On a cold night, this Curried Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup hits the spot, especially if you are craving vegetarian comfort food with a kick!
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Ingredients in butternut squash lentil soup
This soup is SO easy to make, and you should have most of the ingredients already on hand at home with the exception of the fresh veggies. Butternut squash will last up to 3 weeks in a pantry, however, so this is possibly a pantry recipe that you can create at the last minute.
Here's what you need:
- olive oil
- butternut squash, carrots, leek and onion (I usually buy a pre-chopped mix to save time)
- garlic and ginger
- curry powder, turmeric and cayenne pepper
- lentils
- vegetable broth
- red pepper
- spinach
- lemon juice (to taste at the end)
How to make butternut squash lentil soup
This soup is so easy to make! Here's how to throw it together step-by-step:
- Saute squash, carrots, leek, onion, garlic and ginger for 15 minutes on the stove in a large pot until softened.
- Add spices, then lentils and vegetable broth. Bring it all to a boil.
- Reduce soup to a simmer, then let it cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. In the last 5 minutes of cooking time, add the red pepper.
- Remove the pot from heat, and stir in spinach and lemon juice. It's that easy!
Ingredient substitutions
This easy Curried Butternut Squash and Lentil soup is the perfect hearty bowl of deliciousness, and will surely become the star of your end-of-winter weekly menus from now on, and it will definitely last you all through the cold season.
Even if you don't quite have all the veggies on hand, you can easily switch it up with other squash varieties, or throw in whatever you have to use up in the fridge. I've put bell peppers in here near the end of the soup's cooking time, and I've added in different greens like swiss chard and kale if I've got some poking around.
This Curried Butternut Squash and Lentil soup is pretty much an unlimited dump pot to get your veggies in. You take in or leave out any veggie you want; typically I will leave out the leeks because I don't always want to buy them for this recipe but you may have your own substitutions, such as leaving out the spinach. Don't be afraid to get creative!
Recipe shortcuts
There are many ways you can save time with this recipe! Here are my handy shortcuts:
- Use a pre-packaged veggie blend such as pre-chopped squash and carrots – my grocery store offers a blend of squash, carrots, leeks and onions to make things easy!
- Use pre-minced garlic and ginger – they usually come in jars and are located in the produce section
- Use boxed vegetable broth so you don't have to make it from bouillon cubes
- Use pre-washed baby spinach
What to serve with this soup
You can enjoy this soup on its own as it's a very filling meal, but there are some tasty side dishes that would go perfectly alongside it! Here are some easy serving ideas:
- Crusty bread and butter
- Side salad (mixed wild greens drizzled with balsamic would be amazing)
- Steamed broccoli or cauliflower
- Baked chicken
- Seared scallops
- Oven fries
- Roasted potatoes
Storing and reheating the soup
This is such an easy soup to store and enjoy for later. The leftovers taste amazing and just as good as the first time you make it, so I highly encourage you to make a big batch and enjoy for later!
After you've made the soup, allow it to cool for a bit before refrigerating in a glass or plastic container. Typically I will store the soup in individual portions in glass bowls for easy reheating. All you need to do is microwave a serving for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
This soup can be refrigerated up to 5 days.
Freezing butternut squash lentil soup
You can also freeze this soup! Wait until it comes closer to room temperature, then freeze individual servings in glass bowls with lids. You can freeze it up to 3 months.
To reheat, you can defrost in the fridge for 24 hours, or you can reheat straight from frozen for 6-7 minutes in the microwave, stirring halfway through.
You can also reheat from frozen in a pot on the stove.
More butternut squash recipes
If you love butternut squash, I've got a ton of other recipe ideas here on the blog! Check em out below:
- Roasted butternut squash recipes 3 ways
- Butternut squash mac & cheese
- Butternut squash dal (lentil stew)
Tools for preparing butternut squash
- A Y shaped vegetable peeler is the best way to peel squash
- Freeze this butternut squash lentil soup in glass microwave-safe bowls with lids up to 3 months
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Curried Butternut Squash & Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 butternut squash cut into small cubes
- 2 carrots cut into small cubes
- 1 leek, sliced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tbsp fresh minced ginger
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 2 tsp turmeric optional
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 cup dry green or brown lentils
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 2 cups spinach, chopped
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Chop all vegetables ahead of time and then heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute squash, carrots, leek, onion, garlic and ginger for 15 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally.
- Add curry powder, turmeric, salt & pepper and cayenne pepper. Saute for another 2 minutes.
- Add lentils and vegetable broth, bringing to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, then cook for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. In the last 5 minutes of cooking time, add the red pepper.
- Remove heat, and stir in spinach and lemon juice. Garnish with cilantro or other favourite herbs, then serve and enjoy! Will keep frozen up to 3 months, and leftovers will last in the fridge up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Christina martin says
This soup smells amazing
Just making it up for Sunday lunch some good tastes and smells
Gerald says
You’re lucky I’ve got the recipe cause I’d’ve married you otherwise for a bowl of this!
Taylor Stinson says
Hahaha thanks for the compliment Gerald!