Creamy Thai Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk

This Thai butternut squash soup recipe is one our family is ready to make every single year as soon as we feel that crisp fall air! It's vegan, made in one pot, and ready in less than an hour. With warming Thai spices and coconut milk, you get a thick and creamy texture for the ultimate comfort food!

this recipe

As soon as I feel a crisp fall breeze, I'm officially in soup mode. Preferably something cozy, creamy, and steaming-from-the-bowl, please! And this Thai butternut squash soup with coconut milk is the one I make on repeat every fall.

It checks all the boxes for an easy dinner: one pot, under an hour (mostly hands-off simmering), naturally vegan, and packed with warming spices. So if you've been wondering how to turn that farmers market squash into something simple but still special, this is your sign!

Over the years, I've realized it also doubles as an amazing Thai curry sauce! Just spoon it over rice, toss it with roasted veggies, or serve it alongside crispy tofu or chicken. Cozy soup one night, easy curry dinner the next. Let's make this soup!

Key Ingredients

• Butternut Squash - The star ingredient in this Thai butternut soup! Choose a squash that feels heavier than it looks and has hard, tan skin (no green). Butternut squash is at its peak in fall and can last throughout winter if stored in a cool, dry place, such as a pantry or on a countertop. Check out my October seasonal produce guide for some butternut squash recipe inspo!
• Coconut milk - I'm going to vouch for full fat coconut milk here! It adds a rich, creamy flavor that really leans into the Thai inspiration.
• Thai red curry paste - I like to be pretty heavy-handed with this stuff in soups and curries. My go-to brands are Mike's Organic Curry Love and Thai Kitchen red curry paste.

Substitutions & Variations

Don't have some ingredients or want to modify for dietary needs and preferences? Check out some swaps below!

• Crunchy toppings - Pepitas, cashews, or croutons are all great here. If you don't mind baking up an extra delish topping, try homemade whole wheat croutons or these 20-minute maple cayenne caramelized walnuts.
• Bread - We can't talk about soup without talking about bread. If you have a good sourdough or hearty dinner roll on hand, slice some of that up for dunking. So good!
• Roasted butternut squash - To intensify the butternut squash flavor, try roasting your butternut squash in halves instead of letting it simmer. Scoop out the roasted squash flesh and add to the other veggies and broth before blending.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Thai Butternut Soup

1. Step 1: Heat coconut oil over medium heat in a large soup pot or dutch oven. Add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 5-7 minutes to soften, then add in red curry paste and sauté for 2-3 more minutes so that the veggies soak up all that curry flavor.

2. Step 2: Add the veggie broth to the soup pot and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until butternut squash is very soft.

3. Step 3: Add the coconut milk, then blend the soup until very smooth. You can use an immersion blender, or carefully transfer the soup to a standing blender for this step. If using a stand blender, I'd give the soup 5 minutes to let some of the steam out before blending (just to be safe!).

4. Step 4: Now you've got a classic Thai butternut squash soup with coconut milk! Ladle soup into bowls and serve with toppings. I love cilantro, pepitas, crispy chickpeas, and an extra drizzle of coconut milk on the top!

How to Adjust Soup Thickness

The recipe provided below yields a pretty thick soup that can be thinned if you want. Just add more liquid! That said, if you end up with some thinner soup than you like, a couple thickening tricks could work.

1. Add bread - Let a piece of lightly toasted sourdough to soak in the soup for a few minutes, then blend it all again.
2. Cornstarch slurry - Make a cornstarch slurry by stirring equal parts cornstarch and water together. Stir it into the soup and allow it to simmer for a few minutes until thicker.
3. More squash - You could always blend in more cooked butternut squash cubes if you have them. Worst comes to worst, you could simmer more squash cubes in the soup, or whip up some air fryer butternut squash and blend it in!