Butternut soup is a velvety smooth, ever-pleasing, soul-comforting, tummy-hugging meal that gives you a wonderful feeling of peace and tranquility.
Whether you’re serving it as a starter or tucking into it as a dinner for one, butternut soup’s creamy sweet-savoury flavours are incredibly satisfying as they go down gently, spoon by spoon.
In this recipe, we’ve spiced the classic version of butternut soup up a bit with some distinctive Thai accents. The curry, tamarind and coconut combine to conjure up an exotic bouquet that instantly transport your tastebuds distinctly eastwards.
Thai butternut soup is easier to make than it might seem, making it elegant enough to serve for guests at a dinner party or a regular old family night during the week.
Keeping some extra servings on hand is even easier if you double up the recipe. Butternut soup freezes extremely well and the flavour actually increases by the next day.
Once you’ve made some, allow the soup to cool before separating it into portions and freezing for up to 3 months. It’s brilliant in a flask for work, out on a day trip, or with some fresh bread at a picnic.
As a vegetable, butternut squash is very healthy and adds to your five a day as an excellent source of beta carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A.
Butternut is a great choice to buy in bulk when in season, as there are so many ways to make the most of its unique flavour and texture: in a traybake, roasted on its own or with other vegetables, as a vegetable curry, in a ravioli, or even as a vegetarian lasagne.
Today though, it’s soup, glorious soup!
Thai Butternut Soup
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 500 g butternut diced
- 50 g Thai red curry paste
- 1 tbsp Tamarind paste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 400 ml can coconut milk
- 2 cups good-quality chicken or vegetable stock
- salt and pepper to taste
For Garnish
- Toasted coconut flakes
- ⅓ cup coriander chopped
Instructions
- Fry the Thai red curry paste in the olive oil over a medium to low heat for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add the diced butternut, then turn up the heat to medium high and add the coconut milk and stock
- Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened and the butternut is tender
- Remove from the heat and, using a hand blender, purée the soup until smooth but still thick
- Season to taste
- Reheat the soup in a clean saucepan
- Ladle into bowls and top with toasted coconut shavings and fresh coriander
Notes
The undisputed champion of all immersion blenders, KitchenAid's 5-speed brushed stainless steel hand blender makes quick work out of anything you put in its way.
The interchangeable bell blade can puree soup, froth milk and even crush ice, while the whisk attachment can whip egg whites or emulsify mayonnaise.
Light and versatile enough to use every day, and completely dishwasher safe.
