This Creamy Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Soup is warming, nourishing and budget-friendly. Packed with protein-rich lentils, sweet squash and warming spices, this soup is perfect for a cosy Autumn lunch or a light dinner.
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Soup season is in full swing, and this soup is a new favourite in my house. It's creamy, nourishing and full of warming flavours.
The butternut squash adds a lovely sweetness to this soup, which is balanced by the warming spices. The red lentils add some protein, and you can leave out the cream if you like, but a little cream goes a long way in the soup.
This soup is incredibly easy to make and great for a cosy lunch or light dinner. Just serve it with some good, crusty bread for a warming and satisfying meal.
❤️ Why You'll Love This Soup
- Easy one-pot recipe - No need to roast the butternut squash; this recipe calls for minimal prep and no complicated steps.
- Freezer-friendly - This soup freezes well, perfect for batch cooking too, and any leftovers are even better the next day.
- Very adaptable recipe - You can easily add more veggies in here if you want.
📝 Ingredient Notes
Here's what you'll need to make this Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup. See the printable recipe card below for a detailed ingredient list and instructions.
- Butternut Squash - I use half a medium butternut squash for this recipe. You will need to peel it and remove the seeds before you cut it into chunks.
- Red Lentils - You can use other lentils; however, I find that red lentils blend better.
- Curry Powder - I use a medium curry powder; you can use a mild one if you prefer. You will find curry powder in the spice section in all good supermarkets or online.
👩🍳 Top Tips
- The best way to peel the butternut squash is to use a good quality vegetable peeler, it makes light work of the squash and will save you time too!
- Make sure to stir the soup often so that the lentils don't stick to the bottom of the saucepan.
- Adjust the heat - If you prefer a milder curry flavour, then substitute the medium curry powder for mild curry powder. If you would like more heat, then add a small pinch of dried red chilli flakes to the vegetables when you add the spices.
Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 medium carrot peeled and diced
- 1 stick of celery finely chopped
- 1 large clove of garlic out through a garlic press or finely minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1½ tsps medium curry powder
- ½ a medium butternut squash peeled and any seeds removed, then cut into small chunks
- 100 g / ½ a cup of dried red lentils
- 1.2 litres /5 cups of vegetable stock
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 100 ml / ¼ cup of double cream (heavy cream)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan.Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery along with a small pinch of salt and cook until soft, for approximately 20-30 minutes.Next, add the spices and garlic, and cook for a minute, until the spices release their aromas.
- Now, add the chopped butternut squash. Stir the squash until it is coated in the spices.
- Add the lentils and stir well.
- Pour in the stock, season with salt and pepper, then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until the squash is cooked through.
- Finally, blend the soup using a hand-held blender until smooth.Add the cream if using, and return the saucepan to the heat to bring the temperature back up after adding the cream.Serve immediately.
Notes
- Nutritional Information - The nutritional information listed is for one serving and does not include rice, cheese or sour cream. All nutritional information shared is an estimate based on third-party calculations. If calorie count and/or nutritional values are important to you, we recommend putting the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary depending on which brands were used. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
- Weights and measurements - For US readers, I use Cuisipro measuring cups and spoons, and a Pyrex measuring jug for liquids. These are the industry standards. Cup/spoon volumes can differ from brand to brand. For accuracy, I recommend weighing all ingredients if possible for the best results.
- Heat - If you would like this soup spicier, then you could try a hot curry powder or add a pinch of dried red chilli flakes when you add the spices. If you perfer the soup to be less spicy then try a mild curry powder.
Nutrition
💭 FAQs
Yes, you can use brown or other types of lentils, but please note that this will affect the texture and the cooking time.
No, you can omit the cream if you like. If you are vegan and still want the soup to be creamy, you can add a dairy-free cream instead.
Yes, this soup freezes very well. Just omit the cream and freeze once cooled. The soup can be reheated on the hob once thawed. I add the cream towards the end of reheating.
I recommend peeling the squash so that the soup is nice and smooth when you blend it.
Annette Chambers
Perfect for the winter weather
Christine
If I was to purchase butternut squash already peeled and cut approximately what weight would I need?
Michelle Alston
Hi Christine, you would need approximately 450g.