Get ready to kick up the heat with this delicious spiced Thai Butternut Squash Soup topped with homemade chili lime cashews and swirled with coconut milk. This baller butternut soup is vegan, paleo, and ready to rock your tastebuds!
It’s a bit ridiculous how much I love this soup.
The combination of silky roasted veggies swirled with creamy coconut milk and zesty red curry paste has me totally hooked!
It’s perfect for warming up on a cold winter day and the spice-factor can be adjusted to taste, making the soup as mild or as spicy as you’d like! I went the spicier route this time around and thoroughly love it.
You will have a bit of extra cook time by roasting the butternut squash first but MAN is it worth it! The flavors are just so much more enhanced this way and the whole roasting process is completely hands off anyways.
You just set a timer and walk away! (It also helps warm up the kitchen which is a total bonus this time of year) I like to roast mine whole (saves me the peeling step) but if you’d like to peel and roast your squash instead, go for it! Both methods work great, especially if you have access to peeled diced squash from your grocery store. Hello shortcut!
special diets and swaps
As written, this scrumptious soup is vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, grain-free, gluten-free, paleo, and (if you skip the optional sriracha) whole30 compliant. It checks a LOT of boxes and though it’s a bit bowl of veggie goodness, it packs a whole lot of flavor in every bite!
T-Rex friends: Need to use chicken broth in place of veggie? Go for it! Both are interchangeable here as needed.
If you’re not team paleo, another fantastic topping option for this soup is roasted chickpeas. I’ve topped this bad boy with my Crispy Roasted Shawarma Chickpeas and basically fell in love with the combo. You could probably even make chili lime roasted chickpeas too if you’re jonesin’ for that fantastic flavor combo!
The cilantro is 100% optional (totally a matter of personal preference – I LOVE it!) and chopped green onion makes a tasty topper in its place if desired.
Thai Butternut Squash Soup
This rockin’ recipe yields approx. 6-7 cups soup. It’ll serve 3-4 bowls of soup or 6-7 small cups.
Let’s get our recipe on!
Thai Butternut Squash Soup with Chili Lime Cashews
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs butternut squash
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 1 TBSP avocado oil or favorite healthy oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups vegetable broth (chicke broth works too)
- 2 TBSP red curry paste
- ¾ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ ground cayenne pepper
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk plus extra for drizzling
- 2-4 TBSP fresh chopped cilantro
- 1 lime, cut into wedges serve with soup to add a burst of lime juice
- Sriracha chili sauce to taste, for topping
CHILI LIME CASHEWS
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1-2 TBSP lime juice
- 1-2 tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SEEDS
- ½ cup butternut squash seeds
- ½ TBSP olive oil
- ⅛ tsp salt or to taste
Instructions
- Cut a 2.5 pound butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Pierce skin a few times with a knife to help it cook through. Peel onion and cut into 8 quarters.
- If making the roasted butternut squash seeds and chili lime cashews, make them first. Preheat the oven to 275°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Remove seeds from squash, clean and rinse with water. Pat dry, and place in a small bowl with olive oil and salt. Mix well then spread out in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet beside cashews. Bake for 15 minutes, or until seeds start to pop and cashews are warmed through. Remove from oven and season cashews with lime juice, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and salt. Mix well and allow both seeds and nuts to cool on the baking sheet.
- To roast veggies, pre-heat oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with a little oil if preferred.
- Drizzle cut side of squash, onion, and garlic with 1 TBSP oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Flip squash cut side down on the baking sheet and roast for approx. 40-50 minutes or until squash is tender and easily scooped out of the skin with a spoon.
- Once the squash is ready, allow it to cool enough to handle, then peel off the skin of the butternut. Alternatively you can scoop the squash out with a spoon.
- Working in batches, blend the veggies with the broth in your blender until silky. I was able to add half the veggies and half the broth and get it all blended in 2 batches. Filling blender under 2/3 full is best as hot liquid expands.
- Add soup to a large pot or dutch oven and set to medium-high heat. Season with red curry paste, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once the soup is hot, remove from heat and swirl in cocout milk. Portion into bowls and top with your choice of toppings and serve with lime wedges to add some fresh lime juice to each bowl. SO GOOD!
Notes
Nutrition
If you get a chance to try this Thai Butternut Squash Soup, let me know!
Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
TASTY THAI BUTTERNUT SOUP TOPPINGS
Aside from the roasted squash seeds and chili lime cashews I’ve included in the recipe above, there are so many tasty toppings you can add to this soup!
- roasted pepitas
- toasted coconut flakes
- scallions or chives
- shawarma chickpeas
- sriracha chickpeas
- Sriracha or hot sauce
- cilantro
This soup is perfect for a chilly night! I love how comforting it is, and it’s different from what I normally cook! What a great change!
Thanks Kalee!