40 Meatless Meals: Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup

Apologies for non-illustrative photos; this was so good that I forgot to take a picture until I had packed up the leftovers.

This is based on a recipe that I found over a year ago, shortly after I tried butternut squash soup for the first time.  Last summer, I grew squash for the sole purpose of making this soup, and once I got an immersion blender all the pieces had fallen into place.  I made this last night and immediately knew that it would be going into my regular soup rotation.  If you (or someone who eats your food) is averse to coconut and/or curry, the spice proportions can easily be tweaked.

Adapted from this recipe.

Makes 4 servings.

• 4 c. peeled, cubed butternut squash (about 1 medium sized squash)
• 1 sm. onion, diced
• 2 tsp. garlic
• 2 T. oil
• 3 c. veggie broth (or chicken, if that's what you've got)
• 1/2 Tbsp. curry powder, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• coconut milk (for topping; if it's served in a separate dish, everyone can add it to their own taste.  If you're having trouble locating this ingredient, check the Asian food aisle - the brand I found was Thai Kitchen)

In a large pot, heat the oil.  Add the onion and saute until it is soft and translucent.  Add the spices and garlic, and stir for 30 seconds.  Add the squash, broth, and sugar, stir to combine, and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and let it simmer for 30 minutes or until squash is soft.  Puree until smooth using regular or immersion blender.  Serve with coconut milk and for a little more substance, add quinoa, rice, or chickpeas.  I used the following recipe (from the same source):

Coconut quinoa

Melt 1 Tbsp. coconut oil (or other oil - I just used vegetable) in a pot.  Toast 1 cup of rice or rinsed quinoa for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add 1 1/2 c. of water and 1/2 c. coconut milk.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove heat and let it sit for 10 minutes.  Quinoa can be fluffed with a fork before serving; rice should be fine without.