Acorn Squash Soup with Coconut Milk and Thai Red Curry
This acorn squash soup is velvety and creamy in texture, and includes coconut milk for body and Thai red curry paste for warmth and spiciness. Often, creamy pureed soups use dairy like milk but this recipe uses coconut milk which makes it dairy-free and vegan. Garnishing the soup with toasted pumpkin seeds and crispy quinoa takes it over the top, adding a textural contrast to the creaminess of the soup.
Nothing screams “autumn” to me quite like this soup — its color, aroma, and taste all take me straight to a pumpkin patch covered in crispy red and yellow leaves. It takes a bit of time to prepare the soup if you are also doing the quinoa, but this dish is so packed with flavor you’ll want to make it again and again!
Why This Version is Different
Many squash soup recipes rely on classic fall flavors like maple syrup, sage, thyme, nutmeg, honey, or apple, however this version is a little different. Here is what makes this creamy acorn squash soup unique:
- Creamy With No Dairy: Coconut milk adds body to the soup, making it extra creamy without the need for dairy.
- A Little Spicy: This soup includes a little heat from Thai red curry paste, however, you can feel free to adjust it to your taste if you would like it spicier or less spicy.
- Zero Waste: The squash’s own seeds become the topping.
- Vegan as Written: Using no dairy or butter, this squash soup is naturally vegan and the quinoa adds some filling plant-based protein. However, feel free to skip the crispy quinoa to keep it keto and paleo friendly if desired.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the soup base, all you need is a mixture of acorn squash, olive oil, salt, pepper, red Thai curry paste, and stock to make a creamy soup. Here are some notes on some of the ingredients along with some possible substitutions:
- Acorn squash: Acorn squash is a key element of this recipe, which has green skin and is oval in shape, with bright orange flesh in the middle along with a sweet flavor. When choosing an acorn squash at the farmer’s market or grocery store, look for one that is heavy for its size and dull skin. A fully ripe acorn squash should also have an orange blotch on one side. For this easy acorn squash soup, the squash is halved and roasted whole, and doesn’t require any peeling.
- Other squash that work: If you would prefer not to use acorn squash, this recipe would be equally delicious with butternut or kabocha, which are also orange fleshed and cook to a creamy consistency.
- Coconut milk: This recipe calls for standard full fat coconut milk but you could use light coconut milk instead if you prefer. The soup will just have a less rich flavor.
- Thai red curry paste: Thai red curry paste is a spicy red paste that usually includes dried red chilies, lemongrass, galangal, shallots, garlic, lime, and more. It adds warmth, spiciness, and complexity to any Thai curry or soup, and rather than adding a bunch of separate spices, you will only need this paste to pack a punch. When using it in this recipe, start with the recipe amount and add more at the end if you would like the red curry flavors to be amplified or if you enjoy and extra spicy taste.
- Vegetable stock: Using vegetable stock for this soup imparts flavor and richness while keeping the soup completely vegan and vegetarian. When adding it to the soup, only add it a cup at a time to control your soup’s thickness as you may not require the full 4 cups of stock if you enjoy a thicker soup.
How to Roast the Squash Seeds
Whenever you use squash in your cooking at home, it is always a good idea to make roasted seeds with them as they are crunchy, delicious, and quite nutritious. Here is how to roast the squash seeds for this acorn soup recipe:
- Rinse and separate the seeds from the stringy pulp.
- Toss the seeds with oil, salt and pepper, and roast them alongside the squash, as the recipe does.
- You will know the seeds are ready when they smell toasted and fragrant, and have a light golden color.
- Once the seeds are roasted, allow them to fully cool before storing them in an airtight container. They should stay fresh for a few days at room temperature.
Tips for Best Results
While this vegan acorn squash soup is incredibly easy to make, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure you have the creamiest and most delicious squash soup ever. Here are some tips to ensure you get the best results:
- Roast the squash until it is fully tender so the soup blends to a silky texture.
- If you are blending your soup in a stand blender, blend it in batches and vent the lid when blending the hot soup. Alternatively, you can use a stick blender to blend the soup directly in your pot.
- Add stock gradually; you can always thin it, but you cannot easily thicken it once it is too loose.
- Taste for salt and curry paste after the final simmer, and adjust as needed.
Acorn Squash Soup with Coconut Milk and Thai Red Curry
Ingredients
Soup
- 2 acorn squashes, (cut in half, seeds scooped out)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper, (to taste)
- 1 14-ounce can coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon red Thai curry paste
- 4 cups vegetable stock
Roasted Seeds
- Squash seeds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper, (to taste)
Crispy Quinoa
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- Salt, (just a pinch)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Garnish
- Paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slather each acorn squash half with oil, then generously sprinkle salt and pepper on them.
- Place the halves on the baking sheet skin sides down, then place the sheet in the oven to roast until tender (about 1 hour).
- While the squash is roasting, wash the seeds you scooped out and mix them in a bowl with oil, salt, and pepper, then spread them on a new baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Place the seeds in the oven with the squash for 30 minutes, let the seeds cool and then store them in an airtight container. Set aside.
- Once the squash is cooled down enough to handle, put all of it into a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the coconut milk and curry paste and bring it to a simmer. You should have a very thick base at this point.
- Remove the pot from the heat and transfer the contents to a high-speed blender. Add the vegetable stock 1 cup at a time, pureeing between additions until the soup is at your desired consistency.
- Bring the soup to a simmer again and add salt and more curry paste as desired.
- Preheat the oven again to 340 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, add quinoa, coconut sugar, and salt, and stir to combine.
- In a small saucepan, add coconut oil and maple syrup, then warm over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, whisking frequently until combined and it has no visible separation.
- Immediately pour the liquid over the quinoa mixture and stir to combine until the quinoa is thoroughly coated.
- Arrange the quinoa on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread it into one even layer, then bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove the quinoa from the oven and stir/toss the mixture.
- Let the quinoa cool completely. (Note: This can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container.)
- Ladle the soup into cups or bowls, garnishing with the roasted squash seeds, quinoa, and paprika. (Note: Leave out the crispy quinoa part of this recipe to keep the soup vegan, keto, and paleo-friendly!)
- Store any leftover quinoa in a sealed bag or container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Bon appétit!
Note: Here’s a link to the Thai red curry paste I like to use.
FAQ
Can acorn squash be used to make soup?
Yes. Roasting brings out its sweetness and softens it so it blends to a smooth and creamy consistency.
Both work for soup, however, there are some differences. Butternut squash tends to have a sweeter taste whereas acorn squash is both sweet and earthy so the taste in your soup may be a little different. Meanwhile, the firmer nature of acorn squash may mean that it will need longer to cook than butternut squash. However, both should result in an equally creamy soup that is velvety and silky in texture.
Vegetable stock, which is used in this recipe, is the best option as it ensures the soup is vegan and lets the curry and coconut come through.
Common roasting when making squash soup includes under roasting the squash which results in the squash not being tender enough to blend, adding all the liquid at once which makes the soup too loose, and not seasoning at the end. Be sure to take a look at the Tips for Best Results section above to ensure that you avoid these mistakes.
Yes, this soup is vegan as written. If you are looking to make it keto and paleo friendly, you can omit the crispy quinoa.
Yes, the soup has some warmth from the curry paste. However you can use less if you would prefer it to be less spicy or add more if you would like your soup to have a spicier taste.
No, this acorn squash recipe calls for roasting the acorn squash halves and scooping out the flesh.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy and may vary depending on ingredients used. This content is not intended as medical or dietary advice.
Bablofil
Thanks, great article.
GB
YUM, YUM, YUM.
Love those seeds adding crunchiness to the soup.
veggiecurean
Thanks! Why waste those seeds. They are so delicious.
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