Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup (Print Version)

A creamy, spiced blend of roasted squash and red lentils, ready in under an hour for hearty, comforting meals.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

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

→ Legumes

05 - 3/4 cup red lentils, rinsed

→ Spices

06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes, optional
11 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Liquids and Oils

12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
13 - 5 cups vegetable broth

→ Finishing

14 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
15 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Toss the butternut squash cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, or until golden and tender.
03 - In a large pot, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and carrots; sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
04 - Add garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and chili flakes if using. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add the rinsed lentils and stir to coat with the spiced oil.
06 - Add roasted butternut squash and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until lentils are soft.
07 - Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth, or leave it slightly chunky if preferred.
08 - Stir in lemon juice and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
09 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's naturally vegan and gluten-free without tasting like a compromise, which honestly still surprises people.
  • Roasting the squash first adds this caramelized depth that a raw squash soup could never achieve.
  • The spice blend feels exotic but uses ingredients most of us already have hiding in our cupboards.
02 -
  • Don't skip roasting the squash—I learned this the hard way by making it raw once, and the soup tasted pale and one-dimensional compared to the caramelized version.
  • Red lentils break down completely during cooking, which is the whole point, so don't worry if they seem to disappear—they're creating the soup's creamy texture.
  • Blend the soup while it's still warm; the immersion blender works better when everything is hot, and the texture will be silkier.
03 -
  • If you don't have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the soup to a regular blender in batches—just let it cool slightly first and never fill the blender more than halfway to avoid steam burns.
  • This soup tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to get to know each other, so don't hesitate to make it ahead.
  • Keep the lemon juice separate until you serve it; adding it while blending can make the soup taste slightly bitter instead of bright.
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