Butternut squash soup done right is one of my favorite meals! This Curry Apple Butternut Squash Soup is rich and flavorful, with coconut sugar, green apple, warm red curry paste, and creamy coconut milk. This simple recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and can easily be made vegan.
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Ever had butternut squash soup that tastes like nothing? Yea, me too. I have tried countless versions of butternut squash soup and am almost always disappointed to find out that they taste like squash-flavored broth.
We have a fantastic little local market and deli near our home, called the Rocket Market, that makes the most delicious curry butternut squash soup. I get this soup every time I see it in the deli. Such a great comfort food!
This recipe is my ode to that soup, and honestly, it might even be better. This curry apple butternut squash soup is anything but flavorless. It is rich, and creamy, with a slight kick of spice.
Looking for other great healthy cold-weather comfort foods? Try this Pomegranate and Feta Winter Salad, these Wagyu Beef Meatballs, these Creamy Butternut Squash Noodles with Sausage, or this Protein Pumpkin Bread.
What I Love about this Curry Apple Butternut Squash Soup
This rich, flavorful soup is a favorite for me. Here is why I love it:
- Nutrient-Dense - Packed with nutrients from butternut squash, bone broth, apple, and shallot, this delicious soup is warming and healthy.
- Creamy & Dairy-Free - Full fat coconut milk makes this soup ultra-silky without dairy, and pairs so well with the Thai red curry paste.
- Perfect Seasonal Side - This soup makes a great side to a variety of entrees. I love serving it with pork chops or steak, for a healthy side that adds some variety to my meal rotation.
Ingredient Notes & Possible Substitutions
Butternut Squash
To get the right consistency, use 600 grams or 4 rounded cups of peeled and cubed squash. This is about 1 small squash, but squash size can vary quite significantly. If you have a large squash, measure out 4 cups and save the rest for another recipe.
Granny Smith Apple
You can include the apple peel in your soup if you choose. It will be a little less silky, but using a Vitamix, it will blend well. You could use another type of tart apple as an alternative to a green apple.
Olive Oil
Olive oil, avocado oil, or any neutral flavored cooking oil can be used.
Shallot
Two large shallots, or 1 small sweet onion (or ½ large sweet onion) will yield about 1 cup of diced onion.
Coconut Sugar
Maple syrup or honey can be used in place of coconut sugar. The sweetener is used to balance out the curry paste and lime juice. You can use less if you prefer a more savory soup, or sweeten to taste after the soup is blended.
Bone Broth
Chicken bone broth is my preferred broth to use in this soup, but you can use vegetable stock or broth to make this soup vegan. I like using Kettle and Fire Chicken Bone Broth.
Coconut Milk
I love Thai Kitchen Organic Full Fat Coconut Milk. this is another staple I always buy from Costco. It is so creamy and doesn't separate as much as other brands. For a gaur gum free option, you can use the pourable Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk that comes in a carton (use about 1 ¾ cup) or Trader Joe's coconut milk. Light coconut milk can be used but it will be less creamy.
Coconut Aminos
I recommend using coconut aminos in this recipe. Coconut aminos are a gluten-free and soy-free alternative to soy sauce, but I genuinely prefer the taste of coconut aminos to soy sauce. It is slightly sweet with some umami notes. Soy sauce could be used, but use less than ⅓ cup (probably about 3-4 tablespoons, add to taste after soup is blended).
Lime Juice
Lime juice pair well with Thai flavors, but you could substitute lemon juice in a pinch. I recommend using fresh lime juice vs. bottled.
How to Make Curry Apple Butternut Squash Soup
Sauté
- Heat the oil in stock pot over medium heat. Add diced shallot and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until tender.
- Add the curry paste, coconut sugar, spices and salt. Stir and sauté for about 1 min.
Add Remaining Ingredients and Cook
- Pour the remaining liquid ingredients into the pot (broth, coconut milk, coconut aminos, and lime juice) and stir to combine. Add the chopped squash and apple, and stir.
- Increase heat to medium-high and bring soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and simmer uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until squash is tender and easily smashed with the back of a spoon, stirring occasionally throughout. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before blending.
Blend Soup
- Once squash is tender and soup is slightly cooled, transfer to a high-powered blender (I like using my Vitamix for blending soup). If the volume of soup is more than the max volume for the blender, work in batches. Blend until completely smooth.
Equipment
For this recipe you will need a high-powered blender. I love using my Vitamix for soups because it creates such a silky puree. An immersion blender can also be used, just take the time to ensure there are no chunks.
You will definitely have to work in batches using a 48-ounce blender. The volume of the soup is very close to the max fill line even on a 64-ounce blender. Avoid overfilling.
Storage
Store leftover soup in a glass airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
This soup makes a great make-ahead meal. Just allow the soup to cool fully and transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer for up to one month. When ready to enjoy, just pull from the freezer and thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat in the microwave.
Commonly Asked Questions
Yes, this recipe can easily be made vegan by using vegetable broth or stock.
To make this tasty soup in the Instant Pot just follow the first three steps in the recipe as written but instead use the crock from the instant pot to sauté. Then toss the peeled and cubed squash, apple, and liquid ingredients in to the crock. Hold the coconut milk and mix it in when blending instead. Set the timer for 15 minutes on the "Soup" setting. Once the timer goes off, release the pressure. Allow the soup to cool slightly, and then transfer to a blender and blend with the coconut milk until smooth.
I always use the Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste. This is because it is largely available throughout the country and is made with paleo-friendly ingredients. I have used the green curry paste from the same brand and that worked well, however I have a slight preference for the red curry paste.
You can try a different curry paste if you prefer, but be sure to use Thai curry paste.
Technically, coconut milk with gaur gum is not considered paleo. For a gum-free coconut milk, try Trader Joe's coconut milk or the pourable Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk that comes in a carton.
Dietitian Notes
- Bone broth is rich in collagen and amino acids like glycine, proline and glutamine. Collagen is particularly healing for the lining of your gut, and the amino acids in bone broth support cellular regeneration which allows the cells of your GI tract to repair. This can help keep your immune system functioning as it should since your gut hosts 70% of your immune cells.
- Soup is a fantastic way to get the nutrients your body needs when you are sick. Cooking and pureeing vegetables increases digestibility, giving your digestive system a much needed break, and allows for increased absorption of nutrients. When you steam or boil vegetables, a lot of the water-soluble vitamins are lost in the cooking water. This is not the case with this soup because you consume the cooking liquid.
- Butternut squash is loaded with vitamins A and C, and is a good source of prebiotic fibers, that serve as food for good bacteria.
- Spices like ginger and those found in curry paste have anti-inflammatory properties.
Recipe Tips
- For a thicker soup, you can use 3 cups of broth instead of 4.
- Squash size can vary quite significantly. That is why I recommend using 4 rounded cups of diced squash (½-inch cubes) or 600 grams to achieve the right consistency.
- To add some spice, mix in a little chili paste to taste.
Other Great Soup Recipes
Looking for other tasty recipes? Here are a few you might like:
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📖 Recipe
Curry Apple Butternut Squash Soup
Equipment
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Stock Pot
Ingredients
- 4 rounded cups Butternut squash, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces about 1 small squash or 600 grams
- 1 cup Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced about 1 large apple
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 cup Shallot, peeled and diced about 2 large shallots or 1 small sweet onion
- 2 tablespoon Minced garlic about 4 cloves
- 2 tablespoon Grated ginger about 2-inch piece
- ¼ cup Red curry paste
- 3 tablespoon Coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon Sea salt or to taste
- 4 cups Chicken bone broth or vegetable broth for vegan
- 1 13.5-oz can Full fat coconut milk
- ⅓ cup Coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoon Lime juice about ½ small lime
Toppings (optional)
- Drizzle of coconut milk
- Pepitas
- Sunflower seeds
- Chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Cut the ends off the squash and remove the seeds. Peel and dice the squash and apple into ½-inch pieces. Measure the butternut squash using 4 rounded cups to get the right soup consistency (save the rest for another recipe). Set aside.
- Heat the oil in stock pot over medium heat. Add diced shallot and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until tender.
- Add the curry paste, coconut sugar, spices and salt. Stir and sauté for about 1 min.
- Pour the remaining liquid ingredients into the pot (broth, coconut milk, coconut aminos, and lime juice) and stir to combine. Add the chopped squash and apple, and stir.
- Increase heat to medium-high and bring soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and simmer uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until squash is tender and easily smashed with the back of a spoon, stirring occasionally throughout. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before blending.
- Once squash is tender and the soup is slightly cooled, transfer to a high-powered blender (I like using my Vitamix for blending soup). If the volume of soup is more than the max volume for the blender, work in batches. Blend until completely smooth.
- Top with desire toppings and enjoy hot.
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