When fall is in the air, a hearty bowl of butternut squash soup is well in order. But why not turn it up a notch? Jalapeño peppers add some spice to the flavorful spices like cumin, coriander, and curry powder in this recipe. It’s perfect as a lunch with some crusty, freshly baked bread or as an appetizer prior to a delicious fall-inspired meal. Add a little cashew cream on top to bring some color and design to your plate.
🌶️ Quick recipe snapshot
| Flavor profile | Sweet roasted squash with warm cumin, coriander and curry, a bright green jalapeño bite and a squeeze of lemon. |
| Primary heat source | One or two jalapeños, seeded. 2,500 to 8,000 SHU. |
| Heat level | Mild with one jalapeño, closer to medium with two. Curry powder can add a little more, depending on the blend. |
| Texture | Smooth and velvety, or a little rustic if you only pulse it in the blender. |
| Best uses | A fall lunch with crusty bread, or a starter before a bigger autumn meal. |
| Customization ideas | A second jalapeño or a serrano for heat, coconut milk for richness, or toasted pepitas on top for crunch. |
| Before you start | About 55 minutes, mostly roasting and simmering. You’ll need a blender or an immersion blender. |
Flavor notes
Jalapeños run 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville heat units. They’re seeded here, and with only one or two of them blended into a full pot of soup, the heat stays gentle. Use one if you’re cooking for a crowd, two if you want a clear kick.
Roasting the squash with the spices is what gives this soup its depth. The cumin, coriander and curry powder toast on the squash in the hot oven, and the edges of the cubes pick up some color, which comes through as a richer, sweeter flavor in the finished soup.
Curry powder is a blend, and it varies a lot from brand to brand. Some are mild and warm, and some have a good amount of chili in them, so taste your soup before you decide on a second jalapeño.
Be careful when you blend it hot. Steam can push the lid off a sealed blender, so fill it no more than halfway, take out the center cap, and cover the opening with a folded towel while it runs. Or use an immersion blender right in the pot, which skips the transfer completely.
The teaspoon of lemon juice goes in at the end, and it keeps all that sweet squash from tasting flat. Then taste for salt, since vegetable stocks vary a lot in how salty they are.
Adaptation ideas
Most of these change the heat, or how rich the soup is.
- Want more heat? Add a second jalapeño and leave some of its ribs in, or swap one jalapeño for a serrano.
- Want some smoke? Add a chipotle in adobo to the pot along with the stock.
- Want it richer? Replace a cup of the stock with a can of coconut milk, which plays well with the curry powder.
- Keeping it vegan? It already is with vegetable stock. Top it with cashew cream, or leave the cream off entirely.
- Want it thinner? Blend in a little more warm stock until it’s the consistency you like.
Serving ideas
It’s a hearty soup on its own, but a few extras make it a meal.
- With crusty bread. Fresh from the oven, for a simple fall lunch.
- As a starter. In small bowls before a bigger autumn dinner, like roast chicken or pork.
- With a swirl on top. A spoonful of cream or cashew cream, drawn through with the tip of a knife.
- With some crunch. Topped with toasted pepitas and a few thin slices of jalapeño for anyone who wants more heat.
Storage notes
Let the soup cool, then keep it in a sealed container in the fridge and use it within three to four days. It freezes well, too, for two to three months.
If you’re freezing it, leave the cream off and add it when you serve. Reheat the soup gently on the stove, stirring in a splash of stock if it has thickened.
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Chipotle Butternut Squash Soup: The smoky cousin of this soup, slow-cooked with chipotle peppers and adobo sauce.
- Spicy Pumpkin And Butternut Squash Soup: Pumpkin and butternut together in one hearty, spicy bowl that’s a meal on its own.
- Moroccan Pumpkin Soup: A velvety pumpkin soup with a sweet, savory and spicy North African twist.
50 easy ways to put jalapeños to work — appetizers, meals, salsas and dips, snacks, even fiery drinks. Perfect for a garden glut or a fridge full of extras.
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Spicy Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 2 yellow onions chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 butternut squash approximately 1.5 to 2 lb squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
- 1 – 2 jalapeño peppers depending on spiciness desired, seeded and chopped
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- salt and black pepper to taste
- cream optional, as a garnish (or cashew cream)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the squash on a roasting pan and coat with two tablespoons of oil. Sprinkle the cumin, coriander, and curry powders on top.
- Bake the squash for 20 minutes, or until the squash is soft.
- While the squash bakes, heat the remaining two tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the jalapeño, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are soft, approximately 10 minutes.
- Add the squash and the vegetable stock to the pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Blend the soup with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender with the center cap removed and a towel over the opening. Add the lemon juice and blend to your desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with cream (optional) and serve.
