Tony Zentgraf
Butternut Squash is a great vegetable to grow in the garden. Last year I planted about 15 plants from seeds, I didn’t think all the seeds would all come up because they were saved a few years ago.
After they all sprung up, I really didn’t want to get rid of them. I overcrowded the garden with them, planted them too close together but they had an area where they could run as they grow.
“It’s Not an Exact Science”
Wouldn’t you know it, I think I only lost 3 plants over the growing season. Who knows why, overcrowding? Overwatering? Not enough sun? Too much sun? Who knows.
Like my grandpa used to say, “Gardening isn’t an exact science.”
Whatever the correct combination of the above questioning was, I ended up with quite a few butternut squash that I was able to either cut and freeze or store in a drawer to keep in a cool dark place to use over the next several months.
Butternut Squash & Thai Flavors
This butternut squash soup comes from a want to utilize some of the squash plus it has been a long stretch of cold this time of year which makes soup that extra warmth that we all need.
The Thai Red Curry Paste adds a subtle heat, that with the coconut milk and the pureed butternut squash combines to make a thick delicious soup.
In Thailand butternut squash isn’t grown, instead they grow a squash called Fak Thong. It is a type of winter squash that looks similar to a squat green pumpkin.
It has a yellow to orange flesh that is actually sweeter than butternut squash. This squash is usually found in Thai curries and soups but can be used in other recipes as well.
Don’t be Scared of Curry Pastes
I hope the use of Thai Red Curry Paste does not scare you off. You can always reduce the amount of past in the recipe to adjust the spice level up or down.
What the curry brings to the soup in terms of flavor are lemongrass, shallot, galangal (a spicy cousin to ginger), kaffir lime leaves, dried red chilies and depending on the brand shrimp paste. Shrimp paste is in most curry pastes.
If you would like to make this recipe vegetarian substitute Mae Ploy Yellow Curry Paste, there is not any shrimp paste in that color/flavor.
Different Colors = Different Flavors
Mae Ploy’s three curry paste flavors- Yellow, Green and Red (they have other flavors but these are the three that most people relate to)
- Green is considered the spiciest (my favorite flavors)
- Red curry paste in the middle
- Yellow curry paste being the mildest of the three.
Whatever your choice is for the color or flavor, remember you can adjust the spice of all by adjusting how much you use. But remember you may sacrifice some flavor for the lessened spice.
Enjoy!
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Thai Red Curry and Coconut Milk (GF)
Print RecipeRecipe Multiplier
Prep to Roast the Squash
- 3 lbs Butternut Squash cut into 2" square pieces
- 2 tbso Vegetable Oil
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
Prep for the Soup
- 3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 ea Yellow Onion ¼" dice
- 3 ea Scallions white part only chopped
- 3 tbsp Ginger Minced
- 5 ea Large Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tbsp Minced Lemongrass
- 1 tbsp Red Curry Paste
- 4 cups Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth
- 2 cans Coconut Milk
- 2 tbsp Thai Basil chiffonade
- Kosher Salt to Taste
For Garnish
- 1 tsp 1 tsp Chili Oil
- 1 tbsp 1 Tbl Chopped Peanuts
Instructions
Roasting the Butternut Squash
- Preheat the oven to 350°
- Peel and cut the butternut squash in half. Remove the seeds from the center of the squash.
- Cut the squash into 2" square pieces.
- Toss the squash with oil, salt and pepper.
- Roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the squash is fork tender. Remove form the oven and reserve to add to soup.
Assembling the Soup
- Cut the onion into ¼" dice
- Mince the garlic, ginger and lemongrass
- Heat a 5 qt pot over medium high heat.
- Add the vegetable oil to the pot.
- Saute the onions over medium heat. Cook the onions until they are translucent and tender.
- Add the ginger, garlic lemongrass & scallions.
- Cook the aromatics until they are fragrant.
- Add the red curry paste and toast in the pot. Coating the onions and aromatics. Cook the curry paste for 30 seconds to 1 minute to release oils.
- Add 1 can of coconut milk slowly, scraping the bottom of the pot to release the curry paste.
- Once the first can of coconut milk is added to the pot, add the roasted butternut squash and smash apart into smaller pieces.
- Add the chicken broth and the other can of coconut milk.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the Thai basil
- Remove from the heat and puree the soup with a stick blender or in a standard blender.
- Puree until the soup is smooth.
- Adjust seasoning with salt.
- Ladle the soup into bowls for service and garnish with 1 tsp of Chili Oil Chiffonade of Thai Basil & 1 tbsp of Chopped Peanuts Enjoy!
This soup was spicy and flavorful.