Butternut Squash and Lentil (Printable)

Hearty soup with roasted squash, lentils, and aromatic spices—ready in under an hour.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cubed
02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Legumes

05 - 3/4 cup red lentils, rinsed

→ Spices

06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes, optional
11 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Liquids & Oils

12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
13 - 5 cups vegetable broth

→ Finishing

14 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
15 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped for garnish

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Toss butternut squash cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes until golden and tender.
03 - In a large pot, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and carrots, sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
04 - Add garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and chili flakes if using. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add rinsed lentils and stir to coat with the spiced oil mixture.
06 - Add roasted butternut squash and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until lentils are soft.
07 - Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth, or leave slightly chunky if preferred.
08 - Stir in lemon juice and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
09 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley.

# Top Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which feels like a small miracle for something this comforting and nourishing.
  • The spices give you that warm, slightly exotic feeling without any complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients.
  • It's naturally vegan and gluten-free, so you can make it for almost anyone without the stress of accommodations.
02 -
  • Don't skip roasting the butternut squash—it transforms from something watery and mild into something golden and complex, which is the whole secret of why this soup tastes so much better than it sounds.
  • Rinse your red lentils before adding them to the pot; it makes a real difference in texture and keeps the soup from becoming that murky gray color that nobody finds appetizing.
03 -
  • Don't be stingy with the lemon juice at the end—it's the thing that suddenly brings all the flavors into sharp focus and makes people notice how good this really is.
  • If you're making this for a crowd, you can prepare everything the day before up through the roasting step, then finish it fresh when people are about to eat, which takes the stress out of timing.
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