Butternut Squash + Red Lentil Soup is a healthy and delicious fall vegan soup made with whole food plant based ingredients! Gluten-free with oil-free option.
Thick and hearty, this butternut squash + red lentil soup is made with just 5 ingredients, plus oil, salt & pepper, and SO easy to make!
I thought this soup was going to be a completely ho-hum recipe, especially with such minimal ingredients, but I was pleasantly surprised because it was delicious!
I should have remembered butternut squash doesn’t need much from my last recipe, Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. It’s been awhile since I’ve made butternut squash soup and unlike my last one, this one with lentils included makes it very filling on it’s own.
This truly is a simple recipe, from the ingredients to prepping and cooking. Peeling the squash is the hardest part, and really it’s not so bad. No need to roast your butternut squash either, simply make your soup in one big pot.
Planning on meal prepping? This butternut squash + red lentil soup can be made ahead of time and reheated when ready to serve! Keep it stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 2 months.
All together, the flavors are perfect for fall. This would be a colorful and delicious starter soup for the holiday table too!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Made with minimal ingredients including butternut squash, red lentils, sage, onion, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper, this quick and easy vegan soup is sure to become a fall favorite!
Here are a few good reasons to add this soup to your fall meal rotation:
Butternut Squash
Butternut squash with its sweet flavored, brightly colored flesh is a great source of omega 3s and beta-carotene. It’s also an excellent source of various vitamins like vitamin A, C & B-6 and trace elements such as manganese, copper, potassium and folate. When available, enjoy the winter squash often. See all recipes on TSV using Butternut Squash!
Lentils
As a vegan, I’m always doing my best to add in high protein plant-based sources when I can, the addition of lentils are perfect for that while adding extra thickness to the overall soup. Lentils of all colors should be a part of any heart healthy diet. Here you can find all recipes on TSV using Lentils!
Sage
The addition of sage is perfect for the fall season and holds its own health benefits, like boosting brain function and working as an anti-inflammatory. Two great reasons to add this herb wherever you can! Find all recipes on TSV using Sage.
How To Cut Butternut Squash For Soup
Prepping butternut squash is super easy, but if you can find it pre-cut by all means use it for convenience and save yourself this step.
- Cut off top and bottom. Start by slicing off the very top and bottom of the butternut squash.
- Peel: Using a vegetable peeler, peel away the tough outer layer of skin.
- Discard seeds: Slice the butternut squash in half. Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and discard.
- Cut: Place the butternut squash cut sides down and slice into ¾ inch slices.
- Cube: Taking 3 slices at a time, placing them on their side, and cut in half lengthwise. Cut the halves into cubes, and repeat until butternut squash is completely cubed.
How To Make Butternut Squash + Red Lentil Soup
Here is a quick look at the steps and what you can expect your soup to look like during the cooking process. See below for the full printable recipe at the bottom of this post.
- Saute: Saute the onions until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the sage and squash and cook for a few minutes more, stirring occasionally.
- Simmer: Add lentils, broth and salt & pepper, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, will be done when squash is fork tender and lentils are soft.
- Puree: Once soup has slightly cooled, puree using an immersion blender or food processor (the latter method may take two or three batches to complete). Add extra liquids as needed for desired thickness.
And that’s it, colorful, hearty and delicious butternut squash + lentil soup made easy and healthy!
Top Tips
- Change up the herbs with spices. Instead of sage, try using 1 teaspoon each dried ginger, turmeric and coriander (a reader recommendation).
- Add in chopped carrots, about 2 large, if you like.
- Feel free to enjoy this soup without blending. Or use a potato masher instead of pureeing, this will add some creaminess while still leaving a little chunkiness.
- Only use red lentils with this recipe. Using other lentils will turn the soup a muddy color, and other lentils take longer to cook. If you can’t find red lentils at your local grocery store, try ordering them online.
- Thick or thin. This soup is meant to be thick but feel free to add a tad more water to thin it out if you like.
- Leftovers taste even better!
How To Store + Reheat
- Refrigerator: Leftovers will keep for 5 – 6 days in the refrigerator, stored in a covered container.
- Freezer: This butternut squash red lentil soup is freezer friendly and freezes well for up to 2 – 3 months. To freeze, let cool completely and store in freezer safe containers (affiliate link), leaving ½ inch head space for expansion. You can also freeze larger portions in large ziplock bags (remove as much air as possible before zip locking). Let thaw before reheating.
- Reheat: Simply re-warm on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through. Alternatively, reheat in the microwave using 30 – 60 second intervals, stirring after each, until warm. It makes a great meal prep for the week with homemade Artisan Bread or Naan on the side for soaking up the juices.
Serving Suggestions
This soup is extremely hearty on its own, but it can be made into an even more well rounded meal with any of these serving suggestions:
- Salad: Pair with a side salad like this Classic House Salad or Kale, Date & Almond Salad for some added leafy greens and roughage.
- Bread: Serve with a chunk of homemade No Knead Bread or Naan for dipping and swiping up the juices.
- Toppings: This soup is great topped with toasted pine nuts, walnuts or pecans. You can also add chopped fresh sage or parsley for a pop of color.
- Sides: Serve with a side of these easy to make Crispy Baked Kale Chips, Savory Sauteed Kale, Roasted Brussels Sprout + Butternut Squash, or Vegan Collard Greens.
More ways To Use Butternut Squash
You can never have too many ways to use this flavorful squash. Give these butternut squash recipes a try, you just may find a new favorite for the meal rotation!
If you try this butternut squash + red lentil soup or have a question, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH + RED LENTIL SOUP
Rich in protein and lightly flavored with sage, this one pot soup is so healthy, easy and simple! Can be made a day or two ahead and reheated as needed.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 – 6 1x
- Category: Entree, Soup
- Method: simmer
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or ¼ cup water (for water saute)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 lb. butternut squash, cubed ¾ inch (about 6 – 8 cups)
- 1 ½ cups red lentils
- 2 teaspoons dried sage or 2 tablespoons fresh minced
- 7 cups vegetable broth
- mineral salt & white or fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Instructions
Cube Squash: Slice off the very top and bottom, discard. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the hard outer skin. Cut the butternut squash in half, remove seeds and cut squash into ½″ cubes (the smaller the cubes are the quicker they will cook).
Saute: In a large dutch oven or stock pot, heat oil/water over medium high heat, add onions and saute for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Add sage and squash and cook 3 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
Simmer: Add lentils, broth and salt & pepper, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes, until squash is fork tender and lentils are soft.
Puree: Once ready and slightly cooled, puree soup using your preferred method. Use an immersion blender and puree soup right in the pot until desired consistency. Or you can puree in your blender or food processor, this method may take two or three batches to complete. Add extra liquids as needed for desired thickness.
Serve: Ladle into individual serving bowls and top with pine nuts and chopped sage if you like, fresh cracked pepper would also be great.
Serves 4 – 6
Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 – 6 days. To keep longer, store in the freezer for up to 2 – 3 months. Let thaw before reheating. Reheat on the stovetop over low until warmed through.
Notes
I used Better Than Bouillon paste, about 2 teaspoons with 7 cups of water. I find that’s plenty of flavor and my soup was great. If not using vegetable broth, I might suggest adding a 1 teaspoon or so each of garlic powder and onion powder, and maybe a smidge of coriander to bring some extra flavors to the soup.
Add in chopped carrots, about 2 large, if you like.
You may just as well enjoy this soup without blending. Or you may like to use a potato masher instead, this will add some creaminess while still leaving some chunkiness.
Only red lentils will work with this recipe. For one, the color would be altered making it look muddied. Secondly, other lentils take longer to cook. If you can’t find red lentils at your local grocery store, try ordering them online.
Try using this as a pasta sauce or serve with a serving of rice.
This can be made a day or two ahead and reheated when ready to serve.
Instead of sage, try using 1 teaspoon each dried ginger, turmeric and coriander (a reader recommendation).
Nutritional values are estimates only. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
SherryinChicago says
This is a favorite at our house, both as a soup and as a sauce with butternut squash ravioli. It freezes like a dream and the addition of red lentils ups the protein so we are not hungry a couple of hours later. The sage and pine nut garnish do give it a nice favor boost.
★★★★★
Erin says
I have made this recipe multiple times, for myself as well as friends. I love it! I keep it bookmarked in my phone for easy access. This time around I actually used ginger, turmeric, and coriander in place of sage, and that came out yummy as well! I do so love the sage though, it’s so fragrant and warming.
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Sounds wonderful, love the changes you’ve made, sounds delicious! Thanks for the inspiration and making my day with your comment! Cheers :)
Amy says
What lovely soup. My whole family enjoyed it – thank you!
Carla Flaim says
I used green lentils which made it look like split pea soup but it still tasted delicious!
Kas says
I’m afraid it was a bit bland for me so twicked the receipe slightly. Not sure if it matters though but I used a Hokkaido pumpkin. After adding a couple of cooking apples (chopped and wizzed up with a hand blender raw when the soup was already cooked and puréed) and some ginger it ended up tasting delicious. Saying that I do like rather distinct flavours :) thanks!
Jenny says
This was an awesome recipe!! I made it primarily for my daughter, who eats blended food, so I substituted blended frozen butternut squash in the recipe to save me some prep time. Other than that I followed the directions, using veggie broth, and it tastes fantastic and clean and fresh. I had a large bowl before I froze it for her :). Thank you!
Thelma Lubkin says
I bought red lentils this afternoon to make into soup with the butternut squash in the refrigerator. I will, however, use my usual cinnamon, nutmeg, clove type of spicing. I never peel butternut–the skin is reasonably thin, and after pureeing it’s hard to notice a difference. You obviously know how to make a tasty soup.
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Thank you! And thank you for the tip on leaving the skin on. I will give it a try sometime. Cheers :)
Robin Hansen says
DAMN. I just made this recipe (with a few variations to meet my budget) and, similarly to you, I was shocked by how dang good it is. It tastes like a turkey dinner in a bowl. except it’s all veggies. my life is now sage. I’m going to mention this recipe in a blog post tomorrow. Excited to dig through more of your blog!
Mary-Claire says
I was in the mood for a butternut squash soup last night and looked through quite a few recipes before I found this one. Although I’ve never made squash soup, it looked not only easy but delicious. It’s perfect. I took it to a gathering today and got several compliments on how delicious it is. Thanks!
tracie @ beets+birch says
made this for lunch today! SO GOOD! didn't have pine nuts which was a bummer… next time!