Vegan Butternut Squash Kale Soup with Lentils

This vegan butternut squash kale soup is nourishing and comforting and the perfect treat for a rainy day. Ready in just 45 minutes, this hearty soup is loaded with veggies and made super flavourful with lots of ginger and spices.

A comforting soup is all I want on a rainy day, even in summertime, and this butternut squash kale soup with lentils is just the perfect antidote for those days when the temperature drops.

This very colourful squash and kale soup is naturally vegan and made with loads of healthy ingredients. It has delicious butternut squash, brown lentil and kale, plus lots of garlic, fresh ginger and spices for a bowl of real goodness.

If you love nourishing vegan soups, try my Vegan Zuppa Toscana, Creamy Vegan Chickpea Soup with Garlic and Herbs and Pearl Barley Soup with Leek and Potatoes.

What do you need to make creamy butternut squash and kale soup?

Coconut oil - I use coconut oil in this kind of soup because it complements the coconut milk I add at the end beautifully. However, you can use any type of neutral oil, including canola, grapeseed or avocado.

Butternut squash - It's fair to say that cutting butternut squash is not the most pleasant activity, but this soup is so worth it! To make it easy, cut the squash in half, peel both halves, remove the seeds with a spoon, and slice it. Proceed to cut the slices into cubes, making sure they are pretty much the same size to cook evenly.

Brown lentils - I use brown lentils for this soup, but green lentils would work just as well. Don't use red lentils, though, as they don't have the right texture for this kind of soup. You don't need to soak the lentils before using them in this soup.

Kale - I prefer cavolo nero (lacinato) kale for this butternut squash soup, but you can substitute it with curly kale. If you don't like kale, some baby spinach would also be a good choice.

Coconut milk - Full-fat coconut milk makes this soup extra creamy. You can use low-fat coconut milk to cut down on calories, but the final result won't be that creamy.

How do you make it?

• This soup begins with sauteeing some onion in a bit of coconut oil. Heat the coconut oil in a large pot or a Dutch oven and fry the onion for 4-5 minutes until translucent.
• Stir in the red chilli flakes, ground cumin, and ground coriander and continue to cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.

• Add the butternut squash and lentils to the pot and stir to combine. Cover with the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Stir in the coconut milk and kale and simmer for another 2-3 minutes until the ale has wilted. Season to taste and serve as is or with some crusty bread.

Butternut Squash Kale Soup Serving suggestions

The soup is hearty enough to enjoy on its own, but you can also serve it with some fresh crusty bread or a couple of slices of toast (with vegan butter if you want).

Recipe notes and tips

• You can substitute the butternut squash with sweet potato if you want.
• Some other herbs and spices you can try in this soup include bay leaves, dried thyme, and turmeric.
• This soup will keep well in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to five days, and you can also freeze it for up to six weeks.

If you liked this vegan butternut squash kale soup, why not have a look at some of my other easy vegan soup recipes:

Vegan Minestrone alla Milanese

Harissa Soup with White Beans and Kale

Butter Bean Soup with Lemon and Kale

Creamy Oyster Mushroom Soup

Adzuki Beans Soup with Pearl Barley and Kale

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