I cut this soup recipe out of the Ottawa Citizen newspaper many years ago – and it’s been one of my favorites ever since. The coconut milk makes it so rich and creamy and the cilantro (fresh coriander) and lime give it such a fresh, summer-taste, any time of the year.
I veganized the original recipe by using vegetable broth instead of chicken, and garnishing with additional coconut milk (or Tofutti sour cream) instead of dairy-based sour cream. I also significantly increased the spices, cilantro, and lime juice because I didn’t find them to be strong enough.
Notes:
- I normally don’t peel butternut squash before roasting it – I find that it’s easier to remove the peel after it’s roasted and cooled-off for about 10 minutes
- This soup freezes very well, so if I’m only making this for two, I serve half now, and then freeze the other half for later
- Also, when you scrape out the seeds of the butternut squash, don’t toss them out! Like pumpkin seeds, they’re great lightly roasted in the oven – and if you like a little crunch in your soup, they make a nice garnish as well! I’ve included directions for roasting the seeds below.
Updates
March 30, 2018 – I made this again today and made a few changes: I increased the spices from 1 tsp to 1 Tbsp each, used a full can of coconut milk, and used 500 ml of vegetable stock instead of 600 ml. This results in a creamier and tastier soup. Recipe has been updated to reflect these changes.
PrintRoasted Butternut Squash, Lime & Coconut Soup
This brightly colored vegan soup, with fragrant coconut fresh coriander (cilantro) and lime will chase those blues away! Vegan / Gluten-Free / Freezer-Friendly
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 mins
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Soup
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash, seeds removed and cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 Tbsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp ground coriander
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cups (500 ml) vegetable stock
- 1/4 cup cilantro (fresh coriander), chopped and divided
- 2 tsp finely chopped jalapeño (optional)
- 1 can (400 ml / 13.5 oz) coconut milk
- 1 lime, juiced
- salt & pepper, to taste
- Garnish: vegan sour cream, additional coconut milk, chopped cilantro, roasted squash seeds (see instructions below)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Toss squash with 1 tbsp olive oil. Spread squash onto cookie sheet and roast in the oven for 20 minutes until slightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large stockpot over medium-heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil, cumin and coriander and stir frequently for about 3 minutes.
- Add onion and cook 5 minutes, until clear, then add broth.
- Use a small knife to remove the peel from the squash, then add to pot along with the cilantro (and the jalapeño, if using).
- Simmer gently for 20 minutes or until squash is soft. Stir in the coconut milk and lime juice.
- Using an immersion blender, carefully purée until smooth. Season with salt & pepper. Garnish with coconut milk or vegan sour cream, cilantro, or roasted squash seeds (see instructions below).
Roasting pumpkin or squash seeds
- Preheat oven to 325F (160C).
- Before the pulp has dried on the seeds, rinse them under cool water and discard the pulp.
- If desired, toss the seeds with a drizzle of oil and sprinkle of salt.
- Spread the seeds out in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in oven for 20 minutes, tossing them around at the 10-minute mark.
Notes
Adapted from a recipe in the Ottawa Citizen newspaper. Makes 7 cups (1.75 L)
