Curry Butternut Squash Chickpea Soup

This hearty and creamy curry butternut squash chickpea soup is perfect for the cold weather months.  It’s a little spicy to warm you up and very filling from all those lentils and chickpeas.  The soup is full of veggies and flavored with curry powder and smoked paprika. 

When the soup is done cooking, add some lime juice to brighten up the dish, and greens to make it even healthier.  Use spinach, kale, or whichever greens are your favorite. I’ve included stovetop and slow cooker methods in the instructions.  The soup also works great for meal prep and leftovers are super tasty!

If you enjoy butternut squash I also have a recipe for butternut squash and chickpea curry that uses red curry paste instead of curry powder. For more curries try creamy potato curry with coconut milk or vegan yellow curry with bok choy and chickpeas.

Jump to:

• Substitutions
• Tips
• Tips for busy nights
• Instructions
• How to make the curry Soup creamy
• Can I freeze the soup?
• More slow cooker recipes
• Related recipes
• Recipe
• Comments

Substitutions

• Sometimes it’s difficult to find 3 lbs of butternut squash, if you find yourself in this situation you can substitute a portion of it with sweet potatoes (I haven’t tried substituting all of the squash just a ⅓).  Peel it, cube it, and add it to the soup when you add the butternut squash.  It does make the soup a little sweeter.  
• Fresh lime juice can be substituted with fresh lemon juice.
• Red lentils break down during cooking making the soup creamy. I haven't tried substituting with green or brown lentils, which hold their shape more during the cooking process. For more red lentil recipes, try vegan red lentil chili (with instant pot and stovetop instructions) or creamy red lentil dahl.

Tips

• If you are using kale, remove the stem and tear the leaves into small pieces.  No need to de-stem baby kale.
• The soup will be hot, so after you add your greens it will only take a few minutes for them to wilt in the soup (or a smidge longer if using kale).  Just stir them into the pot towards the end of the cooking with some lime juice, and wait.  
• I use my homemade vegetable broth for this recipe, which has no salt.  You might want to adjust the salt for this recipe if you’re using store-bought vegetable broth that contains salt and taste for seasoning.  You can always add more.

Tips for busy nights

To make the meal in less time, prep the squash, onions, and carrots ahead of time.  Then store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them.  They’ll keep for a few days. Prepping ahead of time is great for those busy mornings (for the slow cooker method of cooking) or busy evenings (for the stovetop method). 

Everything gets thrown into a pot to cook and not cutting the squash right before you cook saves time on busy nights.  If you’ve ever cut butternut squash, you know it can be labor-intensive.  To save even more prep time, try pre-cut frozen butternut squash for soups. 

Instructions

Slow cooker method

1. Add everything to a slow cooker except for the spinach and lime juice and stir together.
2. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
3. When the soup is done stir in the kale or spinach and lime juice, it will only take a few minutes for the greens to wilt.
4. To make the soup creamy mash the cooked squash with a spoon up against the side of the pot.

Stovetop method

With the stovetop method, pre-measuring the spices helps the cooking process go a little smoother.

Sauté the onion and carrots until the onions are translucent and the carrots have softened for about 7-8 minutes, adding a splash of water (if needed) to cook oil-free (or use a neutral-tasting oil).  The carrots won’t be done, they’ll continue cooking with the soup.

Then add the garlic, curry powder, paprika, cumin, coriander, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir to coat the carrots and onion, and cook for about a minute.

Then add the vegetable broth and deglaze the pan by using a wooden spoon to scrape off any cooked-on bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Then add butternut squash, chickpeas, lentils, and tomato paste.  Stir the lentils to prevent them from sticking together.

Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, and cook covered for about 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils and squash are tender.  Stir occasionally during the cooking process.

To make the soup creamy mash the cooked squash with a spoon up against the side of the pot.

Stir in the lime juice and spinach (or kale), and serve when the greens have wilted.

How to make the curry Soup creamy

When squash cooks it softens up, and when it's mashed it makes the soup creamy without adding milk or cream.  Once the soup is done cooking in the pot, mash the cubes of squash against the side of the pot, it will make the soup creamy!  

Can I freeze the soup?

Yes, you can freeze the butternut and chickpea curry soup.  Store leftovers in an airtight container for about 2-3 months in the freezer.  Leave about 2-3 inches of room from the top of the container for expansion when frozen.  There may be a change in texture, but overall it still freezes well.

More slow cooker recipes

• Slow cooker whole food plant-based quinoa chili 
• Slow cooker marinara sauce
• Homemade unsweetened applesauce
• Slow cooker vegetable broth

Related recipes

• Red lentil dahl with coconut milk
• Butternut squash and chickpea curry
• Vegan potato curry with coconut milk
• White bean and potato soup
• Red lentil chili
• Spicy chickpea stew with zucchini
• Vegan yellow curry with chickpeas

I hope you enjoy this vegan butternut squash lentil soup! If you like the recipe, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.

Originally published on February 2, 2020, and updated on May 24, 2023.

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