Curried Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Soup

As a kid I loathed squash.  I used to try to fake my own demise, complete with artful convulsions on the kitchen floor, if squash or liver or lima beans were on my plate. My father would just step over me and tell me that once I’d finished dying…my dinner would be waiting for me.  My parents never quite bought my charade and would quietly wait all night until I ate every scrap of whatever food had twerked my girdle.

Now, I am learning to like butternut squash.  I no longer fake my own death over food and generally speaking, I tend to conduct myself in a more respectable manner.  Since I have decided to make amends with my former nemesis, I’ve learned that I actually love butternut squash soup.

I hope you like my take on a classic.

Curried Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Soup

A little sweet. A little spicy. A lot of yummy.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Roasting Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Fusion
Keyword: butternut squash, curry, sweet potato
Servings: 12
Calories: 99kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 sweet potatoes
  • 1 butternut squash
  • 2 pears
  • 2 tbsp red curry paste
  • 1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 13.5 oz cans coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • 2 star anise
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp cumin

Optional

  • 1 cup 2% milk

Instructions

Roasting the Vegetables

  • Preheat oven to 400°
  • Scrub the potatoes and pierce with a fork. Wrap in foil
  • Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds.
  • Lay potatoes and squash on a foil lined baking sheet and roast for 1 hour or until you can pierce easily with a fork. Let cool completely and then peel the sweet potatoes and cube. Scoop out the squash into a bowl. TIP: I roasted these the night before I made the soup and cooled overnight in the fridge. Peeling the sweet potatoes is much easier when cold.

Soup

  • Puree in a food processor or blender in batches with 2/3 of a can of  coconut milk
  • Place pears in food processor or blender and puree with the remaining 1/3 of the coconut milk. Set aside in a bowl.
  • Place pears in food processor or blender and puree with the remaining 1/3 of the coconut milk
  • In a heavy pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter on low heat. Add the flour, cumin, curry powder, salt, white pepper, cinnamon and star anise. Add the second can of coconut milk and stir to incorporate. Add the red curry paste and continue to cook on low heat, stirring frequently to make sure everything is blended thoroughly.
  • Add the sweet potatoes and squash and continue to cook on low heat until it's simmering
  • Pour in the pear mixture and the vegetable broth a simmer for 15 minutes
  • I added 1 cup of milk to give a little extra creaminess to the soup.  For those who would prefer to use extra coconut milk, please do
  • Return to the blender in batches to smooth out any remaining lumps and serve immediately

Notes

Yields: This makes about 12 cups worth of soup, so plan for a crowd or do like I did and bring some to a neighbor who may need a little extra love.

Nutrition

Calories: 99kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 336mg | Potassium: 358mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 10260IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!