Thai-spiced Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

  • 15ml / 1tbsp coconut oil (vegetable, rapeseed or hemp oils are good too)
  • 1 medium white onion - chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic – roughly chopped
  • 1 to 4 Thai red chillis - chopped (4 will be very spicy!)
  • 1 red or orange pepper - deseeded and chopped
  • 1 large carrot - peeled and chopped
  • 1 butternut squash peeled, deseeded and chopped
  • 2 lemon grass stalks - split length ways (root intact) and bashed
  • 800ml vegetable stock (Marigold Swiss bouillon is good)
  • 1 x 400ml tin of organic coconut milk
  • Pink Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • A squeeze of fresh lime, with coconut slices and coriander leaves to garnish.
When butternut squash first became fashionable I just couldn't understand what all the fuss was about - I didn't really like its sweet taste. But knowing it was good for me (being extremely rich in vitamins and flavonoids etc) I persevered and devised this soup. I'm so glad I did because now it’s one of my favourites. So I hope you'll give this a try and love it as much as I do!
Chantal x
Contributed by _Chantal Denny
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Serves 4 people

Instructions

  1. Gently heat the oil and sautee the onions until softened (about 5 mins)

  2. Add the garlic and chillis and sautee for a couple of minutes without browning

  3. Add the remaining vegetables and continue to cook for a couple more minutes

  4. Add the stock and lemon grass, and simmer gently for approx 20 mins or until all the veg are tender

  5. Remove the lemon grass stalks and blend the soup until perfectly smooth and silky

  6. Return to the pan, add the tin of coconut milk and gently reheat

  7. Season to taste, serve in warm bowls, garnish and enjoy - either with vegan Thai crackers or warm crusty bread

Serving Suggestion

The most delicious garnish is a few thin slices of pink grapefruit and slivers of fresh coconut which will melt into the hot soup. Toasted squash seeds, swirls of coconut cream and extra chillis are all great toppings too.

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