Need a good Fall weather comfort food? This Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Soup is freezer friendly and makes an excellent lunch or dinner!
Who else tries to have a vegetarian meal at least once a week?
Not only is a vegetarian meal better on the budget, but it gives you a chance to try things you may not have considered before.
For example, I always use green lentils in cooking but have never used red lentils. And for this recipe, I figured now was a good time to branch out!
With Fall weather quickly approaching, I wanted something warm and hearty- and this Butternut Squash Lentil Soup sounded perfect.
What’s the difference between red and green lentils?
Green lentils hold their shape better when they’re cooked for a long time. Red lentils, as I found out here, pretty much disintegrate. It gave this soup a weird look once it was done, but it tasted really good!
What do you serve with this soup?
I served mine with my homemade Jalapeno Cheese Bread, which made for a delicious side dish! I also added shredded cheese in my soup, but you could also add sour cream to give this soup a creamier flavor.
Is this soup freezer friendly?
This soup is so easy to put in the freezer! I just dumped all the ingredients (Except the broth) into a gallon-sized freezer bag and froze it flat. Then I thawed it in the fridge overnight and dumped it into my slow cooker with a carton of vegetable broth. 5 hours later, my soup was ready!
If I were to make this soup again, I’d probably cook it closer to 3 hours on LOW, just to see if the lentils hold their form. Other than that, this was a perfect dinner for Ohio’s fall weather!
Want to see the other recipes in this series? Check out my 4 Weeks to Fill Your Freezer page!
Butternut Squash Lentil Soup
Need a good Fall weather comfort food? This Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Soup is freezer friendly and makes an excellent lunch or dinner!
Ingredients
- 5 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups vegetable broth
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 5 hours until the squash and lentils are soft and fully cooked.
- If freezing first, add all ingredients except vegetable broth to a labeled gallon-sized freezer bag. Lay flat in the freezer. When ready to cook, thaw overnight and add to the slow cooker along with the vegetable broth.