Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup (Print Version)

A creamy, nourishing blend of roasted butternut squash and red lentils with aromatic spices, ready in just one hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium butternut squash (approximately 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cubed
02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
03 - 1 large onion, chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Legumes

05 - 3/4 cup red lentils, rinsed

→ Broth & Liquids

06 - 4 cups vegetable broth, gluten-free
07 - 1 cup water

→ Spices & Seasonings

08 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Finishing

14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
15 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
16 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, optional for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss butternut squash cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and tender.
02 - Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrots; sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
03 - Stir in ground cumin, ground coriander, ground turmeric, ground cinnamon, and smoked paprika. Cook for 30 seconds until the spices release their aromas.
04 - Add the roasted squash, red lentils, vegetable broth, and water to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until lentils are completely soft.
05 - Remove the pot from heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth and velvety. Alternatively, carefully blend the soup in batches using a standard blender and return to the pot.
06 - Stir in the lemon juice. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like comfort in a bowl but doesn't require you to spend your whole evening cooking.
  • Those warming spices hit different when you're feeling run down or when the weather turns cold.
02 -
  • Don't skip roasting the squash even if you're tempted to throw it raw into the pot; that caramelization is what separates this from tasting like liquidized vegetables.
  • The soup will thicken as it cools, so if it seems a little loose after blending, that's actually perfect; you can always thin it with more broth when reheating.
03 -
  • Don't toss your butternut squash cubes in the oil and spices before roasting; roast them plain so they caramelize properly without the spices burning on the outside.
  • If your immersion blender isn't powerful enough to get the soup completely smooth, you can partially blend it and leave some texture, which actually changes the whole feeling of the dish in an interesting way.
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