Miso Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Name: Miso Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 1 medium butternut squash (about 1kg / 2lbs, halved and seeds removed); 2 teaspoons olive oil; salt and pepper; 1 Tbsp coconut oil; 1 large onion (diced); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 - 2 Tbsp freshly grated ginger; 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro (leaves and stems); 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes; 3 cups vegetable broth; 14 oz coconut milk (light or full-fat); 1 medium lime (juiced); 2 Tbsp white miso; salt and pepper; toasted sesame oil (for garnish); cilantro leaves (for garnish )

Published: Oct 20, 2020 · Last Updated: Dec 14, 2021 by Katie Trant · 43 Comments

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This Roasted Butternut Squash Soup recipe is made with the delicate flavours of coconut, miso, and lime. Silky smooth, this vegan soup recipe is comforting, nourishing, and complex.

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Soup season is here and I for one am going all in.

Whether it's a cozy bowl of Vegan Chickpea Noodle Soup, some spicy Pumpkin Curry Soup, or Instant Pot Carrot Soup, I am here for it. If you, like me, want to go all in on soup feel free to peruse our Soups and Stews archives to get in on the goodness.

This particular soup recipe, Miso Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, is a seasonal favourite that I think you're going to want to get in rotation. It's velvety smooth, and has a deep, rich, complex flavour thanks to roasting the butternut squash before we blend it into the soup.

If you're wondering what the heck miso paste, coconut milk, and lime are doing in this soup together with warming spices like turmeric and smoked paprika, let me tell you, your taste buds are in for a treat.

I first published this recipe back in 2014, and like many of my older recipes, when I went back to freshen it up I gave my head a shake at all of the unnecessary steps. I previously instructed you spend your valuable time peeling and dicing the butternut squash before roasting, but 2020 Katie doesn't have time for that kind of nonsense.

Why would we peel and cube when we could simply hack that squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and throw it into the oven to roast while we take care of other things?

So let's get into it and make this new and improved roasted butternut squash soup.

What do I need to make this soup?

Time to gather your ingredients, my friends! Here's what you need:

Butternut squash --> We're going with a nice big guy, around two pounds.
Onion --> The usual wing man.
Ginger --> For a bit of zing.
Garlic --> Goes without saying.
White miso paste --> You're going to love this flavour.
Coconut milk --> One can of either lite or full-fat.
Turmeric --> Bright yellow healing power!
Smoked paprika --> The queen of spices.
Chili flakes --> For some optional heat.
Lime --> To balance things out.
Coconut oil --> Builds great flavour into this soup.

Equipment:

I like to make my soups in a big, deep, heavy-bottomed pot. My favourite is this Dutch Oven from Le Creuset.

You will also need something to blend the soup with. I used my Vitamix for this recipe because I love how velvety smooth it gets this soup, but you can certainly also use an immersion blender and blend it right in the pot.

How do you make this recipe?

While admittedly this roasted butternut squash soup dirties up more dishes than I normally like, it's very simple to make. Are you ready for this? I'll talk you through it!

Step 1: Slice your squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Rub it with a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place it into a baking dish cut side up / skin side down, and place into the oven to roast for about 30 minutes, or until deeply golden and tender.

Step 2: While the squash is roasting, let's get the soup base ready.

Start by melting a bit of coconut oil in a heavy bottomed pot, and sautéing the onions until translucent. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for a few minutes more.

Step 3: (above) Add the cilantro and spices and sauté for a couple of minutes more.

Step 4: When your flavour base is nice and cooked down (see below) you're going to add just a bit of vegetable broth to the pan.

We're using this to help lift any spices that are stuck to the bottom off the pot - but don't worry if they don't all come up, we'll be adding everything back into this pot eventually.

Step 5: Transfer the broth and flavour base to your blender. Scoop your roasted squash out of the skin (make sure it's cool enough to handle!) and add to the blender.

Step 6: Blend until completely smooth, adding a bit of extra broth if necessary.

*Note - If you are using an immersion blender you can do this blending step right in the soup pot.

Step 7: Transfer the squash mixture back to the soup pot.

Tip! I like to add the remaining broth into the blender at this point and run it for a few seconds to help get all off the squash mixture out.

Step 8: Add the remaining broth, coconut milk, miso, and lime juice to the pot.

Stir to combine, and gently heat to serving temperature.

That's it! You're done!

Can I make this soup in advance?

You sure can! Either the whole thing, and just reheat when you're ready to serve, or you can roast the squash in advance and throw the whole thing together quickly.

Roasted butternut squash is a great addition to your weekly batch cooking (related: Batch Cooking For Beginners) and can be used in a recipe like this Spicy Squash and Lentil Salad or even to make a Hassleback Butternut Squash if you par-cook it.

Can I freeze soup?

You can and you should. I almost always freeze a few portions of soup, and they're perfect for easy weeknight dinners.

I tend too freeze my soup in empty yogurt containers or wide-mouth mason jars. Just remember to leave enough head space at the top off the container for the soup to expand as it freezes.

Frozen soup also makes a great packed lunch as it doesn't slosh around in your bag during your commute - just make sure you've got somewhere to re-heat it on the other end.

How can I use up that miso paste?

First of all, worry not - miso paste lasts for ages in your fridge. And it's a handy ingredient to have on hand.

I use it in the broth for these 10-Minute Vegetable Ramen Noodles, in these Miso Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts, or in this simple Miso Veggie Soup in a Jar.

What's the deal with butternut squash?

Glad you asked!

Winter squash such as butternut and other yellow-fleshed squash are rich in carotenoids, a precursor to vitamin A, and are a good source of vitamin C.

The seeds, when consumed in moderation, are a great source of healthy oils including linoleic acid (polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid) and oleic acid (the same monounsaturated fatty acid found in olive oil).

Winter squash also contains a good dose of fibre, potassium, vitamin C, and manganese.

Other recipes you might enjoy:

Spicy Roasted Hokkaido Pumpkin
Roasted Pumpkin Frittata
Stuffed Acorn Squash
Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili

two bowls of miso butternut squash soup on blue plates with a big bowl of soup in the background

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