Vegan Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk
Rich and creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk is satisfying, easy to make, and family-friendly! It features butternut squash, granny smith apples, aromatics, and coconut milk, making it naturally sweet, creamy, and nutritious! It is perfect for cool fall evenings, autumnal dinner parties, Thanksgiving, and more.
Servings: 6 Servings
Equipment
- 1 immersion blender or countertop blender
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash peeled, cored, and cubed into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 4-5 cups)
- 1 granny smith apple peeled, cored, and cubed
- ½ yellow onion sliced into a few thick pieces
- 2 whole garlic cloves skin removed
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 2 ½ cups water or vegetable stock (if using, omit the veggie bouillon paste)
- 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon paste (Better than bouillon brand)
- 1 14-oz can full-fat coconut milk or plain unsweetened soy milk
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses for garnish
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds for garnish
- 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds or toasted coconut, for garnish
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley for garnish
- cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Place the cubed butternut squash, apple, onion slices, and garlic cloves into a mixing bowl. Drizzle with the avocado oil and toss until evenly covered.
- Spread the butternut squash mixture on the baking sheet and season it with the sea salt.
- Roast the vegetable mixture for 45 minutes or until the squash is tender.
- Transfer the roasted veggies to a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the water, vegetable bouillon paste, and coconut milk and heat the pot over medium. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until creamy. Be careful not to splash. It will be hot!
- If you do not have an immersion blender: Working in two batches, add the soup to a high-speed blender. Remove the vent from the blender lid and place a clean dish towel or paper towel over it. Blend on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Repeat with the remaining soup. Return the blended soup to the pot.
- Season to taste with more salt and warm over low heat until warmed through.
- Garnish bowls of soup with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses, pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seeds, parsley, and black pepper. Serve hot!
Notes
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Cool leftovers to room temperature before transferring them to an airtight container and refrigerating for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Butternut squash coconut milk soup can also be frozen in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or reheat from frozen.
- Reheating: Warm the soup in a saucepan over low heat for 5-10 minutes or until heated. You can also heat it in the microwave in 1-2 minute bursts, stirring between intervals, until hot.
- Cut the vegetables into similar-sized pieces. This will help them to cook through at the same rate, allowing for even caramelization and the best flavor.
- Use a blender. For the smoothest and creamiest soup, blend it in a high-speed blender. You can also blend it in the cooking pot with an immersion blender, but getting the soup completely smooth may take a little longer.
- Vent the blender lid. Before blending, remove the vent from the blender lid and cover it with a clean towel to protect against hot and messy splatters. If your lid doesn’t have a vent, leave one side of the lid slightly ajar and drape a clean towel over the gap while blending.
- Optional: Make it in the slow cooker. Roast the veggies in the oven as directed, and then pour them into the crockpot with the vegetable broth and coconut milk. Cook on low for 4 hours before pureeing in a blender or immersion blender.
- Optional: Make it in the Instant Pot. After roasting the vegetable mixture, add it to the bowl of the Instant Pot along with the broth and coconut milk. Lock on the lid and pressure cook on high for 1 minute. Quick-release the pressure and puree according to the recipe directions.