This butternut squash and red pepper soup is a flavourful lunch recipe and so perfect for the fall months! Easy to make in one pot, it's deliciously creamy from coconut milk with a hint of spice from zingy ginger.
Soups are always so cosy in the fall and winter months, and so easy to make for a tasty and healthy lunch. If you love fall-inspired soups then I know you will love my butternut squash and apple soup and pumpkin pesto soup too! Both so tasty and perfect for fall!
This butternut squash and red pepper soup has all the warming vibes, and is packed with healthy ingredients. Thyme gives a lovely herby flavour, and the ginger a little hint of spice. Enjoy this creamy vegan soup with all the family!
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⭐ Why you'll love this recipe
- Fall flavours - butternut squash is the taste of fall (or autumn for my UK readers!) and has such a cosy and warming feeling when used as the basis of soup.
- Healthy - so many nutritious ingredients, including fresh vegetables, herbs and spice.
- Easy to make - just a few steps to make your warming lunch or dinner and all in one pot!
🥕 Ingredients
Make sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients and their quantities!
Some notes on a few of them:
- Butternut squash, carrot and red pepper - as always, pick fresh produce without any wrinkles or bruising.
- Coconut milk - the type you get in a can rather than in a carton used for coffee.
- Vegetable broth - homemade is always extra flavourful I find, but store-bought is good too if it works for you.
📖 Swaps and variations
Use frozen butternut squash instead of fresh. While squash is usually available year-round, I have made this soup with frozen when I haven't been able to find it in the stores.
Increase the spice. If you like a more spicy butternut squash soup you can always use more ginger, and add a little turmeric or sweet paprika also.
🔪 Step by step instructions
Just a few steps to make this flavourful fall butternut squash and red pepper soup with coconut milk:
Step 1
Fry onion and garlic. In a large pot, fry the onion and garlic on a low heat in olive oil for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Sprinkle in the dried thyme and ground ginger after a minute or so (image 1).
Step 2
Add the vegetables. Add the butternut squash, red bell pepper and carrot to the pot and stir well to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes (image 2).
Step 3
Add vegetable stock. Pour in the vegetable stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a very light simmer and pour in the coconut milk. Stir well and cook for about 20 minutes (image 3).
Step 4
Blend the soup. Either use an immersion blender or transfer the soup mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth (image 4). Season with salt and black pepper, if using, and top with the garnishes.
💭 Recipe tips and notes
- Peel the butternut squash and then dice into roughly similar sized pieces for an even cook time.
- Adjust the amount of herbs and spice to taste preference.
- Make sure the vegetables are fork tender before blending the soup.
- If using pepitas as a garnish, you can dry toast them for a few minutes for extra flavour.
📋 Frequently asked questions
Roasting the vegetables will give so much flavour, and is definitely an option. It will of course add a fair bit of time to the overall cook time. But lovely on a lazy weekend when you have the time!
Yes, you can use frozen butternut squash and I've made it that way a few times. The squash will release a little more liquid so you may wish to reduce the amount of vegetable stock used a little.
It is better to peel the butternut squash to make this recipe. If you are roasting the squash first then it isn't necessary to peel it.
📋 Freezing guidance
This butternut squash and red pepper soup freezes really well. Ladle portions into tupperware or zip-loc bags, then reheat in your pot. You may need to add a very small amount of water or vegetable stock.
🥣 More flavourful soups
Perfect for lunch or a light dinner, there are many soups to choose from here on the site, including my warming parsnip cauliflower soup and my easy quinoa vegetable soup. Some recent recipes to enjoy:
I’m always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes. And I love to hear from you - so please do leave a star rating or comment if you tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small butternut squash peeled, seeds removed, diced
- 1 red bell pepper stalk, seeds and membrane removed, diced
- 1 carrot peeled, diced
- ½ white onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves finely diced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger more to taste
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup coconut milk
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper
Optional garnishes
- pepitas
- fresh herbs diced
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, fry the onion and garlic in olive oil on a low heat until softened, about 4-5 minutes, including the dried thyme and ground ginger after a minute or so.
- Add the butternut squash, red bell pepper and carrot. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Pour in the vegetable stock, bring to a boil and then reduce to a very light simmer. Add the coconut milk, stir well and allow to cook for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender.
- Use an immersion blender to blend to a smooth soup. Season with salt and black pepper, if using, and top with the garnishes.
Notes
- Peel the butternut squash and dice into roughly similar sized pieces for an even cook time.
- Frozen butternut squash can be used instead of fresh.
- Adjust the amount of herbs and spice to taste preference.
- If you don't have an immersion blender you can transfer batches to a food processor to blend the soup.
- garlic and ginger, which score 1.
- black pepper, which scores 2.
- vegetable stock is variable, and will depend upon the brand used or your own recipe.
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