A simple and healthy vegan Thai butternut squash soup recipe made with lemongrass and coconut milk! Tastes even better on day 2, is gluten- and dairy-free and easy to prep.
There is really nothing more satisfying than a nice bowl of smooth and creamy soup. Some of my family’s favorites include this Ultra Creamy Butternut Squash Soup and this Thai Coconut Curry Soup. Another tasty Thai option is this Thai Butternut Squash Soup recipe which gets amazing flavor from lemongrass and lime leaves.
While often Thai flavors can be bold and assertive, sometimes I crave something mellower. This Thai butternut squash soup is definitely on the mellower side, with creamy coconut milk and citrussy flavors from the lemongrass and lime leaves.
Not only that but it’s loaded with butternut squash and carrots, is vegan, gluten- and dairy-free, and easy to prep.
Reasons you’ll ♡ this soup
Recipe video
Wondering how this soup recipe comes together? Watch this 1 minute video to see how easy it is to prepare! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
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Let’s talk ingredients!
- Butternut squash – peeled and cubed. Use frozen cubed butternut squash as a shortcut!
- Other veggies– onion, garlic, and carrots to add extra layers of flavor.
- Vegetable stock– I’ve been making my own homemade veggie stock and will share the recipe soon!
- Lemongrass– the long stalks you see in the photo above. Should be available in the produce section of your grocery store.
- Lime leaves– we’ve been able to find fresh lime leaves in our produce section on occasion, but in this case I’ve used dried lime leaves which I found in the spice aisle. They should also be available at specialty Asian grocery stores.
- Curry powder – go for a mild curry powder unless you want to up the spice level in this soup.
- Coconut milk – you want high-quality and full fat coconut milk for the richest, creamiest soup base
Soup is one of my favorite things to use in meal prep as it stores great! Here’s some tips for perfect soup:Meal prep tips
Can I swap out the coconut milk for something else?
The coconut milk really adds nice flavor to this soup, and I don’t recommend skipping it. It may be possible to use heavy cream in place; however, I have not tried and don’t know how this might affect the flavor. If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out in the comments!
Could I make this with chicken stock?
Yes, you can substitute chicken broth for veggie stock if you are not vegan. Try my homemade bone broth recipe!
I can’t find lemongrass or lime leaves at a local store… Can I leave them out?
If you can’t get locally, check Amazon for fresh lemongrass stalks and fresh lime leaves that are available to be delivered.
I don’t recommend skipping these ingredients as they add so much of the citrussy flavor that is essential for flavor in this soup. You could try this Creamy Thai Curry Sweet Potato Soup, which is made with a red curry paste that’s easily found in most grocery stores.
More healthy soup recipes:
- Caribbean Sweet Potato Soup
- Thai Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Thai Curry Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup
- Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Healthier Beef Barley Soup
This post was originally published in 2015. It has been rephotographed and republished in 2020.
Thai Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 4 cups butternut squash (peeled and cubed)
- 2 carrots (peeled and sliced)
- 2 cups stock (or more; enough to cover the veggies)
- 2 stalks lemongrass (outer leaves removed and cut into 2-inch pieces)
- 2 lime leaves
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 coconut milk (full fat)
To serve
- yogurt or coconut yogurt (to swirl in)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the butternut squash, carrots, stock, lemongrass, lime leaves, curry powder and salt.
- Cook for 15 minutes, or until butternut squash is soft.
- **Remove the lemongrass and lime leaves from the pot**
- Stir in the coconut milk, and puree using an immersion blender until smooth.
- Reheat gently (do not boil) and serve!
Storage
- This soup may be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Notes
- you can control the thickness of this soup. If you want it thicker, do not fully cover the butternut squash (1/2- 1 inch below). If you want it thinner as pictured, fully cover the squash
- make sure you remove all lemongrass and lime leaves as they have an unpleasant texture in soups
