Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup (Printer-friendly)

Creamy roasted squash and red lentils blended with warm spices for a comforting bowl.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cubed
02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Legumes

05 - 3/4 cup red lentils, rinsed

→ Spices

06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes, optional
11 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Liquids and Oils

12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
13 - 5 cups vegetable broth

→ Finishing

14 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
15 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped for garnish

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Toss butternut squash cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes until golden and tender.
03 - In a large pot, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and carrots; sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
04 - Add garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and chili flakes if using. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add rinsed lentils and stir to coat with spiced oil.
06 - Add roasted butternut squash and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until lentils are soft.
07 - Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth, or leave it slightly chunky if preferred.
08 - Stir in lemon juice and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
09 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of roasted butternut and warming spices creates layers of flavor that make you feel like youre wrapped in a cozy blanket.
  • Its deceptively filling without being heavy, somehow managing to be both comfort food and genuinely nutritious at the same time.
02 -
  • If your soup turns out too thick, simply add more broth or water rather than panicking and trying to adjust other ingredients.
  • Roasting the butternut separately rather than just throwing it raw into the pot makes an enormous difference to the depth of flavor.
03 -
  • For easier peeling and cutting, microwave the whole butternut squash for 2-3 minutes first, let it cool slightly, then proceed with your knife work.
  • The soup will continue to thicken as it sits, so if youre planning leftovers, you might want to reserve some extra broth to thin it when reheating.
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