Just in time for the fall season, this dairy-free roasted butternut squash soup is one of the most comforting and flavourful soups I’ve had recently. I’ve been testing and developing a few dairy-free and gluten-free recipes since my last food post. Some still need a little tweaking, but this soup was so simple and goof-proof that I just had to share it!

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash
• Neutral oil (I used grapeseed but you can use whatever you have in stock)
• 1 can regular coconut milk (I use Arroy-D brand, but use whatever you prefer)
• Fresh tarragon bunch
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1-inch ginger
• 3 allspice whole
• 1-2 dried bay leaf
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1-2 tbsp fish sauce 
• ½ lime juice
• Salt & pepper

Special equipment:

• Twine
• Cheesecloth
• Ladle 
• Heatproof blender 

Roasted butternut squash

Procedure:

1. Cut butternut squash into 4 pieces and clean out the seeds
2. Preheat the oven to 420 degrees Fahrenheit 
3. Put butternut squash pieces in a lined baking tray
4. Slather neutral oil on each piece then season with salt and pepper
5. Roast for 25 min or until the flesh of the squash is soft throughout but not totally mushy
6. Set aside to cool 

Soup

Procedure:

1. Use the cheesecloth and twine to create a bouquet made of tarragon, whole garlic cloves, ginger, dried bay leaf, and whole allspice
2. In a cold saucepan, combine 1 full can of coconut milk, 1 cup chicken broth and 1-2 tbsp fish sauce
3. Add the bouquet to the coconut milk mixture 
4. Let the coconut milk simmer for 30-40 min. Taste the coconut milk mixture for tarragon, garlic and ginger notes. The longer the bouquet steeps in the mixture, the stronger the tarragon taste. 
5. Once you’re satisfied with the flavour intensity of the coconut mixture, turn off the stove and remove the bouquet but leaving ginger and garlic bits that may have drifted out of the cheesecloth.
6. In a heatproof blender, put half of the roasted butternut squash and lime juice then ladle in some of the coconut mixture.
7. Pour out the first batch of the soup into a container then add the remaining butternut squash and coconut mixture to the blender.
8. Combine both batches in the pitcher then blend to your desired consistency. (I blended mine until it was smooth, with no lumps).
9. Taste the soup mixture for salt, i.e. does the mixture need more salt? Adjust the seasoning to your preference. 

This soup was super cozy to eat and it stores nicely in the fridge. If you have some chili oil, I recommend garnishing with it to add some heat and another layer of flavour. The best part about this soup is that you can easily switch up the bouquet to whatever spice and herb combo and create a brand new soup! I actually originally planned on using fresh lemon grass but couldn’t find it in the store. Nonetheless, this is what makes cooking fun, at least for me!

Always,

K