Butternut Squash Soup

4.80 from 5 votes

Roasted butternut squash is the base for this silky smooth, flavorful vegetarian soup thickened with protein rich red lentils and fresh vegetables.

Prep Time20

Cook Time50

Total Time1 10

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: butternut squash, soup

Servings:

Calories: 275kcal

Author: Tricia

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil divided, plus extra for serving
1 pound butternut squash diced in 1 inch pieces
4 medium carrots peeled and diced
1 ¼ teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder divided
1 large onion diced
4 cloves garlic minced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
1 cup red lentils (7.5oz or 213g)
6 cups vegetable stock or broth (low sodium) plus more as needed for desired consistency
chopped parsley chili powder or paprika for garnish
½ cup plain Greek yogurt for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425℉. Combine the diced squash and carrots on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast and stir every 15 minutes until the vegetables are well browned and tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
While the vegetables are roasting heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook stirring frequently until lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, remaining 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the lentils and stir until coated in oil. Add 6 cups of vegetable broth to the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the lentils are mushy and completely broken down, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the squash and carrots to the Dutch oven. Using an immersion blender, process the soup until smooth and silky. Add more broth if needed for desired consistency. Check the soup and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Remove from the heat.
To serve combine Greek yogurt with one tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon water and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Serve the soup with swirls of the yogurt sauce, a sprinkle of paprika, chili powder or parsley leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

Optional:

Substitute chicken broth for the vegetable broth
Add 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half at the end for a richer soup (taste the soup before adding)
Serve with croutons, crusty bread, naan, pepitas or crumbled pita chips. Anything crunchy works well
For an extra bite of acidity, stir in the juice of half a lemon at the end.
Add 1 teaspoon cumin in place of 1 teaspoon chili powder if desired.

Nutritional information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered as an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition