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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Can one use frozen butternut squash? Thank you
Hi Marilyne, I haven’t made this with frozen squash, but a few readers have commented that they have successfully. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn!
I made this recipe for dinner today. It came out REALLY good. I will definitely make it again 🙂
Super Soup! Wimped out on the 3 Tblspoons of red pepper paste, cut it back to one but it was needed so did just mild curry with it. Now we can enjoy the Siracha as well. Great recipe, thanks
Another family favourite! As my family loves your Thai Chicken Soup with Rice Noodles I threw in a generous quantity of rice noodles. This soup works really well with Panang curry paste too. Thanks again for the brilliant recipes.
I love this soup, but I have a son who hates ginger, will omitting the ginger really alternate the taste? What can I use as a substitute?
Hi Valerie, I like the warmth the ginger adds to the soup, but I think you could get away with replacing it with some ground allspice or cardamom. Please LMK how it turns out!
I ended up putting about 1/2 tsp of cardamom and a pinch of allspice. It was very good, but I will definitely add the ginger when I can 🙂
Good to know — thanks for the follow-up!
This is a delicious soup! I followed the recipe closely (but not exactly as written) and we all enjoyed it immensely. A few notes: I used a can of Coconut Cream instead of Coconut Milk becasue it was all they had that day at the market. I only had 2 cups of Chicken broth handy so I used good quality vegetable bullion cubes to make up the difference: fabulous results! I knew to cut back to 2 Tbsps of the Red Curry Paste because the particular brand we like is quite hot and I didn’t want to overdo the heat for those who don’t like it too spicy. With these small changes it still came out very well indeed!
In summary, this recipe is easy to make, tastes great and is definitely a keeper! Thank you for this wonderful recipe, Jenn. 🙂
Do you think this would be good with vegetable broth instead?
Sure, Stacy, it will still be delicious! 🙂
Just made this! Wow! Absolutely fabulous. I do think the add-ins like coriander, spring onions and peanuts made this from really good to fantastic!!
I accidentally bought roasted red chili paste Thai kitchen brand. Do think this will be an okay substitute?
Hi Francis, I haven’t tried that product but my hunch is that it will work.
This soup is delicious and easy to make. Followed the directions as written and it came out very well–so smooth and full of flavor. Don’t skip the extra garnishes–the cilantro, peanuts, and sriracha really do add the extra “ooopmh.” Roasted pumpkin seeds would also be nice, I imagine. The added rice was a good option, too. It makes a whole bunch, so we ate some, I froze some, and now I am enjoying it for lunch today. Just as good from the freezer. This is a keeper!
No paste. Can you use curry powder?
You could — just keep in mind that it will have more of an Indian flavor than a Thai one with the curry powder. I’d use 1 Tbsp. of curry powder, omit the fish sauce, and add a pinch more salt. You may need to add a little more salt to taste before serving as the fish sauce adds a lot of salty flavor. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it this way!
This recipe won me first place in my company’s soup cook-off contest! I added a little more lime than called for but otherwise followed the recipe closely.
I love Jenn’s recipes! They’re easy to make and I can find all the ingredients in regular grocery stores, yet there is something special about these dishes and they’re always delicious.
11/13/19 I just made this soup for lunch today. Although the flavor is mostly there the soup itself is watery, does not have enough substance. I have it on top of the stove in it’s puréed form on a very low simmer now, hope to reduce it and intensify the flavor. Used Red Boat fish sauce and the same other ingredients shown in your photo. Yet, I want a bit more oomph!!
Sorry to hear this was disappointing — did you make any adjustments to the recipe?
I loved this recipe! It’s perfection. I changed nothing. I did add basmati rice but only to allow the soup to last an extra day or too. My 2 year old (who is fussy about soups) LOVED it. I had to share with him as he finished his before I could. Jenn, you are so talented! Thanks!!
❤️ Glad you enjoyed it!
Is there a substitute for fish sauce? I am a vegetarian.
Hi Neha, The fish sauce adds an authentic Thai flavor to the soup but you can use soy sauce instead — the soup will still be good, but it will lack that traditional Thai flavor. Hope you enjoy!