Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

• 1 (3 to 3 1/2–pound) butternut squash

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, or to taste

• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

• 6 bushy sprigs fresh thyme, divided

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped

• 3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)

• 2 leaf bay leaves

• 1 (13.5–ounce) can light coconut milk

• 1 cup water, plus more as needed

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 to 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, to taste

• Optional garnishes: homemade croutons, fresh thyme, coconut milk, cayenne pepper and/or black pepper

1. Prep and roast the squash:

   Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment. 

   Cut off the squash stem. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Season the interior of the squash with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Press 1 sprig of thyme on top of the seeds in the cavity of each squash half. 

   Lay the squash cut-side-down on the sheet pan. Roast until the skin begins to wrinkle and turn brown, and you can easily slide a paring knife into the squash in a few places, about 1 hour. 

   Let the squash sit until cool enough to handle.
   
   

2. While the squash roasts, make the soup base:

   Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, 4 sprigs of thyme, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Sauté until the onion is very tender and translucent and the carrot is nearly tender, 7 to 10 minutes. If the onion begins to brown, drop the heat a bit. You don’t want the vegetables to brown. 

   Add the coconut milk and water. Adjust the heat so the liquid simmers. Simmer for about 10 minutes to infuse the flavors into the broth. 

   Remove from the heat and use tongs to pluck out and discard the thyme and bay leaves (don’t worry about removing any tiny thyme leaves that drifted into the broth).
   
   

3. Scoop out the squash:

   Use a soup spoon to scoop the seeds and stringy bits from the cavity of the squash halves and discard. Remove the peel and discard (you may need the assistance of a sharp knife to help cut away the peel).
   
   

4. Blend and serve:

   Add the lemon juice, maple syrup, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste) to the pot. If using a standard blender, transfer the roasted squash and coconut broth to the blender. If using an immersion blender, put the squash into the pot with the broth. 

   Blend until very creamy and smooth with no visible bits of vegetables. If the soup is too thick, add more water as needed and blend again. Taste, adding more salt and/or pepper as desired. 

   Tip

   When blending hot soup in a blender, keep the lid cracked so that some steam can escape. Otherwise, you could end up with hot soup all over your kitchen.
   
   

   Ladle the soup into bowls, add any favorite garnishes, and serve warm. 

   Store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or store in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

   Love the recipe? Leave us stars below!
   
   

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.