Curried Butternut Squash Soup

This soup is sure to be a hit at Thanksgiving this here! Not only is it extremely easy to make, but it has the perfect blend of spices to make it something delicious and different to bring to the table!

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With Halloween over and November taking off, it’s officially the season of Thanksgiving preparation! I always enjoyed Thanksgiving and that it represents a time to come together to take a moment to celebrate everything we are fortunate for over a delicious meal. I never could fully participate in Thanksgiving dinner, being Vegetarian for 7 years and vegan for the past year, BUT I am happy to announce I’ll be sharing some amazing Thanksgiving recipes for the remainder of November to build the best Vegan Thanksgiving feast!

First up for recipes is a variation of Butternut Squash soup. I was served this Curried Butternut Squash soup in a restaurant once and was determined to recreate it! I was never a fan of Butternut Squash soup because I always found it bland and boring, but with the addition of curry this soup is anything but bland!

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Here’s the 411 for those not familiar with the stars of this recipe:

• Nutritional Yeast (Nooch): Provides a nutty flavor that many associate with a cheesy flavor profile. Great source of B12 and can be found in most grocery stores in the condiments section.
• Golden Curry: this is a dehydrated curry spice packet that can be found in the Asian section of your grocery store.
• Vegan Pesto: this may be found with other pestos at your local grocery store but most definitely can be found at Whole Foods.
• Chili Oil: you may be able to find this pre-made in the Asian section of a grocery store, however, I highly recommend you make it yourself!

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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 bowls

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INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 lbs of butternut squash
• 1/2 c Carrots
• 1 Yellow Onion
• 3 Garlic Cloves
• 2 c Vegetable Broth
• 3 blocks of Golden Curry (Japanese style green curry)
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 2 tsp Coriander
• 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
• 1/4 tsp Nutritional Yeast
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Himalayan Salt
• 1 Tbsp Lime Juice
• 1/2 c Water
• Vegan pesto
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp red chili flakes

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INSTRUCTIONS

Chili Oil

1. Heat up 1/2 cup of oil over medium heat.
2. Add in the chili flakes and let them sizzle for about 3-5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and place into a container to use for later.

Soup

1. Peel and chop up the carrots, onion, garlic, and butternut squash into bite size pieces.
2. In a pot, bring carrots, onion, garlic, butternut squash, and vegetable broth to a boil.
3. Simmer vegetables until the carrots and squash are tender, about 15 minutes.
4. While the vegetables are simmering, heat up the 1/2 cup of water in the microwave.
5. Mix the Golden Curry blocks with the water to form a curry paste.
6. Dump the vegetables, including the vegetable broth, into a food processor.
7. Add in all the spices, lime juice, and curry paste. Blend until smooth.
8. If you want to make it thicker, bring to a boil on the stove again and simmer until desired consistency is reached.

Assembly

1. To serve, scoop soup into a bowl and drizzle on the vegan pesto and chili oil.

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I can assure you that this will be a hit at your Thanksgiving feast! I hope you ENJOY this fun twist on the classic Thanksgiving soup and take in that delicious hit of curry!
- Nutti Nelli