High Protein Butternut Squash Soup
This High Protein Vegan Butternut Squash Soup is creamy, comforting and silky-smooth — the perfect blend of roasted veggies and plant protein. It’s wholesome yet luxurious and ideal for meal-prep or cosy nights in.
Ingredients
Roasted Veg
- 1 large butternut pumpkin halved (~2kg)
- 2 carrots chopped
- 1 red onion halved
- 2 heads garlic top trimmed
- 1 capsicum
- 400 g cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- salt & pepper to taste
Protein Creamy Base
- ½ cup split red lentils rinsed
- ½ cup hemp hearts
- 500 ml vegetable stock
- 250 ml water plus more as needed
- 100 ml lentil cream or coconut milk can adjust up to 200 ml for richer texture
Finishing
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or lemon juiced to taste — start small
- fresh coriander or basil to serve
- Optional drizzle of chilli oil or extra lentil milk or coconut milk
Instructions
Heat oven
- Preheat oven to 200 °C (390 °F). Line a large tray with baking paper.
Prepare the vegetables
- Slice the pumpkin with a criss-cross design to ensure it roasts well. Spread pumpkin, carrot, onion, garlic, capsicum, and tomatoes on the tray. Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup, then sprinkle with smoked paprika, cumin, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Toss well to coat. Turn the butternut pumpkin skin side down on the baking paper. Cover in foil.
Roast veggies
- Roast veggies with for 45 minutes. Remove veggies from tray, remove the foil and keep roasting the butternut pumpkin until soft, usually another 15 minutes. Note 1.
Cook lentils
- While veggies roast, simmer lentils in a small saucepan with 1 cup water for about 12 minutes, until soft and creamy. Drain any excess.
Blend
- Scoop out the roasted squash flesh and squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves. Using an immersion blender (ideal) or blender, add theses and the roasted veggies, cooked lentils, hemp hearts, vegetable stock and water. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Add extra or less water depending on how thick you want it.
Warm through
- Pour the blended soup into a pot over medium heat. Stir in the lentil cream and simmer gently for 3–5 minutes. Taste, then brighten with 1–2 teaspoon vinegar to lift the flavour. Add salt and pepper as needed.
Serve
- Ladle into bowls, drizzle with vegan cream, and top with fresh basil. Serve with some garlic bread of course!
Notes
Note 1: I used a BIG half of butternut squash (it weighed 2kg with the skin on). So mine took some time to roast. If you use smaller you won’t need to roast as long.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!