Butternut squash soup has always been a favorite of mine, but I needed to find a way to remove the dairy products that were used to create a vegan butternut squash soup. It took a few tries, but below is what I came up with that worked for me.
The flavors are subtle, but comforting and the creaminess if pretty amazing. The coconut milk actually adds such a nice tone to the squash.
While I used Red Kuri Squash, there are many other varieties that you can try with this soup. There are many varieties–the pale skinned Butternut squash, the deep blue-green Hubbards from New England often called just Blue Hubbard Squash, the deep green skinned or golden orange Acorns, and many others. Do not be afraid to try one of these!
Try the white bean and pasta soup for another great fall soup with so many great flavors and health benefits.
The inspiration for this soup comes from Jacques Pepin’s Butternut Squash Velvet soup.
I needed an alternative to the traditional butternut squash soup and found a wonderful recipe by Chef Jacques Pepin, in his cookbook, More Fast Food My Way. His Velvet Soup is a savory soup made from Butternut Squash, but of course I needed to make it vegan.
When I found an intriguing organic Red Kuri Squash at my local Italian market I knew I had to give it a try. I was not familiar with it at the time, but did a quick search and liked what I read and decided to give it a try. I am glad I did, that squash gave the soup a very unique flavor.
So, below is a great base for a vegan butternut squash soup to get you started. I cannot stress enough, be creative – use elements you love and have fun with the flavors.
Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
Warm and flavorful vegan butternut squash soup.
Ingredients
- 3 cups water or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup leeks, cleaned and sliced
- 1 large sweet onion, chopped
- 4 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash (I used Red Kuri Squash)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk
Instructions
- Cut squash in halves and place cut side down on baking sheet and bake at 375° for about 30 minutes or until they are starting to collapse.
- Peel and cube roasted squash.
- Dice onion
- Remove the tough dark green leaves of the leeks and wash and slice the remaining parts.
- Place olive oil, leeks and onion in a pot and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent.
- Add squash and cook just to heat.
- Add water or vegetable stock, salt, pepper, and herbs and bring to a boil.
- Simmer mixture until butternut is tender. Reduce heat and use an immersion blender to blend soup.
- Taste and adjust seasonings then serve.
This soup is richly flavored with the warm and somewhat spicy flavor of the squashes. I used Red Kuri Squash which is more richly flavored than butternut, but butternut works just as well. The texture is very smooth, creamy, and thick and is sure to be a quick family favorite.
This recipe makes about 4 servings.
Ingredients
- 3 cups water or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup leeks, cleaned and sliced
- 1 large sweet onion, chopped
- 4 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash (I used Red Kuri Squash)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk
Preparation
1
Cut squash in halves and place cut side down on baking sheet and bake at 375° for about 30 minutes or until they are starting to collapse.
2
Peel and cube roasted squash.
3
Remove the tough dark green leaves of the leeks and wash and slice the remaining parts.
4
Dice onion
5
Place olive oil, leeks and onion in a pot and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent.
6
Add squash and cook just to heat.
7
Add water or vegetable stock, salt, pepper, and herbs and bring to a boil.
8
Simmer mixture until butternut is tender. Reduce heat and use an immersion blender to blend soup.
9
Taste and adjust seasonings then serve.
I tried several options for garnish, and ended up with the pumpkin seeds which gave it a nice crunch.
Related: Bulgarian Cucumber Soup
Recipe Tip
Check out your local markets and explore the various varieties of winter squash while they are in season. While butternut squash is the typical type used in a soup, there are so many other great squash flavors you can try.
Also, do not be afraid to add in some other elements like coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, or additional flavors like rosemary or ginger. This recipe is a great base, but there is so much more you can add to make it your own.