Butternut Squash Soup
This delicious, nutritious soup is anti-inflammatory and can help you to feel your best.
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I love a good soup! In fact, I think I’ve heard my family comment on my obsession with soups more than once…I may be a little weird. But soup is one of life’s great pleasures! Some soups are great because they are just plain yummy and cozy to eat. Some are super good for you and help you meet your nutritional needs. This butternut squash soup is both! Plus, it meets the requirements for paleo, Whole30, and vegan diets. If you are following the auto-immune protocol diet, this recipe fits that, too.
When I read The Plan by Lyn-Genet Recitas (find out more about this in my post entitled My Health Journey), I learned that many of our health issues, including weight gain, are related to inflammation. She taught me that having an anti-inflammatory soup can help to soothe the body. This recipe is based on her recipe for Butternut Squash soup – just jazzed up to fit my taste.
It includes several ingredients that are known to help with inflammation in the body. Turmeric is a spice commonly used in Indian cuisine. Asian cultures have used it as a medicinal herb for many years. More recently, Western medicine has begun to investigate
Ginger is also a powerful anti-inflammatory. This recipe contains A LOT of ginger to take advantage of its health properties. If you aren’t used to ginger, you may want to decrease the amount the first time you make the soup. My son loves ginger, and I know it’s great for us, so I put in a lot.
My butternut squash soup also includes coconut milk. Coconut milk is full of healthy fats and will help you feel full and satisfied. The full-fat version is the best choice because it includes more of those fats. Coconut also has some great health benefits. Studies suggest that it may be good for heart, joint, muscle, and brain health. It is also believed to be anti-inflammatory and can be helpful with weight loss. I try to include coconut milk in my family’s meals as much as possible.
When I make soup I always double the recipe because I love having soup for lunch. Not only do I save some in the fridge, but I also freeze individual servings so I always have homemade soup on hand.
To make the soup, you first need to chop the vegetables. Chopping a butternut squash is definitely a bit of a project. I always start by washing it with Fruit and Vegetable wash, because who knows where it has been and who has touched it?
Be sure to dry it carefully, as you don’t want it to slip as you are trying to cut it. Get a good, sharp knife. I like to first separate the larger round part from the thinner neck. Then, resting one of the flat sides on the cutting board, remove the skin by carefully slicing. Next, resting one of the flat ends of the larger rounder piece on the cutting board, slice the squash in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out and discard the seeds and stringy part. Finally chop up the squash, followed by the zucchini and onion. Of course, nowadays you can purchase pre-cut butternut squash. It is fine to use that, but if you do, make sure that it’s fresh. If there is a sour smell to the squash, it’s too old. Frozen squash would also work in this recipe.
I really recommend that you use fresh ginger root for this recipe. That will maximize its health benefits. But if you are short on time, it’s okay to substitute powdered ginger. To prep the ginger root, use a paring knife to carefully remove the skin. Then dice it as finely as possible.
My recipe calls for 1 Tbsp. of fresh garlic. Often recipes tell you how many garlic cloves to include – but the size of garlic cloves varies a lot! So to be clear, I measured my garlic for you in tablespoons. My family loves garlic. You can add even more if you are like us! A good garlic press really makes it easier for you to prep your garlic. Here is a link to one of my favorite brands:
The basic process of making the butternut squash soup is pretty easy. Cook up the veggies a little, add the broth and spices, then simmer for a while until the veggies are nice and soft. Once it is cooked enough, it is time to puree the soup. I have an immersion blender, which I HIGHLY RECOMMEND if you are into making soup! It allows you to leave the soup in the pot while you puree it. Otherwise, you need to carefully remove the soup from the pot, in batches, and puree it in a blender or food processor. The immersion blender allows you to save time and dirty dishes. And when you’re done, the blade on my KitchenAid version is removable and dishwasher safe.
The veggies are soft and ready to be blended. 
An immersion blender makes pureeing easy!
After pureeing, stir in the coconut milk. Taste the soup and decide if you need to add more salt or some pepper. I like to serve butternut squash soup with a swirl of extra virgin olive oil on top. A dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche would also be yummy.
And you’re done! I hope you enjoy my butternut squash soup! Please comment below and let me know what your favorite soups are!
Want some more healthy veggie-based recipes? Check out my other posts!
Low-Carb Spaghetti Squash Lazy Lasagna
Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash
- 2 zucchini
- 1 large onion
- 1 Tbsp. crushed garlic
- 1-2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 quart chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. curry powder (Leave out for AIP)
- 1 tsp. turmeric
- 1 14-oz can coconut milk
Instructions
- First, prep the butternut squash. With a very sharp knife, slice off each end. Next, cut the squash in half horizontally, separating the larger round part from the thinner neck. Then, resting one of the flat sides on the cutting board, remove the skin by carefully slicing. Then, resting one of the flat ends of the larger rounder piece on the cutting board, slice the squash in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out and discard the seeds and stringy part. Then chop up the squash.
- Chop the zucchini and onion.
- Peel the ginger root and then dice finely. Chop the garlic finely or use a garlic press.
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion. Cook it for about 3 minutes until it softens, then add the butternut squash, zucchini, ginger, and garlic. Continue to stir and cook until all vegetables have begun to soften, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add chicken broth and raise the temperature to bring the soup to a boil. Add the salt, curry powder, and turmeric. Once the mixture comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are very soft, about 15-20 minutes.
- At this point, you need to puree the vegetables. It is easiest to use an immersion blender. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you will need to transfer the soup to a blender or food processor. Work in batches.
- After the soup is blended, add the coconut milk. Stir, then taste and check for seasonings.
- Serve with a swirl of olive oil on top, if desired.
I so enjoy your site and your recipes. Would you please consider adding a print option so we can enjoy your recipes a little more easily. Thank you.
Thank you so much! It is possible to print the recipes. On the recipe, simply click “print recipe,” which is just below the picture of the recipe at the top.