Today we’re combining our love of Butternut Squash Soup with our love of Thai food and we’re making Thai Coconut Butternut Squash Soup with coconut milk, shrimp and jasmine rice. The rice and shrimp are optional, but we really love including them when we make this soup! And we grew thai basil in our garden this year and love adding it to the top. We’re experimenting with freezing the leaves so we can have it all winter long.

Last year this thai coconut butternut squash soup became the staple of our winter Friday nights. It pairs perfectly with strawberry daiquiris. It is also a pretty quick meal (a little bit of chopping in the beginning) and freezes well (when you don’t eat it all in 24 hours). I also would make large quantities of jasmine rice and freeze 2-3 cup servings because it defrosts easily in the microwave or on the stovetop.
I fell in love with Thai Food when I visited my grandparents in Florida (they used to spend winters down there with friends). They always talked about an amazing little Thai place in Fort Meyers that they frequented while down there. I had never had Thai food before (hey, back then all the take-out places were Chinese, not like today where Thai is all over). So, the one year I was fortunate enough to visit, we went. And that became the start of my panang and red curry obsession. Anyway, I don’t know what it is about Thai food…I think it’s the spices…we really love curry paste and have started testing out recipes with it. Check out our vegetable red curry recipe.
We try to have it whenever we can and we always take stock of where the good Thai restaurants are. When we are driving home from visiting Grandma Ann in New York we always love to stop in Lewisburg — Greg and I are both Bucknell University Alums — for lunch and a playground stop. In the center of town, there’s a great playground which the kids love that we recently discovered is only a block from a great Thai restaurant. So we get carryout and watch the kids play on the playground. It’s a win-win and both the grownups and kids are happy.
If you’re a reader of this blog you may have also noticed that we love butternut squash. We love making butternut squash soup a variety of ways and this thai coconut butternut squash soup recipe is our go to recipe when we want that spicy kick. It’s a butternut Thai fusion bringing together two of loves. We hope you try it out and love it as much as we do!

Ingredients
- 1 T . coconut oil
- 1 medium onion , chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , finely chopped
- 1 T . fresh ginger , finely chopped
- 1 T . brown sugar
- 1/2-1 T . red curry paste
- salt
- 1 medium butternut squash , peeled and cubed
- 2-3 c . broth
- 1 15 oz . can coconut milk
- 1 lb . shrimp , peeled and deveined
Optional toppings:
- Jasmine rice
- thai basil or cilantro
Instructions
- Heat oil in large soup pot.
- Add onions and saute for about 5-6 minutes.
- Add garlic and ginger and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Stir in curry paste, sugar, and salt for an additional minute.
- Add squash, broth, and coconut milk and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until squash is tender.
- Use an immersion blender to puree soup if desired (I like to leave some chunks).
- Stir in shrimp and simmer for 2-3 minutes until pink and cooked through.
- Top with thai basil or cilantro and jasmine rice if desired
Notes
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12 Comments
Kristen
October 19, 2016 at 9:56 pmI love everything in this recipe! I am sold!
mywifecancook
October 27, 2016 at 10:34 amThanks!
Vicky @ Avocado Pesto
October 19, 2016 at 10:40 pmI absolutely love love love Thai flavors too so I know this soup would be a hit at my house too : ))
mywifecancook
October 27, 2016 at 10:34 amNice!
Kavey
October 20, 2016 at 5:20 amThai flavours work so well with butternut squash, I totally agree. Lovely recipe, looks delicious!
mywifecancook
October 27, 2016 at 10:34 amThey really do. Although I am a big fan of thai food, so it’s hard to go wrong.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
October 20, 2016 at 5:32 amI looove that Thai red curry paste, such amazing stuff. It goes so well with the sweetness of butternut squash! Yuuum.
mywifecancook
October 27, 2016 at 10:34 amIt’s really a great combo!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
October 20, 2016 at 5:42 amButternut squash soups is one of my favourites, as it’s so creamy. I love your Thai twist on it.
mywifecancook
October 27, 2016 at 10:33 amSame here. Thanks, we love it!
Michelle
November 5, 2016 at 3:05 pmI was looking for a Butternut Squash soup to make for my family. Everyone is coming over to watch the Steelers game and they love soup so I thought this would be the perfect time. So, I scrolled through my Yummy App and came across a ton of soup recipes. How was I going to choose? There are so many. Everyone looked inviting but yours tweaked my interest right away because my family loves curry and I love shrimp and coconut milk. Anyway, I selected your recipe and started to read your blog about the recipe. I usually by pass all the stories because I’m pressed for time but today I took the time. Maybe because I have never made this type of soup. Well, it turns out that we have a fun connection. I live in Lewisburg and my husband works at the Bucknell Golf Course. I know the playground and Thai restaurant you are talking about? It’s just funny to me out of all the recipes I could of chosen, I pick yours. Love your pictures of the soup and looking forward to making this tomorrow for the family.
mywifecancook
November 6, 2016 at 11:24 amWhat?!?! Such a coincidence! I have a few relatives in the area and that area will always have a special place in my heart. Thanks, hope your family likes the soup!