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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Hi Jenn,
Love this soup recipe- This lime juice and curry paste add the extra flavour!
And it’s dairy free!
I use your recipes all the time.
The hardest part of this recipe was getting it into the blender . . .(and peeling the squash) but it was all well worth it. Fabulous flavor, easily sourced ingredients – and a huge hit at dinner. Will make this again soon.
This was fab! All the recipes that I’ve tried from your site are really, really delicious!!! I’ve tried chicken, soups, apps, breads…all wonderful!!! Easy to follow & the step by step pics are helpful!! I just pre-ordered the cookbook. I’m a pretty good cook…and now I’d say I’m great because of you! I’m a fan!
Thank you, Kat – so happy you’re having success with the recipes!
I made this soup last week & followed your recipe exactly…..SO GOOD!!!! Flavour and mouth feel is unforgettable. (used a blender) Shared a container with my daughter who took it to school (a high school teacher;) the other teachers were licking their spoons clean when offered a taste & asking for the recipe. One of her students even commented that she smelled so good. Do try this soup! 5 Stars!
I’ve had a lot of butternut squash soups but this – this is the best. The carrot adds a sweetness that balances beautifully – a great Thai soup of the right combination of spicy/sour/and sweet. I was concerned the red curry paste amount would be too much heat for my family but the full fat coconut milk tempers the heat quite a bit. If you choose to use light coconut milk (not recommended) I would scale back on the curry paste. I LOVED the toppings – they added such a great contrast of textures and fresh flavor, especially the green onions and chopped peanuts. I wouldn’t change a thing!
Wow! Delicious but very spicy vegetable (but not vegetarian – due to the chicken broth) soup for a cold winter’s day. I used a butternut squash, peeled and cubed, and felt it needed to simmer an extra 5 minutes. *Important: next time we would use one less Tbsp of red curry paste. Not sure if it was our brand or not, but wow; it was spicy!
The flavors in this soup are divine. My whole family of picky eaters loved it!
Delicious soup. Prep to table in less than an hour. I was pressed for time, so I put the cubed squash in my food processor and pulsed to small pieces which made the cook time much less. I added a clove of garlic, a teaspoon of hot curry powder and a 1/2 tsp dried grated orange peel for some brightness. Definitely include the garnishes for the best flavor as well as lovely presentation. Will make again and freeze half for super easy and delicious weeknight meal.
Made this according to the recipe, except substituted soy sauce for the fish sauce. Excellent! A great soup for a cold winter day. Also froze half of it and it reheated beautifully. Great flavors!
This was very good! I did add a couple cubed potatoes. Did not have fresh squash but frozen which worked fine. Used two 12 oz bags. Added the extra curry paste. Didn’t make it too spicy. I’m not a “heat “ loving person and found myself adding a little more spice as well as Sriracha. My newfound fav!! Will make this again!