Hearty red lentils and sweet butternut squash are blended to creamy perfection and topped with a drizzle of coconut milk and curry spiced croutons to make this luscious vegan soup.
I love soup that I can make a meal of.
I guess soup is supposed to be an appetizer, but I never really got that until I started waiting tables in college. You mean people get soup or salad before their meal? Isn’t that kind of like eating two meals?
Well, I suppose that depends on the soup. Some clear broth and veggies? Okay that’s not much of a meal.
Butternut squash soup is one of my favorite things to enjoy when fall rolls around. But as soups go, it’s generally not much of a meal. Oh, it’s tasty and creamy, but when you think about it, it’s really just veggies and broth.
This soup is different though! I added some red lentils to this butternut squash soup, along with coconut milk and very special croutons. It’s so meal-worthy.
Just as important as how filling a soup is, is how tasty it is. After all, if you’re making a meal of something it better be pretty darn enjoyable. So I seasoned up my red lentil butternut soup with some ginger, cumin, a touch of cinnamon, and coconut milk. It’s super rich and creamy and just the right blend of sweet and savory for a butternut squash soup.
But the kicker is the croutons. They’re seasoned up with a touch of curry powder, which perfectly complements the gingery spices of the soup.
Of course, if you want to enjoy this soup as an appetizer, just put it into smaller bowls and I’m sure you’ll still have room for dinner.
Red Lentil Butternut Squash Soup with Curry Croutons
Hearty red lentils and sweet butternut squash are blended to creamy perfection and topped with a drizzle of coconut milk and curry spiced croutons to make this luscious vegan soup.
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk, plus more for serving, if you like
- 3 cups diced butternut squash
- 1 cup split red lentils
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or to taste, depending on how sweet your squash is
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Croutons
- 3 cups bread cubes (I used sourdough)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
To Make the Soup
Coat the bottom of a large pot with oil and place it over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin and cinnamon. Continue to sauté until very fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir in the broth, coconut milk, butternut squash, and lentils. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower heat and allow to simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, until the lentils and squash are very tender.
Either use an immersion blender or transfer the soup to a blender in batches, and blend until smooth.
Return the soup to the pot and stir in the lime juice, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Reheat if necessary.
To Make the Croutons
Preheat the oven to 400°.
Place the bread cubes into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with the curry powder and garlic powder. Toss to evenly coat the bread cubes, then transfer them to a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
To Serve
Ladle the soup into bowls. Optionally top with a drizzle of coconut milk, then with croutons. Serve.
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