Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup (Print Version)

A velvety blend of roasted butternut squash and red lentils with warming spices, ready in one hour.

# What You 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 for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss butternut squash cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on the 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 cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and smoked paprika. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until the spices become fragrant and release their essential oils.
04 - Add roasted squash, red lentils, vegetable broth, and water to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until lentils are completely soft and tender.
05 - Remove pot from heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth and velvety. Alternatively, carefully transfer soup in batches to a standard blender, blend until smooth, and return to pot.
06 - Stir in lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed to balance flavors.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in an hour, leaving time to light a candle before dinner.
  • The spice combination tastes far more complex than the ingredient list suggests, almost like you spent all day on it.
  • Red lentils disappear into the soup, making it feel luxuriously creamy without any cream at all.
  • One bowl actually fills you up, which became my favorite discovery when I realized how much protein was hiding in each spoonful.
02 -
  • Don't skip roasting the squash; boiled squash tastes watery and thin, but roasted squash has a concentrated sweetness that becomes the soup's soul.
  • If your soup feels too thick after blending, add water a splash at a time rather than more broth, which can oversalt everything.
  • The lentils continue to absorb liquid as the soup cools, so if you're making it ahead, you might need to add a bit more water when reheating.
03 -
  • If you have an immersion blender, it's worth the minimal cleanup compared to a standard blender; there's something satisfying about turning lumpy broth into silk in the pot itself.
  • Taste the soup before adding salt, then season gradually, because the broth may already be salted and squash sweetness needs just the right amount of salt to shine.
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