Red Lentil Butternut Squash Soup with Curry Croutons

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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.

5 from 3 votes Print

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.

CourseSoup CuisineAmerican Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 30 minutes Total Time 45 minutes Servings 4 Calories 485 kcal Author Alissa Saenz

Ingredients

For the Soup

1tablespoonolive oil
1medium onion, diced
3garlic cloves, minced
1tablespoonfreshly grated ginger
1 ½teaspoonsground cumin
1 teaspoonground cinnamon
4cups vegetable broth
1cup full fat coconut milk,plus more for serving, if you like
3cupsdiced butternut squash
1cupsplit red lentils
1tablespoonlime juice
1tablespoonmaple syrup,or to taste, depending on how sweet your squash is
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Croutons

3cupsbread cubes(I used sourdough)
1tablespoon olive oil
1teaspooncurry powder
¼ teaspoongarlic 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.

Nutrition FactsRed Lentil Butternut Squash Soup with Curry CroutonsAmount Per ServingCalories 485Calories from Fat 107% Daily Value*Fat 11.9g18%Saturated Fat 3.9g20%Sodium 908mg38%Potassium 1000mg29%Carbohydrates 78g26%Fiber 19.3g77%Sugar 9.2g10%Protein 19.9g40%Calcium 100mg10%Iron 7.2mg40%* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.