Butternut Squash Red Lentil Soup recipe lists onion, celery, carrots, butternut squash. garlic, curry powder, red lentils and optional coconut milk. Simmer about 20 minutes and blenderize. An even better supper soup when you are not having dental work for its ease of prep, creamy texture and forward flavors.
Butternut Squash Red Lentil Soup
Not all red lentils are created equal. Some work nicely to melt into the background and thicken soups, like Bob’s Red Mill red lentils. Others, like zero-tannin Sunrise Red lentils, mail ordered and grown in Washington state, stay whole. (ChefShop.com or 800-596-0885). This soup is good with either.
My favorite curry powder is Madras— I like the combination of spices in this brand. Hard to find in most supermarkets, I usually order online. It comes in a small attractive rectangular tin.
Makes 6 servings
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 scant cup)
2 medium organic carrots, chopped (about ½ cup)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
12-16 ounces chopped butternut squash
¾ cup red lentils
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup water (or ½ cup water + 1/2 cup coconut milk that I had frozen/hawed from another recipe)
Melt butter in a large soup pot on medium heat. Stir in onions. Combine with butter. Cover, sauté several minutes. Uncover, add celery, carrots, garlic and curry powder. Let sauté several minutes to combine flavors.
Add squash, lentils and liquids. Stir to combine. Lower heat to high simmer. Cover; cook about 20-25 minutes, checking with a fork for doneness. Blenderize.
When not having special medical instructions, we like a little crunch when eating soup, especially with a thickly pureed soup. We sprinkle the soup with Fried Onions (like in Green Bean Casserole). YUM.