Vegan Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk

There is something quietly satisfying about a soup that comes together slowly. You roast the squash, you sauté the aromatics, and somewhere between the thyme hitting the pan and the coconut milk going in, the kitchen starts to smell like somewhere you actually want to be.

This butternut squash soup is one of those recipes that earns its place in a regular rotation — not because it is complicated, but because it rewards a little patience. Roasting the squash before it goes into the pot concentrates the sweetness in a way that simply boiling it never quite achieves. The palm sugar nudges that further. The coconut milk rounds everything out without taking over. And then the broad beans and broccolini, quickly sautéed and nestled in the centre of each bowl, give it something to land on — a bit of texture, a bit of green.

It is the kind of bowl that suits a grey afternoon, or the end of a long week, or honestly any Tuesday when you need something that feels like it took more effort than it did.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• Deeply flavourful – Roasting the squash first builds a sweetness that no amount of seasoning can replicate from scratch.
• Properly satisfying – Broad beans add protein and body, so this holds up as a full meal rather than a starter.
• Velvety without dairy – Coconut milk does the work of cream here — rich, smooth, and entirely plant-based.
• Make-ahead friendly – The soup base keeps well and actually improves overnight as the flavours settle.

What Ingredients You’ll Need to Make the Vegan Butternut Squash Soup:

Base

• Butternut squash — the main ingredient. Look for one that feels heavy for its size; a denser squash will have more flavour and less water.
• Carrot — adds a gentle underlying sweetness and a little body to the base.
• Celery — brings a mild savoury depth that balances the sweetness of the squash and carrot.
• Onion — the quiet backbone of the soup; sautéed slowly, it adds richness throughout.
• Garlic — coarsely chopped rather than crushed, so the flavour stays warm and rounded rather than sharp.
• Broad beans — from a tin, drained and rinsed. They add protein and a quiet earthiness to the soup.
• Lemon thyme — a herbal note with a faint citrus brightness. Regular thyme works too, though lemon thyme is worth using if you can find it.

The Liquid and Seasoning

• Vegetable stock — forms the base of the flavour, so a good-quality stock makes a noticeable difference here.
• Water — thins the soup to the right consistency without over-seasoning it.
• Coconut milk — full-fat gives you a richer, creamier result. Keep a little back to drizzle over when serving.
• Palm sugar — rounds out the squash’s natural sweetness with a slightly deeper, almost caramel note. Light brown sugar or coconut sugar both work as substitutes.
• Pink salt & black pepper — used throughout. Season gradually and taste as you go.
• Neutral oil — for sautéing. Sunflower, rapeseed, or light olive oil are all fine.

For the Garnish

• Broccolini — sautéed separately so it keeps a little bite; a good contrast against the smooth soup.
• Frozen Broad beans — defrosted and skin removed. They add a good contrast and a quiet earthiness.
• Olive oil & black pepper — a drizzle and a crack to finish. Simple, but it pulls everything together.

How to Make the Soup

Start by roasting the squash. Slice it in half, scoop out the seeds and place it cut-side down on a lined tray. Roast until completely tender — you should be able to press through it easily with a fork. Once done, leave it aside for a few minutes so it’s easier to handle, then scoop out the flesh.

While that’s in the oven, get the rest of the vegetables ready. Dice the carrot, celery and onion, and roughly chop the garlic. Keep the broccolini aside for later, as it goes in right at the end.

In a large pot, warm the oil over a medium heat and add the carrot, celery, onion and garlic. Season lightly and let everything cook gently until softened and fragrant. Stir in the thyme, then add the roasted squash along with the broad beans and palm sugar. Let it all come together briefly before pouring in the stock, water and most of the coconut milk, keeping a little aside for finishing.

Bring the soup up to a boil, then take it off the heat and blend until smooth. Return it to the pot and keep it on a low heat while you prepare the topping.

In a pan, sauté the broccolini for a few minutes, then add a pinch of salt and the broad beans and cook until everything is just tender and lightly coloured at the edges.

To serve, spoon the vegetables into the bowl first, then pour the soup around them. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, a little of the reserved coconut milk, and a few cracks of black pepper.

Helpful Tips and Tricks to Make the Best Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

1. Don’t rush the roasting. It is tempting to pull the squash out early, but the full time in the oven is what develops that concentrated sweetness. A fork should slide in with no resistance at all before you take it out.
2. Take care when blending hot liquid. If you’re using a jug blender, fill it no more than halfway and hold the lid down firmly with a folded cloth. A stick blender is the simpler option and avoids the risk entirely.
3. Adjust the consistency after blending. If the soup feels thicker than you’d like once it’s smooth, stir in a little more water or stock, taste, and adjust the seasoning before serving.
4. Palm sugar substitutes. Light brown sugar or coconut sugar both work well if palm sugar isn’t easy to come by. The flavour will be slightly different, but the balance will still be there.
5. It keeps and freezes well. The soup base — without the garnish — will keep in the fridge for up to four days and freezes beautifully. Make the broccolini and broad beans fresh when you are ready to serve.
6. The way you serve it matters. Placing the vegetables in the centre and pouring the soup around them isn’t just for the look of it. It keeps the garnish from sinking, so every spoonful has a bit of texture to it.

If you make this recipe I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment below and let me know. It genuinely makes a difference to know what’s working and what isn’t, and I read every single one. You can also find me on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook where I share new recipes, behind the scenes and whatever else is happening in the kitchen at Poetry of Spices.

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Vegan Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour 20 Minutes 1 hour 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 12 voted )

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Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 2 celery sticks, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 3 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tbsp pink salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 4 sprigs of lemon thyme
• 1.5 tbsp palm sugar
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups water
• 1 400ml tin full-fat coconut milk
• 1 400ml tin broad beans, drained and rinsed
• 0.5 cups broccolini, chopped into small pieces
• 0.5 cup baby broad beans , frozen or fresh , skin removed 
• 1 tablespoons olive oil, to finish
• 1 pinch of salt, for the garnish

method

1. Start by roasting the squash. Slice it in half lengthways, scoop out the seeds and place it skin-side up on a lined baking tray. Roast until completely tender — the flesh should give easily when pressed with a fork. Leave it to cool for a few minutes, then peel away the skin and scoop out the soft centre. Given roughly 3 cups. 
   (1 medium butternut squash)
2. While the squash is roasting, dice the carrot, celery and onion, and roughly chop the garlic. Chop the broccolini into small pieces and keep it aside for later.
   (1 medium carrot, 2 celery sticks, 1 onion, 3 large garlic cloves, ½ cup broccolini)
3. Warm the oil in a large pot over a medium heat and add the carrot, celery, onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and let everything cook gently until softened and fragrant.
   (3 tbsp neutral oil, 1 tbsp pink salt, ¼ tsp black pepper)
4. Stir in the lemon thyme and let it cook for a minute or two before adding the roasted squash, broad beans and palm sugar. Give everything a quick stir so the flavours have a chance to come together.
   (Few sprigs lemon thyme, roasted squash, 1 × 400ml tin broad beans — drained and rinsed, 1½ tbsp palm sugar)
5. Pour in the vegetable stock, water and most of the coconut milk, keeping a little aside for serving. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat slightly and let it simmer briefly.
   (3 cups vegetable stock, 2 cups water, 1 × 400ml tin coconut milk)
6. Take the pot off the heat and blend until smooth and creamy. A stick blender works well here, though a jug blender will give an even silkier finish. Return the soup to a low heat to keep warm while you prepare the garnish.
7. Using the same pan, sauté the broccolini for a few minutes before adding the thawed baby broad beans. Cook until everything is warmed through and just starting to colour slightly at the edges.
   (½ cup broccolini, frozen baby broad beans — thawed and skins removed, pinch of salt)
8. Spoon the broccolini and broad beans into the bowls first, then pour the soup around them. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, a little reserved coconut milk and a few cracks of black pepper.
   (Olive oil, reserved coconut milk, toasted coconut, black pepper)

 

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