Coconut Curry Squash Soup Recipe

Prepare squash

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Cut the squash in half, scoop out seeds and stringy bits, then peel if using butternut. Cut into roughly 3–4 cm chunks. Toss squash with 1 teaspoon oil and a pinch of salt on a baking sheet. Roast for 25–30 minutes until fork-tender and edges beginning to brown. Alternatively, peel and cube and simmer directly in the pot (see step below).

Sweat aromatics

While squash roasts, heat 2 tablespoons neutral oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Finely dice the yellow onion. Add onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Mince the garlic and grate the ginger; add to the pot and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn.

Build curry flavor

Add 2 tablespoons red curry paste and 1 teaspoon ground turmeric to the aromatics. Stir and cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices. Add 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 tablespoon soy sauce and stir to combine.

Combine and simmer

Add the roasted squash to the pot. Pour in 900 ml vegetable broth and bring to a gentle simmer. If you skipped roasting, add raw cubed squash and increase simmer time until tender, about 20–25 minutes. Simmer 8–10 minutes to let flavors meld.

Finish with coconut and acid

Reduce heat to low and stir in 400 ml full-fat coconut milk. Warm through but do not boil vigorously. Add 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce (adjust if already added above), 2 teaspoons salt (adjust to taste) and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more lime for brightness, more salt or a pinch more sugar if needed.

Blend to smooth

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until very smooth and velvety. Alternatively, carefully transfer batches to a blender (do not overfill) and blend until smooth, then return to the pot. If the soup is too thick, thin with up to 150 ml additional warm broth or water to reach desired consistency.

Finish and keep warm

Reheat gently to serving temperature (do not boil). Adjust final seasoning and stir in an optional tablespoon of coconut cream for extra silkiness.

Preheat and mix

Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl combine 120 g raw pumpkin seeds, 60 g rolled oats, 30 g coconut flakes, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir until everything is evenly coated.

Bake and cool

Spread the mixture in an even layer on the prepared sheet. Bake 10–12 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until seeds are toasted and oats are golden. Watch closely in the last minutes to avoid burning. Remove from oven and let cool fully on the sheet — the mixture will crisp as it cools. Break into clusters for topping.

Toast extra pumpkin seeds

If using extra toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish, heat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds and toast, shaking the pan, until they pop and are fragrant, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Serve

Ladle soup into warmed bowls. Sprinkle each bowl with a generous pinch (about 1–2 tablespoons) of pumpkin seed granola. Add a few toasted pumpkin seeds and a small handful (approx. 5–10 g) of micro cilantro per bowl on top. Drizzle a little coconut cream if desired. Serve hot.