Cozy up with a bowl of Roasted butternut squash and lentil soup that is bursting with fall flavors. This comforting soup is a medley of butternut, lentil, and carrot, where the lentils pair beautifully with the creamy and starchy textured butternut squash, making them rich and delicious.
The roasted squash and lentil soup recipe start by peeling the butternut squash. It’s a tough job, but you can easily peel and de-seed a butternut squash with this simple trick. Clean butternut squash with a wet towel to remove dirt or grits.
Poke holes in the squash.
Microwave on HIGH for 3-4 minutes. Microwaving will soften the skin and make it easy to peel.
After 3 minutes, carefully remove the squash from the microwave. Allow it to cool for 2-3 minutes. Peel the outer layer. Slice the top and end off.
Cut squash in half. Using a spoon, remove seeds from the squash.
Cut the butternut squash into cubes.
ROAST THE SQUASH
Preheat oven @375 degrees F. Grease a baking dish. Add cubed butternut squash, carrots chopped into cubes, celery, garlic cloves, bay leaves, and black peppercorns to this dish.
Spray olive oil and add sea salt. Mix it well. Make sure garlic is not on top of the vegetables as it burns quickly. Bake in the preheated oven (375 degrees F) for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are fork-tender.
Once done, remove them from the oven.
PREPARE THE SOUP
Take a fine-meshed sieve and rinse the lentils under cold running water to clean any dirt or dust. Set it aside to drain.
Transfer the rinsed lentils to a pressure cooker and cook the lentils for 1 whistle (5-10 minutes) or until soft. Once done, unlock the pressure cooker and set the lentils aside.
Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add onions and cook until translucent.
Add the baked vegetables and cook for additional 5 minutes.
Pour in vegetable stock and season with spices. Give it a good stir.
Time to add cooked lentils to the veggies. Mix to combine. Cook the veggies for another 5 minutes.
This allows the veggies to blend beautifully with lentils and vegetable stock. Remove bay leaves and discard.
Use an immersion blender to blend the veggies+lentil mix until smooth and creamy. Bring it to a boil. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Take it off the flame. Pour in soup bowls. Finally, complete the butternut squash and lentil soup with a drizzle of coconut cream and chopped green onions. Serve hot!
Notes
Can I make this soup in advance?You can double the recipe and make a big batch of the soup. Store the completely cooled soup in air-tight containers so that you can enjoy the soup throughout the week.How to reheat the soup?Thaw the soup by keeping it in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for three to four hours. To reheat, you can re-warm on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through. Or else, heat them in the microwave using 40-second intervals, stirring after each, until warm.Is this Butternut Squash lentil soup Freezer-Friendly?
Absolutely! Like my other soups, this soup is also a make-ahead freezer-friendly soup. Store the leftover soup in the freezer-safe jar, and the lentil soup stays well for up to 3 months in the freezer.When you need it again, thaw it over the counter, pair it with a loaf of whole-wheat bread, and a quick last-minute meal is ready to devour.
Serving suggestions!This soup is excellent to be paired with grilled ciabatta bread, garlic bread, croutons, soda bread, brown bread, and breadsticks.
