified, use the immersion blender to mix it in). Bring to a simmer, then taste and adjust the seasonings, adding the remaining tablespoon of curry paste if more heat is desired. Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with the Sriracha and garnish with the scallions, peanuts, and cilantro, if using.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Sounds great for a COLD Canadian winter day! Two questions:
1. Is fish sauce the same as oyster sauce? (Oyster sauce is what I have in the fridge).
2. I am using frozen cubed squash – how many cups would I use and also, should I partially defrost if first?
Love your recipes and LOVE LOVE the fact that we can ask a specific question and that questions are answered!
Tannis
Hi Tannis, Thank you for the kind words! 😊 Unfortunately, fish sauce is not the same as oyster sauce. But you don’t need to go out and buy fish sauce if it’s too cold out! You can omit it and just add more salt (fish sauce is very salty). Re. the squash, it’s hard to say exactly but I’m guessing about 8 cups — but use the photos here as your guide (the broth should just barely cover the vegetables) — and no need to defrost it first.
This is the most exciting thing I have made with butternut squash this season. Will note it as a must make for next season!
i am allergic to coconut; is there a suitable substitute i could use?
Hi Linda, You could use 1 cup of heavy cream or half & half instead. Enjoy!
Made this tonight for my husband who has a cold and it was the perfect medicine! So warming, spicy and comforting. I’m glad the recipe makes a ton because we’ll be having it again tomorrow. 🙂
Saw this in my inbox today and I went straight to the grocery store to make it. Delicious and so easy to make. Thank you for another great recipe!
Very good. Nice Thai flavors come through. Don’t hold back on the ginger, or the cilantro and scallion toppings – peanuts not essential in our house. I also added extra paste at the end. Not too spicy at all, just nice and flavorful. Great soup for coming home to after a cold winters day walk/activity. Serve with some fresh crusty bread. Delicious!
Excited to try your recipes for 2018. On this one, which I plan to make this weekend, can one leave out the sugar? I’m really trying to kick that habit. Just wasn’t sure if there was a reason you have it in there. Thank you!! Big Fan!
Hi Lisa, So glad you’re enjoying the recipes! I always think butternut squash soup begs for a little added sweetness but you can leave the sugar out and add it to taste at the end. If you go that route, I’d leave out the salt and add it only to taste at the end since the sugar and salt sort of balance each other out. Hope that helps and I’d love to know how it turns out!
Sounds good but besides subbing veggie broth, what would you suggest as an alternative to fish sauce for vegans?
Hi Timaree, You can omit it but you’ll definitely need to add more salt. Enjoy!
Ever tried FUSH sauce? Its a vegan umami substitute. Available on Amazon; expensive, but lasts and lasts.
Hello, do you think it’s ok use canned butternut squash? If so, how much?
Hi Jodi, I suspect that would work, but I’m honestly not sure how much you’d need. Assuming the cans are about 15 ounces each, I’d probably start with 2, but have a 3rd can on hand in case you need to thicken up the soup a bit more. Please LMK how it turns out!
My husband loves squash so I’ll definitely make this. Sounds heavenly. What is your opinion on substituting vegetable broth in place of chicken broth in this soup, as well as other soup recipes? I’m asking because sometimes I cook for vegetarians. BTW, many of your recipes are favorites.
Hi Diane, It depends on the recipe but for this one, I think vegetable broth would be perfectly fine. In general, chicken broth adds much richer flavor than vegetable broth so I wouldn’t substitute it in a recipe where the broth is the “star.” But for puréed vegetable soups like this one, it won’t make that big of a difference. Hope that helps – and so glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
I’ve been cooking a lot with veggie broth recently and I’ve found the ready-made (or powder) versions a bit thin on flavour, especially, as you say, in soups where the broth is the star. I’ve started making a stock that is a bit like bone broth but without the bones, but I really make sure the onions are browned and caramelised (in a little olive oil) before I add the rest of the veg and the water. If you throw in a few mushroom stalks for good measure, that gives it a savoury kick too. Soup looks absolutely yummy and is going on my January list of things to make.