Creamy Yellow Squash Soup Recipe

If you're looking for a soup that'll make you feel warm and fuzzy on a crisp autumn day, this creamy yellow squash soup is for you.

Prepared by wellness coach Miriam Hahn of YouCare-SelfCare, this dish is the perfect recipe for squash lovers. Hahn has crafted this one-of-a-kind butternut squash soup with a twist — the dish has some pizzaz from smoked paprika, ginger, and miso. Whenever Hahn makes this soup in one of her cooking classes, she says "people rave about it!"

This dish is also super healthy, something not very many creamy soups are. "It has so many healthy components," Hahn notes. "It is dairy-free so even people that avoid dairy can enjoy a creamy soup. The turmeric is anti-inflammatory and blends in so nicely with the other flavors. Butternut squash is full of Vitamin A making it great for your skin." 

While this soup is great for the fall, it's also a winner for any other season, especially since good squash has become easier to find year-round. 

For dry ingredients, you'll need two teaspoons of smoked paprika, one teaspoon of turmeric, one-and-a-half teaspoons of pink salt (divided), half a teaspoon of pepper, and half a teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

For the vegetables, you'll need two pounds of butternut squash (cubed), one onion of your choice, two tablespoons of fresh ginger (grated), four cloves of garlic, and half a cup of chopped cilantro. Additionally, to round out this yummy recipe, you'll need one tablespoon of an oil of your choice, one 13.5-ounce can of coconut milk, two tablespoons of white miso paste, one lime, and three cups of vegetable broth. You can also use cooking spray in place of the oil, as you're only going to use it to douse your prepped vegetables later.

While you might be able to find some pre-chopped butternut squash in your supermarket, there's also a good chance you can only purchase them whole. If it's the latter, prep your squash by peeling them, then chopping it into small cubes. Two pounds should be about six cups of cubed squash.

As mentioned earlier, you can use any kind of onion you prefer in this recipe. "I have used yellow and red and both come out great," Miriam says. Go ahead and chop up the onion of your choice and put it off to the side with your cubed butternut squash.

Now would also be a good time to chop up your cilantro as well. This is going to be a fine chop, so run your knife over your bunch quickly, and often. Repeat over and over until the cilantro is in little bits. Take this time to also mince your garlic.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Take your squash, onions, and garlic and toss them in half a tablespoon of oil (or cooking spray) and half a teaspoon of the pink salt and half a teaspoon of pepper. We suggest using a large mixing bowl to make sure the oil, salt, and pepper are spread out across the vegetables evenly. Place them on a roasting pan and roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.

Once the squash is finished, take them out and add them to a blender along with the vegetable broth and blend until smooth. An immersion blender in a large pot or bowl will work as well.

Grab a large soup pot and saute the grated ginger in the remaining one-and-a-half tablespoon of oil for a few minutes. Add your yummy squash mixture, as well as the two teaspoons of smoked paprika, one teaspoon of turmeric, one teaspoon of pink salt, half a teaspoon of red pepper flakes, one can of coconut milk, two tablespoons of white miso paste, the chopped cilantro, and the juice of the lime. Mix all the ingredients together well and cook on low for 10 minutes.

Your soup will be a beautiful golden color, but if you're looking to add a pop of color you can garnish it with some cilantro leaves. Hahn also suggests serving your soup with a toasted baguette for dipping.