Thai Butternut Bisque

On a cold-ish fall day in 2020, a butternut squash sat starring at me on the counter. I bought it without a specific plan…just honoring the natural reflex and excitement when I see winter squash popping up at Trader Joe’s. Winter squash spottings are a glimmer of hope for us after surviving the desert summer heat every year. But since temps here are still in the 100s in September the squash had already sat for a few weeks and it was definitely time to decide on something before it went bad.

Curry butternut squash soup? Nah.

What I really wanted that cold day was Tom Kha soup from my favorite Thai restaurant up the street.

Then I had an idea! Maybe I should dig up the dried galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai chilies sitting in the back of my pantry? I had tried my hand at Tom Kha soup in the past and hoped this fusion idea would satisfy my craving. Maybe kill two birds with one stone!?

Lucky for me (and YOU) the experiment WORKED!

It worked really, really well actually. I’ve made it many times since and my family just loves it.

Comfort and warmth in a bowl. YUM

It’s also super healthy and easy to throw in the Instant Pot to cut the simmering time in half!

Once you have the pantry basics on hand it’s something you can whip up anytime. It’s one of our fall/winter staples now!

We love this soup with some crusty sourdough bread or grilled cheese. My husband said we should try adding shrimp and serving over rice!

The only thing I’ve thought of trying is adding some fresh lemongrass (if I can ever remember to hit the Asian market). But that’s the beauty of what’s written: a couple of kitchen staples, a few unique dried ingredients that last forever, plus the squash! SIMPLE but delicious.

Leftovers make the perfect lunch - quick and nourishing! It can easily be sipped too (think one-handed nursing mama, etc).

This recipe is super accommodating for different dietary needs as well:

Paleo, Whole 30 compliant, gluten and dairy-free, and can easily be made vegan.

What!?
Really!

Pantry items you’ll need:

• canned coconut milk

• chicken bone broth (9g of protein from collagen per cup), stock or vegetable broth/stock

• coconut oil

• dried galangal

• dried Thai chilies

• dried kaffir lime leaves

• sea salt

Fresh ingredients you’ll need:

• medium butternut squash peeled and cubed (about 2 lbs)

• 2 large shallots

• 4 large garlic cloves

This soup can be made on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. I’ll share directions for both, but step-by-step photos are for the Instant Pot.

See the recipe card below for the simple stovetop steps.

Peel and chop squash

Measure and prep

Heat pot + add oil

Add garlic + shallots

Sauté till soft

Add squash and broth

Add dried Thai spices

Cover and cook

Remove dried spices

Blend smooth

Add milk + salt

Blend again and serve!

How to puree soup in a blender - safety tips HERE.

Products and source links:

butternut squash, soup, Thai, fall soups, Whole 30, paleo, vegan, gluten-free, dairy free, healthy, bone broth, tom kha

soup, lunch, dinner, appetizer

Thai fusion

Yield: 6 large bowls

Author: Ashlee Stolworthy

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Thai Butternut Bisque - Instant Pot

This ultimate fall fusion recipe combines the sweetness of butternut squash with warm and bright Thai flavors reminiscent of Tom Kha soup.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 30 Min

Ingredients

• 5-6 cups cubed butternut squash (one medium - about 2 lbs)
• 4 cups chicken bone broth, stock, or vegetable broth
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 slices of dried galangal root
• 6 large dried kaffir lime leaves
• 3-5 dried Thai chili peppers
• 1/2 Tablespoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Peel, deseed, and chop the butternut squash into rough 1 inch cubes. *You can often find butternut squash already peeled and cubed at grocery stores!
2. Chop shallots and mince the garlic.
3. Heat coconut oil on medium-high heat using the sauté feature on the Instant Pot. Add shallots and garlic and sauté until softened and beginning to brown.
4. Add the cubed butternut squash, broth/stock as well as the dried galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and chilies.
5. Place Instant Pot lid on to cook. Set vent to seal.
6. Cook on Manual or Soup mode for 12 minutes.
7. Use quick-release (vent) after when the timer goes off. I like to release the vent outside on my back patio!
8. Remove all the dried Thai spices and herbs (it's helpful to know exactly how many of each you're looking for so you can retrieve them all before blending).
9. If using a regular blender to puree, add coconut milk and sea salt to the pot first. Be sure to blend in small batches: **For safety: only fill the blender halfway and remove the lid plug to allow steam to vent. Cover the small opening with a towel.
10. If using an immersion blender you can blend the cooked squash first then add coconut milk and sea salt towards the end. Blend again to fully combine.
11. Ladle into bowls and serve with fresh cilantro and a drizzle of coconut milk if desired!

https://www.greengrovehome.com/blog/thai-butternut-bisque

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @green.grove.home on instagram and hashtag it #greengrovekitchen

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Thai Butternut Bisque

Yield: 6 large bowls

Author: Ashlee Stolworthy

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min

This ultimate fall fusion recipe combines the sweetness of butternut squash with warm and bright Thai flavors reminiscent of Tom Kha soup.

Ingredients

• 5-6 cups cubed butternut squash (one medium - about 2 lbs)
• 4 cups chicken bone broth, stock, or vegetable broth
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 slices of dried galangal root
• 6 large dried kaffir lime leaves
• 3-5 dried Thai chili peppers
• 1/2 Tablespoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Peel, deseed, and chop the butternut squash into rough 1 inch cubes. *You can often find butternut squash already peeled and cubed at grocery stores!
2. Chop shallots and mince the garlic.
3. Heat coconut oil on medium-high heat in a soup pot or dutch oven. Add shallots and garlic and sauté until softened and beginning to brown.
4. Add the cubed butternut squash, broth/stock as well as the dried galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and chilies.
5. Cover and simmer on low for 30-60 min.
6. Remove all the dried Thai spices and herbs (it's helpful to know exactly how many of each you're looking for so you can retrieve them all before blending).
7. If using a regular blender to puree, add coconut milk and sea salt to the pot first. Then be sure to blend in small batches. **For safety - only fill the blender halfway and remove the lid plug to allow steam to vent. Cover the small opening with a towel.
8. If using an immersion blender you can blend the cooked squash first then add coconut milk and sea salt at the end. Blend again to fully combine.
9. Ladle into bowls and serve with fresh cilantro and a drizzle of coconut milk if desired!

https://www.greengrovehome.com/blog/thai-butternut-bisque

butternut squash, soup, Thai, fall soups, Whole 30, paleo, vegan, gluten-free, dairy free, healthy, bone broth, tom kha

soup, lunch, dinner, appetizer

Thai fusion

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @green.grove.home on instagram and hashtag it #greengrovekitchen