This butternut squash and lentil soup recipe is so tasty and warming. It’s mildly spiced and packed with protein. It’s also gluten and dairy free.

This recipe is easy to follow and uses simple ingredients. I have also included instructions on how to make this recipe in a slow cooker, as well as on the stovetop.

butternut squash and lentil soup recipe pin

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This warming soup makes the perfect lunchtime meal to have on chilly days.
It’s packed full of protein and has a very mild curry taste.
It is gluten and dairy free and can easily be made into a vegetarian dish by using vegetable stock instead of bone broth.
It is the perfect soup to prepare ahead of time.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions
3 garlic cloves
2 lbs (6 cups / 900g) butternut squash
1 cup (180g) split red lentils
1.5 cups (1 tin / 400ml) coconut milk
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
4 cups (1 litre) bone broth or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh coriander/cilantro leaves (optional garnish)

The ingredients listed above make 6 servings.

Equipment

Cast iron Dutch oven (casserole dish with lid) or large saucepan
Chopping / cutting board
Sharp knife
Wooden spoon
Hand held immersion blender
Pyrex measuring cup / jug

Ingredient Notes

Bone Broth or Stock

I like to use homemade chicken bone broth for this recipe, but if you don’t have any bone broth to hand then you can use chicken or vegetable stock instead.

Substituting the bone broth for vegetable stock will make this recipe suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Please check the ingredients label on any store bought stock, if you want this recipe to remain gluten and dairy free.

Making your own bone broth is easy and will add extra nutrients to this meal. Learn how to make chicken bone broth HERE.

Butternut Squash

I used a whole fresh butternut squash for this recipe. Once it was peeled and chopped into small chunks it weighed approximately 2 lbs / 900g.

To save time, you can use frozen butternut squash cubes instead, which are available in most grocery stores / supermarkets.

Alternatively, if you can’t find butternut squash then you can use sweet potato, pumpkin, or any other type of winter squash you can find. Try and opt for organic wherever possible.

Mild Curry Powder

The mild curry powder that I use for this recipe contains a mixture of the following spices; coriander seed, salt, turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin seed, ginger, black pepper, cardamom, chilli powder, clove, nutmeg.

Depending on the brand of curry powder you choose, the spice combination may differ from the list above.

If you don’t want to use curry powder then turmeric powder can be used instead.

Lentils

I use split red lentils for this recipe, as they cook quickly. You can use green or brown lentils instead, but if they are whole (rather than split) you may need to cook them for a bit longer.

Coconut Milk

I use a whole tin of full fat coconut milk in this recipe, but you can use light coconut milk if you prefer.

I put a couple of tablespoons of the coconut milk aside in a separate jug, to drizzle over the soup once it was served. This is an optional step and you can just pour the whole can of coconut milk straight into the pan.

How to Make Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup

Step 1

Chop up the onions and garlic.

Peel and chop the butternut squash into small chunks, if you are not using frozen.

Chopped butternut squash in white bowl on kitchen scales.

Step 2

Add olive oil to your Dutch oven (casserole dish with a lid) or large saucepan and set it to a medium heat.

Cook the onions on their own first, until they start to become translucent. This should only take a few minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, if you are not using bone broth, boil 4 cups (1 litre) of water to make your chicken or vegetable stock.

Place the stock cube in a Pyrex measuring jug and pour in 4 cups (1 litre) of boiling water. Stir to dissolve the stock cube.

Set the stock to one side.

Step 4

Add the garlic, butternut squash and curry powder to the pan and mix well. Cook for 2 more minutes.

Adding butternut squash, garlic and curry powder to the Dutch oven.

Step 5

Rinse the split red lentils in a bowl using filtered water and then drain them using a sieve.

Once the lentils have been rinsed off, add them to the pan.

Pouring water over split red lentils in a white bowl.

Using hand to squish lentils in water to wash them. Water looks murky.

Step 6

Add your bone broth or stock to the pan, stir well and bring to the boil.

Once it has started to boil, reduce to a medium heat and stir every now and again.

Cook for around 20 minutes, or until the butternut squash is tender enough to pierce easily with a fork.

Step 7

After 20 minutes add the coconut milk.

Bring to a boil and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Step 8

Use a hand held immersion blender to blend the ingredients into a soup. You can make it as smooth as you like, or leave it with bigger chunks in.

Using a hand held immersion blender to blend the ingredients

Step 9

Once you have blended the soup to your preferred consistency have a taste of the soup and add some salt and pepper if needed.

Garnish with some fresh coriander / cilantro and a drizzle of coconut milk if you want to make it look fancy!

Finished butternut squash and lentil soup

Recipe FAQs

How to store and reheat

This soup can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Allow the soup to cool completely before placing it in the refrigerator or freezer.

You can reheat this soup on the stovetop in a saucepan, or in a microwave.

Do I need an immersion blender?

Whilst having a hand held immersion blender will make your life a lot easier, you can get by without one. If you have a different type of blender, you can spoon in the soup in batches and use that instead.

Or you could use a potato masher and crush the butternut squash once it is cooked. However, this won’t give your soup a very smooth consistency.

Can this soup be made in a slow cooker?

Yes! Simply add all of the ingredients (apart from the fresh coriander / cilantro) into the slow cooker and set to cook on high heat for 4 hours or low heat for 6 hours. Just before serving use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh coriander / cilantro leaves before serving (optional).