Seasonal Recipe: Spiced Lentil Soup with Delicata Squash

Soups are my absolute favorite way to use vegetables during this time of year. They freeze well and offer a healthy, easy and warm meal on an October night. Don’t be intimidated by the list of ingredients in this recipe, the spices will come in handy throughout the winter. Unused ginger can be wrapped in plastic wrap, frozen, then shaved off into a cup of tea to ward off colds.

When roasting the squash feel free to add other diced veggies from the garden such as zucchini, broccoli, peppers, or greens. *Delicata squash are smaller and tend to cook a little faster than their cousins: Acorn and Butternut Squash.

This soup is vegan, gluten free, and delicious!

Ingredients:

1 delicata squash, washed and cut into cubes
1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup dry red lentils
5 cups vegetable broth
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
Sprinkle of crushed red pepper
Pinch of fresh ground nutmeg
1 15 oz. can of full-fat coconut milk
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss the diced squash in olive oil and scatter on a baking sheet. Roast at 425 F for 15 minutes then stir. After another 15 minutes, transfer to a bowl for later.

In a large soup pot, heat the coconut oil over low. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until it begins to brown. Next, add in the turmeric, curry powder, fresh ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, crushed red pepper, and nutmeg. Stir well and scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pan. Sauté for about 3 minutes until the spices make a fragrant paste.

Add the lentils and vegetable broth to the soup pot and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce to low and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Once lentils are done, add the coconut milk, salt to taste, squash and any optional veggies. Simmer on low for 10min. A hand blender can be used if you prefer a creamier soup texture.

Serve hot with some toasted flat bread

Recipe adapted from and photo credit to Produce on Parade