Thai Butternut Squash Soup – Culinary Ginger

My Thai Butternut Squash Soup combines the taste of seasonal butternut squash with the vibrant flavors of fresh ginger, red Thai curry paste, and creamy coconut milk. The result is a velvety smooth puréed soup that tastes like a comforting curry—and it’s ready in under 20 minutes!

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Butter
• Onion
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Thai red curry paste
• Coconut milk
• Vegetable stock/ vegetable broth
• Butternut squash
• Salt and pepper
• Parsley or cilantro/coriander

This has been one of my most popular fall and winter soups since 2017—a delicious East-meets-West twist for the chilly season made with simple ingredients. Trust me when I say you’ve just found the best butternut squash soup out there!

Peeling and cutting butternut squash

Before making your butternut soup, it’s important to know the best way to peel and cut the squash safely and efficiently. If you’re not sure where to start, check out my detailed guide on how to peel and cut butternut squash for step-by-step instructions and helpful tips.

Roasting butternut squash

For an extra boost of flavor, try roasting the butternut squash before adding it to the soup. Roasting enhances its natural sweetness and adds depth to the flavor. Simply spread the squash chunks in an even layer on a nonstick baking sheet, drizzle lightly with oil, and roast at 400°F/200°C for 30–40 minutes until golden and caramelized.

Thai curry butternut squash soup

This soup starts with a flavorful base of spices and Thai curry paste that perfectly complements the natural sweetness of butternut squash. It’s taken to the next level because—who knew?—Thai flavors pair beautifully with squash! These bold, aromatic ingredients bring a fun twist to a classic butternut squash adding just the right balance of heat, spice, and sweetness and savory depth.

Pureed vegetable soup

The easiest way to blend hot soup is right in the pot (or large Dutch oven) using an immersion blender. It’s quick, convenient, and saves on cleanup. You can use a regular blender instead, but be sure to let the soup cool first—and you’ll likely need to transfer soup in batches.

Gluten-FreeButternut Squash Soup

Good news for anyone avoiding gluten—you can enjoy this comforting soup, completely gluten-free and every bit as delicious!

Other butternut squash recipes

Butternut squash not only works well as a soup. Because of its naturally creamy texture, I made it into a dairy free pasta sauce that can also be made into a soup. You can find this in my creamy butternut squash pasta recipe.

There are so many delicious ways to enjoy butternut squash beyond soup. Try turning it into a stuffed pasta like Butternut Squash Cappellacci di Zucca, roast half a squash with maple pecans for a sweet and savory twist, or transform it into a rich, cheesy gratin (all pictured below).

Slow cooker butternut Squash Soup

You can also make this soup in the slow cooker. Start by sautéing the onions, garlic, and ginger (as in step 2 of the recipe). Then transfer them to the slow cooker along with the remaining ingredients, stir to combine, cover, and cook on high for 2–3 hours or on low for 4–6 hours.

This recipe yields 7 cups, 1¾ quarts, 3 ½ pints

Freezing butternut squash soup

This soup freezes beautifully, making it perfect for cozy, ready-to-go meals. Let it cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers or freezer bags—leaving a little space for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat gently on the stove. Give it a quick whisk before serving to restore that silky, creamy texture. These directions are also included in the recipe instructions.

If you’ve made my Thai Butternut Squash Soup please leave a star rating in the recipe card. You can also leave a comment or ask a question below.

Prep Time
10 minutes

Cook Time
16 minutes

Total Time
26 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 cup (128 grams) yellow onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 ½ tablespoons red Thai curry paste
• 1-14 ounces (397 grams) unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 cup (236 ml) vegetable stock/broth
• 3 pounds (1.3 kg) butternut squash, peeled and cut into small chunks
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• Parsley for garnish

Instructions

This recipe yields 7 cups, 1¾ quarts, 3 ½ pints of butternut squash soup.

1. To a heavy soup pan or Dutch oven add the olive oil and butter over medium heat.
2. Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, stir and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the red curry paste, coconut milk, vegetable stock, butternut squash salt and pepper.
3. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes until the squash is tender.
4. Use an immersion blender and blend until smooth or add the soup to a blender and blend in batches. Taste for seasoning and add if needed.
5. Serve immediately garnished with parsley.

Notes

This recipe yields 7 cups, 1¾ quarts, 3 ½ pints

Step-by-step video

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving

Calories 248Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 8mgSodium 584mgCarbohydrates 44gFiber 12gSugar 10gProtein 5g

This nutrition calculation is provided by Nutronix that is only a guideline and not intended for any particular diet.

Janette is a professionally trained chef based in California who channels her passion for cooking into thoughtfully crafted recipes. Her culinary creations are inspired by her English heritage as well as her favorite global cuisines, including Indian and Italian. Connect with her on  Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for more delicious inspiration. More About Janette…