Necessity is the mother of invention, and after making numerous pies and side for Thanksgiving, I was left with an abundance of roasted sugar pumpkins and butternut squash. I had sage left over from the stuffing, carrots I had lined the roasting pan with and a lone can of coconut milk my husband had purchased months before.
I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of coconut flavor, but was curious as I had seen coconut milk used in so many butternut squash recipes. Especially following a big holiday, I was looking to create a soup that was healthy but hearty. Coconut milk is thick and creamy, and is especially rich in nutrients – it has many vitamins and minerals and packs a lot of protein. Because you’ll add just a half cup to thicken and add to the creamy texture of the soup, you’ll hardly be able to trace the flavor in the final product. That being said, if you do love that coconut flavor, feel free to double the amount in your own rendition of this recipe. This soup is vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free and is so incredibly healthy (though you wouldn’t notice when you taste it). It is rich and creamy and delicious – I know you’ll love it.
Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small white onion
- 2 carrots, peels and diced into small pieces
- Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
- 2 teaspoons of salt, separated
- 1 1/2 cups cooked pumpkin
- 2 cups cooked butternut squash
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon chopped sage
- 1/2 cup coconut milk, plus 1/4 cup for decoration
Directions
- Heat a dutch oven, or heavy, enamel lined pot over medium high heat. Add olive oil, and allow to heat for about a minute.
- Add red pepper flakes, onion, carrots and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir and cook until onions are translucent and carrots are softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add in pumpkin and butternut squash. Stir to combine and break up the pieces. Add vegetable stock, and stir.
- Season the soup with salt, chopped sage, and reduce the heat to a low flame. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, add coconut milk and stir. Allow to simmer together for about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, and blend using an immersion blender, or carefully transfer to a heavy duty blender, such as a Ninja or Vitamix.
- Ladle into dishes, and drizzle a tablespoon in a swirl pattern in the center of the dish for decoration.
Pumpkin and Butternut Squash can be cooked by dicing and spreading onto a sheet pain, and drizzled with olive oil and salt. Cook for 45 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow to cook and remove skin with a paring knife.
