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a bowl of vegan butternut squash soup garnished with coconut cream and dry roasted chickpeas
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5 from 1 vote

Vegan Butternut Squash Soup with Red Lentils, Roasted Chickpeas, and Coconut Cream

This vegan butternut squash soup is packed with flavor from red lentils, roasted chickpeas and coconut cream. It's a hearty, healthy vegan soup, perfect for fall.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword dry roasted chickpeas, red lentil soup, vegan butternut squash soup, vegan honey substitute, vegan soup recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 235kcal
Author Chrissie (thebusybaker.ca)

Ingredients

For the roasted chickpeas:

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Prepare the butternut squash for roasting by slicing it in half lengthwise and scooping out the seeds. Set the halves on a baking sheet and brush 1 tsp of olive oil over the squash halves before placing them in the oven. Roast the squash for 65-70 minutes or until it's soft and you can pierce it easily with a fork all the way through.
  • Heat a large pot over medium heat and when it's heated add the 1 tsp olive oil, and then the onion and garlic. Cook these until the onions begin to soften and then add the curry powder and 1 tbsp honey. Stir these together well until the onions are coated and add the lentils.
  • Stir the lentils into the onion mixture and then spoon the roasted butternut squash out of its skin and into the pot. 
  • Stir everything together to combine, and continue to stir while you add the vegetable broth.
  • Once the soup reaches a boil, turn the heat to low and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the lentils are soft and cooked through.
  • While the soup is simmering, prepare the chickpeas for roasting by rinsing the chickpeas under cold water and patting them dry with a clean kitchen towel.
  • Toss chickpeas with 2 tsp olive oil, sea salt and 1 tbsp honey and spread them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) for about 20 minutes, turning them once at about 10 minutes.
  • After removing them from the oven, toss them in the curry powder and the other 1 tbsp of honey and set them aside.
  • After the soup has simmered for 20-25 minutes and the lentils are soft, remove the soup from the heat, add the coconut milk and stir to combine. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it's completely smooth and velvety in texture. Adding the coconut milk before you puree will help create this ultra-smooth texture.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle about 2-3 teaspoons of coconut cream or full fat coconut milk over each bowl. If you aren't vegan, feel free to add a dollop of fat-free Greek yogurt instead if you wish, but a little bit of coconut cream gives a delicious flavour and richness that's the perfect compliment to the spice of the curry.
  • Add a spoonful of the roasted chickpeas to each portion, sprinkle a little chopped cilantro over the top for the final touch, and serve!

Notes

Storage Instructions

This soup is great for meal prep because it keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

Freezer Instructions

Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
As the chickpeas are a crunchy element we would recommend roasting them fresh when you want to serve the soup or freezing them separately form the soup and thawing them in the oven/pan.

No-Fail Tips

When I make this soup, I roast the squash the night before to make the prep easier the next day. I simply roast it according to the directions above, let it cool, and then stick it in the fridge overnight, taking it out when I start preparing the soup. If you'd prefer to do it all in one day just make sure you leave enough time to roast the squash before beginning to prepare the rest of the ingredients. Roasting the squash is an important step for adding flavour to the soup.

Vegan Honey Substitute Options

  • Agave nectar
  • Maple syrup
  • Coconut nectar
  • Molasses
  • Brown rice syrup 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 786mg | Potassium: 568mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 10226IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 3mg