Easy Butternut Squash Soup with Sweet Potato

Two bowls of butternut soup with sweet potato.

5 from 6 votes

Easy Butternut Squash Soup with Sweet Potato

This one-pot easy butternut squash soup with sweet potato needs less than 30 minutes to cook and tastes like home. Made without cream, this recipe uses coconut milk for a creamy, velvety texture. Flavored with ginger and spice it's perfect not only for Thanksgiving but during the whole fall and winter.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Appetizer, Main, Soup

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 225kcal

Author: Makos

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound butternut squash peeled and cut in cubes
7 oz sweet potatoes peeled and cut in cubes
1 small carrot sliced
1 onion chopped
Fresh ginger about 1 tablespoon, finely chopped or grated
1 ½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
4 cups warm water or vegetable broth reserve approximately half a cup and add it if needed
½ cup coconut milk at least 18% fat you can also use yogurt
Freshly grated nutmeg or cinnamon or both
1 tablespoon maple syrup optional
1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed, optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Wash and clean the vegetables, then peel the butternut squash and the sweet potato. You can also peel the carrot, but if it's organic you can use it with the skin.
Cut the squash in the middle and scoop the seeds with a spoon. Then chop all the vegetables into 1 inch cubes (approximately).
Saute: Transfer the olive oil and the butternut squash to a medium-large pot and heat on the stove over high heat. Let it brown from one side, then stir and saute from the other side (about 10 minutes). This technique will give it a roasted taste.
When you can see brown spots on the surface of the butternut squash, add the sweet potatoes, the carrot, the onion, the ginger, the salt and the black pepper. Stir frequently until the onion is soft and glossy (about 3 minutes).
Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are easilly pierced with a fork.
Remove the pot from the stove-top and blend the soup using an immersion blender. Alternatively, use a blender or a food processor and blend the soup in batches.
Return the pot to the stove and add the coconut milk and the nutmeg. Stir well to combine and let it simmer for 1 minute more. If the soup is too thick, add the rest of the water/broth.
Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings. If you feel it needs something else except salt to make the taste more bright and lively, add the lemon juice. If you prefer it sweeter, add the maple syrup.
Serve in bowls and optionally, garnish with an extra drizzle of coconut milk and chopped chives.

Notes

Butternut too hard to peel? Prick some holes with a fork and pop it in the microwave oven for 2-3 minutes.
Flavor boost: Let the butternut sauté with the olive oil in one layer, over high heat until browned. This is where all the flavor is hidden.
Don't add all the water from the start. Reserve approximately ¼ of the quantity and add it after you blend the soup, if it needs it.
Make ahead: Make this soup 1-2 days ahead and keep it in the fridge. Gently warm it on the stove-top over medium heat and serve.
Chop any leftover fresh vegetables and freeze them in bags for your future soup recipes.

For the mushroom chips:

1 pound oyster mushrooms (pleurotus)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
A pinch of salt.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Put the mushrooms in a clean, large bag and drizzle them with the olive oil, close the bag and shake well. Add the flour and shake again until coated. Place them in a sheet pan, in one layer, sprinkle with salt and bake for 50 minutes or until crispy, turning them upside down halfway through baking.

Nutrition