Roasted Butternut Squash Soup With Coconut Milk – Cozy Vegan Recipe

I reimagined Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with coconut milk and paired it with a charred grilled cheese, a combo that made me rethink how simple ingredients can play together.

I never thought a simple bowl could behave like this. My Roasted Butternut Squash Soup With Coconut Milk sits somewhere between a Butternut Squash Coconut Soup and a Coconut Milk Soup, silky but with little odd pops of flavor.

The butternut squash and coconut milk feel like old friends re-introduced, familiar yet slightly surprising. I kept it stripped back on purpose, so each spoonful reveals something new, or a tiny fault that makes it honest.

If you like a soup that makes you guess whats next, this one will make you go back for another taste.

Ingredients

• Butternut squash: Sweet, creamy, full of beta carotene, fiber and slow-release carbs, really cozy.
• Coconut milk: Rich and silky, adds healthy fats and creaminess, boosts flavor and calories.
• Onion: Gives savory sweetness, vitamin C, fiber, and builds a tasty soup base.
• Garlic: Gives pungent warmth, immune friendly compounds and savory depth to the soup.
• Curry powder: Brings warm aromatic spices, small antioxidants and a gentle background heat.
• Lime or lemon juice: Bright citrus lifts the soup, adds acidity, vitamin C and cleans palate.
• Vegan cheddar cheese: Melts for gooey texture, adds savory fat and comforting, salty bite.

Ingredient Quantities

• For the soup
• 1 medium butternut squash, about 2 to 3 pounds, peeled seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed or minced
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped (optional)
• 1 13.5 ounce can full fat coconut milk
• 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for roasting
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon curry powder or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice
• Small handful fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped for garnish
• For the grilled cheese
• 4 slices sturdy bread, sourdough or country loaf works best
• 4 tablespoons vegan butter, softened or olive oil for frying
• 4 to 6 ounces vegan cheddar style cheese, sliced or about 1 cup shredded
• Optional: thin tomato slices or a pinch smoked paprika for extra flavor

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss the butternut squash cubes (and the chopped carrot if using) with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a good pinch of kosher salt, spread on a baking sheet and roast until golden and soft, about 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once so the edges caramelize.

2. While squash roasts, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Add the 3 smashed or minced garlic cloves and the roasted carrot bits (if you roasted carrot separately) and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.

4. Add the roasted squash to the pot, pour in the 1
3.5 ounce can full fat coconut milk and 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth. Stir in 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon curry powder (or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger), 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and a pinch of ground nutmeg. Bring to a gentle simmer for 10 to 15 minutes so flavors meld.

5. Puree the soup until smooth using an immersion blender right in the pot, or carefully transfer in batches to a blender (vent the lid and cover with a towel because it’s hot). If you like a little texture, dont over-blend.

6. Stir in 1 tablespoon maple syrup (more to taste) and 1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice, reheat briefly and adjust salt and pepper. If soup is too thick, thin with extra vegetable broth or a splash more coconut milk.

7. Heat a skillet over medium heat for the grilled cheese. Spread vegan butter on one side of each slice of bread (or brush skillet with olive oil). Assemble sandwiches butter-side-out, layer 4 to 6 ounces vegan cheddar style cheese and optional thin tomato slices, sprinkle smoked paprika if you want a smoky note.

8. Cook sandwiches in the hot skillet, pressing lightly with a spatula and covering for a minute to help the cheese melt, about 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden brown and melty. Lower heat if bread browns too fast.

9. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with a small handful of chopped fresh cilantro or parsley and a little swirl of extra coconut milk if you want. Serve with the grilled cheese, cut in halves for easy dipping.

Equipment Needed

1. Rimmed baking sheet for roasting the squash, youll flip once so edges caramelize
2. Large heavy pot or Dutch oven for sautéing and simmering the soup
3. Skillet (nonstick or cast iron) to make grilled cheese sandwiches
4. Immersion blender or heat-safe blender (vent the lid and cover with a towel when blending hot)
5. Cutting board for veg prep
6. Sharp chef’s knife youll use it a lot so keep it sharp
7. Vegetable peeler for the butternut squash and carrot
8. Measuring cups and spoons for broth, spices and coconut milk
9. Spatula for flipping sandwiches and a ladle for serving the soup

FAQ

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup With Coconut Milk – Cozy Vegan Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Butternut squash: swap with sugar pie pumpkin, kabocha squash, or peeled sweet potato. Kabocha is denser so roast a bit longer, sweet potato is sweeter so cut the maple back.
• Full fat coconut milk: use light coconut milk for less richness, or coconut cream diluted 1:1 with water, or cashew cream (soaked cashews blended with water) for a creamy non-coconut option. For minimal coconut flavor use oat milk plus a tablespoon of coconut oil.
• Vegan cheddar style cheese: swap for another melty vegan cheese (mozzarella or smoked varieties), sliced provolone style vegan, or make a quick cashew cheese sauce; nutritional yeast works if you want cheesy taste but it won’t melt.
• Olive oil: use avocado oil or grapeseed oil for high heat roasting, or melted vegan butter for a richer flavor when grilling the sandwiches.

Pro Tips

1) Get real caramelization on the squash by giving each cube some elbow room on the pan. If they sit on top of each other they steam instead of browning, and browned bits are what makes the soup taste richer. Use foil or parchment for easier cleanup, but dont crowd the tray.

2) Be careful when pureeing hot soup in a blender, it builds pressure and can pop the lid. Let it cool a few minutes, crack the lid and cover with a towel, or just use an immersion blender right in the pot. If you want a little texture, pulse instead of pureeing to death.

3) Layer the flavors as you cook, and taste at the end. Toast spices briefly in the oil with the onion to wake them up, then finish with the lime and maple and adjust to YOUR taste. If it still tastes flat try a tiny spoon of miso or soy sauce for extra umami, it works wonders.

4) For the grilled cheese, low and slow wins. Start in a warm skillet so the bread gets golden without burning while the inside melts, butter or oil the outside well, cover for a minute to help melt, and press lightly with a spatula. If your vegan cheese wont melt right, grate it or mix two kinds, or finish the sandwich in a covered pan for longer at low heat so it gets gooey without burning.