Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup with Chickpeas

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Fall is my favorite season of the year. The heat gives way to leaves turning fiery yellows and oranges, the sweaters and flannels emerge (I live in Vermont so technically it's flannel season year-round but still), and I finally get to make my all-time favorite comfort food—butternut squash soup. Since we live on a farm, the soup ingredients change around a lot depending what I have harvested but this Coconut Curry Squash Soup is my favorite, and the one my friends ask for the most. I say "friends" because squash soup is the one soup my husband doesn't like. But that doesn't mean I make any less, it means I end up bringing it as gifts to new moms, my mom, my chef friends, and work friends. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Ingredients

• Olive oil. I prefer olive oil to keep the saturated fat a little lower but grapeseed, avocado, or coconut oil are all good substitutes.
• Onion
• Celery
• Carrot
• Garlic
• Jalapeño. This is optional but I love a tiny bit of heat in this soup. If you don't have a jalapeño, you can use 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes depending on your heat preference.
• Curry powder. Madras curry powder is my favorite but any general curry powder will work here. Be sure it is fresh so you get the best flavor.
• Broth. I used homemade chicken broth but feel free to use vegetable stock to keep this vegetarian. 
• Coconut Milk. I'm a huge fan of full-fat coconut milk here because it gives the soup the best texture.
• Chickpeas. If you don't have chickpeas, you can also use white beans, or if you want, cooked chicken is also a nice addition. 
• Lime juice. Don't skip this! Adding a little acid is crucial to balancing this soup. If you don't have lime juice, try using a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. 

Freezing and Thawing Soup

Butternut squash soup freezes incredibly well. We recommend freezing without any of the optional garnishes you add at the end. It's better to add those fresh once the soup as reheated. 

To freeze, we recommend using our 1-cup or 2-cup freezing trays. Pour the soup into the compartments, let it cool, then place a lid on top and label. It's best to use up the soup within 4 months. However, if you'd like to keep the soup longer, then transfer to a vacuum-sealed bag. 

To reheat butternut squash soup, we recommend either microwaving in a bowl or placing in a pot with a splash of water over low heat. Once the soup has started to thaw and melt, raise the heat to medium until it begins to simmer.

Other Freezer Tips:

• This recipe uses lime juice for a little hit of acid at the end. Instead of keeping fresh limes on hand all the time, freeze lime juice in portions in our 2T tray. Then stir in 1 or 2 cubes to any soup for a pop of flavor. 

How to Make Butternut Squash Soup 

1. Cook onion, carrot, and celery.

Cook onion, carrot, and celery in extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes.

2. Add your favorite seasonings.

I like to use minced garlic, a diced jalapeño, and curry powder but you could also use thyme, sage, or rosemary instead. If using a dried herb, use 1 teaspoon. If using fresh, use 1 tablespoon.

3. Add your squash.

I used baby butternut squash, but you can also use peeled and chopped acorn squash, pie pumpkin, blue Hubbard, delicata, or kabocha. 

4. Add broth and/or coconut milk.

Here, I used two 2-cup frozen portions of my homemade chicken broth and a can of coconut milk. If you'd like to keep this soup vegetarian, use vegetarian broth instead. I prefer to use a blend of broth and coconut milk because I think the soup is more savory and it's a little lighter, but you could also all coconut milk if you'd like too. You just need enough liquid to completely cover your vegetables. 

5. Let the soup simmer.

Cook until the squash is very tender, about 20 minutes. 

6. Puree the soup.

Using an immersion blender or a blender, puree the soup until smooth. Be careful when pureeing hot liquids.

7. Stir in chickpeas.

For a little extra protein, I added a can of chickpeas. You could also add white beans, cooked chicken, or skip the protein altogether and keep the soup smooth. You'll also want to add a bit of lemon or lime juice to make this soup pop. I used lime juice I had frozen in 2 tablespoon Souper Cubes but you could also add a little apple cider vinegar too. And don't forget to add salt and pepper! Soup needs a good pinch of salt.

8. Transfer to Souper Cubes.

Be sure to save some of your soup in your Souper Cubes for later. I like to freeze it in 1 cup portions for lunches all winter long.

9. Label and freeze.

Don't forget to label your Souper Cubes with the contents. You can use a water-based marker or tape.

Enjoy!