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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One of the tastiest soups I have EVER had! Definitely a keeper!
First time “commenter”
I made the soup as per instruction minus the fish sauce.
It’s delicious, but a tad too spicy the kids, what do you suggest I add to lessen the spiciness. Thanks in advance.
Hi Sharon, You could add some additional coconut milk to temper the heat a bit. Hope that helps!
Another winner from Jenn. I made this tonight using all the ingredients, and even the omnivore husband slurped it down (sans sriracha of course). It’s a little sweet, a little savory, and has just the right touch of Thai spice. We used the scallions, cilantro, and even some stale peanuts to add some crunch. Ancient grains toasted naan made a perfect side.
Forgot to rate it – 5!
This was absolutely delicious and super simple to make! The whole family loved it. We skipped the coconut milk/flakes and instead did cilantro and toasted pepitas as garnish with lots of lime juice. Also added a little brown rice to the bowl when serving to make it more substantial. This will definitely be in our regular rotation!
Made this soup tonight ; I like spice so used the full amount of curry. The garnishes of cilantro, lime, scallions & peanuts make this soup dance. Sent two containers home with my son who really liked it too. This is a keeper.
Amazing! Made exactly per the recipe, and added red chili paste at the end for a kick. Love!!!
Variation alert! I made this with frozen yellow CORN instead of butternut squash … absolutely incredible. I omitted the ginger because I don’t like ginger, but otherwise spot-on. Blended in my regular blender for 7-8 minutes to truly smooth out all the corn pieces. Easily one of my favorite soups ever, and I’ve made hundreds in my time. Didn’t even need the lime, and I’m a lime fanatic. Thank you, Jenn!!
Thank you, Jenn, for all your amazing recipes. I have tried at least 30 of them in the last few months and 99% of them are five stars. My husband and eat fresh ginger almost daily, but didn’t care for it in this soup with the butternut squash. We ate it, but not a recipe I’d do again. I feel the toppings are a must however, without would be very bland.
Another winner!! So quick and easy and absolutely delicious. I made it the night before I planned to eat it and thought it was a touch too sweet and thin, but the next day all the flavors of the curry melded through and balanced the flavors out, and it had thickened a bit. With the garnishes (I also added a little chopped scallions), this is phenomenal.
Hi Jen, same here. I love the soup but we now add 100 to 150 grams red lentils. Healthy and thickens it beautifully. PS Try Penang paste!
That sounds like a Beautiful variation – when did you add the lentils? Thanks!
Absolutely delicious! The lime made the soup ‘pop’; only used half the amount of coconut milk. Love your recipes, Jenn – my go-to time & time again.
Being restricted to home, I have no fresh ginger. Would substituting powdered ginger work, and if so, how much would you recommend using?
Hi Christina, it should work in a pinch. I’d recommend about 1/2 tsp. Hope you enjoy!
Hi, I live a fair ways from a grocery store and had the same problem until a friend said to buy the ginger and freeze it in a ziploc bag. Now I just peel a little and then grate or shave (still frozen) what I need and throw it back in the freezer!