Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup (Printable View)

Roasted butternut squash and red lentils blended with aromatic spices for a creamy, nourishing bowl perfect for chilly days.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cubed
02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
03 - 1 large onion, chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Legumes

05 - 3/4 cup red lentils, rinsed

→ Broth and Liquids

06 - 4 cups vegetable broth, gluten-free
07 - 1 cup water

→ Spices and Seasonings

08 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Finishing

14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
15 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
16 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, optional for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss butternut squash cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on the baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and tender.
02 - Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrots; sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Stir in cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and smoked paprika. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add roasted squash, red lentils, vegetable broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until lentils are soft.
05 - Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth, or carefully blend in batches in a standard blender.
06 - Stir in lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The soup comes together in under an hour but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • Red lentils dissolve into the broth, creating natural creaminess without any actual cream, which means it works perfectly for vegan diets.
  • Those roasted squash cubes add a caramelized sweetness that balances the earthiness of the lentils in a way that feels almost luxurious.
  • You can make a massive batch and freeze half, which is clutch when life gets busy.
02 -
  • Roasting the squash separately from the soup might seem like an extra step, but it's the difference between soup that tastes good and soup that tastes incredible because of the caramelization that happens in the oven.
  • Red lentils fall apart completely when fully cooked, which is exactly what you want here for natural creaminess, so don't undercook them thinking they need to hold their shape.
  • Lemon juice at the end is non-negotiable because it cuts through the richness and prevents the soup from tasting one-dimensional no matter how good your spices are.
  • If your blender is struggling or if you prefer a chunkier texture, you can blend only half the soup and leave the rest with some texture, giving you the best of both worlds.
03 -
  • Don't overcrowd the baking sheet when roasting squash because steaming defeats the purpose of roasting, so spread it in a single layer and give it space to caramelize properly.
  • If you don't have an immersion blender, a regular blender works fine but blend in smaller batches to avoid overfilling and creating a messy situation with hot soup.
  • Adding a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger along with the garlic brings extra warmth and adds serious gut-health benefits that align perfectly with the lentils and vegetables already in the pot.
Return