Thai Butternut Squash Soup

Sorry for the lack of posts recently, but this weekend was super busy! But I'm back with what I hope will be delicious recipes this week and some special St. Patrick's Day fare this weekend!

I made this soup last week, it was really tasty. I got the recipe out of the Moosewood Restaurant's Simple Suppers cookbook. This cookbook is fantastic for weeknight meals, and especially great for our current vegetarian diet.

Thai Butternut Squash Soup (adapted from Moosewood recipe)
1 c coconut milk
1/2 t Thai red curry paste (I used Thai Kitchen brand)
4 t sugar
1/2 t salt
2 c chicken broth
3 c cooked butternut squash
1 lime
2 c fresh baby spinach
Sriracha
Chopped fresh cilantro

Pan-fried Tofu
8 oz firm tofu
1 T soy sauce
1/2 t Thai red curry paste
1 t vegetable oil

In a soup pot, whisk together coconut milk, curry paste, sugar, salt, and broth. Add the squash, cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered until the squash is warmed through, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the tofu*. Cut the tofu into small cubes and put them in a bowl. Toss with soy sauce and curry paste. Heat the oil in a small skillet on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the tofu and cook, stirring occassionally, for about 5 minutes. Set aside

Lightly grate the lime peel and juice the lime. Add 1 teaspoon of the zest and 2 tablespoons of the juice to the simmering soup. Stir in the spinach and tofu and cook just until the spinach wilts. Add more sugar, salt,and Sriracha to taste. Garnish with cilantro.

This soup was really thick, I think next time I would add and additional 1-2 cups of broth. And while the tofu smelled delicious while I was cooking it, it didn't add a lot to the taste. Next time I'm going to try it with shrimp instead.


*Press the tofu prior to cutting for crispier results.

The original recipe calls for frozen winter squash, but I roasted a fresh butternut squash myself. To roast: cut the squash in half, length-wise, remove pulp and seeds. Place facedown on a baking sheet and roast in a pre-heated oven for about 45 minutes at 375, or until soft. Once cooled, scoop out the cooked squash and set aside.