Thai Butternut Ginger Soup

The magic of roasting brings out the sweetness of this vibrant Thai butternut ginger soup. Thick and spicy with fresh ginger, red curry while the coconut cream adds a creamy texture. Garnished with fresh Thai basil, chopped peanuts and a chilli finishing oil for some zing.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 15

Servings: Servings

Calories: 191kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

1 butternut squash 3 to 3-1/2 pounds
1 large yellow onion peeled and cut in half
1 garlic head
3 tablespoons oil divided
3 tablespoons grated ginger
6 cups chicken broth divided
2 tablespoons grated lemongrass white part only (see notes)
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 tablespoon garlic chili sauce
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2-3 kaffir lime leaves optional
1 can 15oz coconut cream
Lime Wedges
Fresh Thai Basil
Chopped peanuts
Red chili finishing oil

Instructions

Roast the Vegetables:

Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the butternut squash on the baking sheet, cut side up, with the onion. Cut 1/2-inch off the garlic, drizzle with oil and wrap in foil.
Brush the flesh of the squash and the onions with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast until the vegetables are tender, about 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, spoon the squash into a blender bowl along with the onions. Unwrap the garlic and pick out the cloves and place them into the blender bowl. Add 2 cups of the chicken broth and turn the machine on to low, gradually increasing the speed.
Process the vegetables to a thick purée adding additional chicken broth if needed. When smooth and creamy, remove the container from the machine and reserve.

Make the Soup:

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan, set over medium heat. Add the ginger, lemongrass and red curry paste, sauté for 1-2 minutes stirring frequently.
Pour in the puréed vegetables and stir in the remaining chicken broth, chili-garlic sauce, fish sauce, lime juice and the kaffir lime leaves, if using. Bring the soup to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low, stir in the coconut cream and simmer for 10 minutes.

To Serve:

Remove and discard the kaffir lime leaves and ladle the soup into bowls. Serve with lime wedges and garnish each serving with Thai basil leaves, chopped peanuts and a swirl of hot chili finishing oil.

Notes

Roasting the butternut squash eliminates the need of peeling it and also brings out the sweetness of the squash.
Do not overfill the blender bowl with the hot vegetable mixture, if necessary process in batches.
Fresh lemongrass can be substituted with a prepared lemongrass paste such as Gourmet Gardens usually found in most produce areas.
Packages of kaffir lime leaves can be found in the produce section along with various herbs.
Hot chili oil is very spicy and a few drops adds a lot of zing. It is available in the Asian section of most grocery stores.

Nutrition