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Dairy Free Curried Summer Squash Soup

Alexandra Pitts

Dairy Free Curried Summer Squash Soup, topped with Scallions and Pan Fried Tofu.

What Should I do with all this summer squash?

As summer comes to an end, harvest time can be a bit overwhelming. It seems the biggest culprit for me the past few years has been my yellow summer squash and potatoes. These are also two vegetables that I am still a little rusty on preserving. I tend to chop and freeze my squash, but I did not have success in my last efforts at canning potatoes. It was my first time using a pressure canner and the broth I added to the jars of potatoes boiled out of the jars during the canning. So, we will save that for another day.

What’s the best way to preserve my garden bounty?

So, this past summer I relied on my absolute favorite way of preserving food, which is to cook up a delicious, freezer friendly dish, feed my family, and then preserve the rest for the winter months. It’s a huge time saver for me down the road, when I’m home late from work and just want to grab something out of the freezer to feed the family, and this recipe is the perfect candidate for this type of food preservation.

What can I serve for a huge family gathering?

I also love this recipe because you can double it and triple it and it still tastes delicious. As long as you have a big enough fry-pan and soup pot, the sky is the limit. A little while back my husband had a family reunion in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. On my night to cook dinner, I think there were 25 family members sitting at the dinner table. I was able to, chop, prep, and cook the soup earlier in the day and just keep it warm on the stove until dinner time, which allowed me a stress-free dinner time. All I had to do was fry up the tofu right before serving. The pot of soup fed the entire group, and everyone was happy. To this day I still have family members reach out tell me they are craving this soup and asking me for the recipe. So here it is, back by popular demand, my favorite summer squash recipe…

Tip: When multiplying this recipe, go lighter with the coconut milk or it tends to get too creamy. Start with less than it calls for and then add more to taste.

squash, summer squash, curry, potatoes, yukon gold potatoes, blended soup, immersion blender, dairy free, decadent, coconut milk
dinner, soup
Asian, American
Yield: 8-10 Servings
Author:
Dairy Free Curried Summer Squash Soup

Dairy Free Curried Summer Squash Soup

When I have more squash and potatoes than my kitchen can hold, I make this decadent curried summer squash soup. The left-overs freeze beautifully, so make a huge batch to freeze in quart size baggies for a warming winter treat. It's a great way to preserve a large squash harvest, and it'd a crowd pleaser the whole family will love! To add a protein boost, pan fry small cubes of seasoned, extra firm, tofu to add as a toping before serving.

Ingredients

Soup Ingredients
Pan Fried Tofu Ingredients

Instructions

Make the Soup
  1. Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles in the melted butter.
  2. Add the sliced onions, garlic and ginger to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft, around 7 minutes.
  3. Add the red curry paste and cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft, but not browned, and the curry paste is fragrant.
  4. Add the vegetable broth, potatoes, and squash to the pot and bring to a boil.
  5. Cover partially and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes.
  6. Check to see that the potatoes and squash are cooked through, and if not, simmer for an additional 5-7 minutes.
  7. Remove from heat.
  8. Add lime juice, salt, sugar, and coconut milk.
  9. Use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth and creamy.
  10. Put back on heat and gently warm the soup to desired serving temperature. Do
  11. Pour into bowl, garnish with scallions or chives, and tofu cubes (if desired).
Make the Pan-Fried Tofu
  1. Remove the tofu from the carton and wrap in a dish towel. Gently press the excess moisture out of the tofu.
  2. Slice the tofu into 1/2" cubes.
  3. Add enough olive oil to a non-stick frying or sauté pan to coat the bottom of the pan.
  4. Warm the oil over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles in the pan.
  5. Carefully add the tofu, being careful not to splatter the oil. Spread the tofu evenly in the pan, preferably only one piece of tofu deep.
  6. Evenly sprinkle the spices and salt over the tofu. Feel free to add more if you like your tofu extra flavorful.
  7. Pan-fry the tofu, occasionally flipping the tofu so it is browned, but not burned on multiple sides. Cook until the tofu is crispy on a few sides while still being soft in the center.
  8. Remove from heat and set aside until you are ready to add it to the soup as a garnish or topper before serving.