This soup is a bowl of sunshine, I mean, just look at it! Aside from how beautiful it looks, it's also incredibly delicious, nourishing and anti-inflammatory for the whole body. I knew I had to put this recipe on the blog after I posted it on Instagram a few weeks ago and got rave reviews all around. That's when I realized I'm not the only one in love with this soup.
Absolutely packed with veggies, this Golden Soup is rich in energizing vitamins and minerals such as iron, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. Since it's 100% plant-based it's also packed with phytonutrients and easy-to-digest fibre making it gut health friendly and an excellent choice for supporting a healthy microbiome.
This dairy-free soup is creamy, rich but not too heavy because there is no dairy cream to thicken it, just full-fat coconut milk.
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Paleo-friendly (if you omit the quinoa)
- Plant-based (100% vegan)
- Kid-friendly. If you've got really young ones you can blitz this into a creamy soup. It's incredibly nourishing for little ones.
It gets the "GOLDEN" name from turmeric. Feel free to add more turmeric than I've recommended of course. I love golden lattes , golden smoothies and golden balls too!
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1-2 tbsp ground turmeric*
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 5-6 cups veggie stock
- 1 medium size butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1/4 cup dry quinoa
- 1 can (400mL) full fat coconut milk
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat oil to medium. Add onions and saute for 5 minutes.
- Add carrots and celery, saute for another 5 minutes. Then add all the spices and saute for a few more minutes.
- Next add the veggie stock and then the butternut squash.
- Bring to a soft boil, add quinoa and reduce to a simmer until quinoa is fully cooked about 15 minutes.
- Add coconut milk just before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs of your choosing.
- Keep in fridge for up to a week and reheat on stove top in a pot or keep in freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Serves 4-6 people.
If you don't have all the spices, you can also just use 2 tbsp curry powder.
*If you haven't used turmeric in a recipe before, add 1 tbsp first and then give it a taste test before you add more.
This soup tastes just as good after being frozen for weeks. My hubby Walker isn't much of a soup lover aside from French Onion Soup so it's usually just me eating the soup and sometimes Vienna, which means I freeze a lot of soups.
Funny and random story for you -- this is the second time writing this post. I wrote a whole wonderful post with all the health benefits and then when I went to post it LIVE it totally disappeared in one poof. I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty upset. Then I took some deep breaths reminding myself to cultivate positivity and as I write this now, I'm much calmer. And... I need a bowl of this soup right now!
Since COVID19 Walker and I are working part-time in the office so that our daughter Vienna always has a full-time parent. This means instead of working 35-40 hours per week we are both doing about 16-20 hours per week but managing the same amount of work (hence my frustration above). I know that our situation is in no way unique and I'm super grateful that our business is mostly all online, including our wonderful shop but that's why some of my blog posts have been a little shorter than normal. You can listen to a recent podcast where Walker and I talked about how we are managing our stress and anxiety and some of it involves emotional eating one too many pieces of banana bread.
Thank you so much for continuing to visit our website, make my recipes and support our business by shopping for our wonderful natural, clean, organic products. Walker, myself and the whole joyous team appreciate it!
Stay safe and healthy,
Joy xo
I don't have any butternut squash would you recommend sweet potato instead?
ReplyYes, that's a wondeful sub! Enjoy!
If I am blending into a creamy soup, when do I add the coconut milk? Before or after blending? And do I blend with the quinoa?
ReplyThe easiest method would be to add the coconut milk with all the ingredients and blend everything together. Enjoy!
What can I use instead of quinoa
ReplyYou can use millet or brown rice. Or simply omit the quinoa, it's still delicious!
This looks so yummy and can’t wait to make it this week. As for the banana bread - that recipe is sooo good.
ReplyI hope you try this out! You won't be disappointed ;) Glad you love the B-bread - we can't get enough!
Thank you for persevering, Joy. I enjoy your posts. Kathy in northern BC
ReplyThanks Kathy!!
The soup is delicious! I blended it and I loved it. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
ReplyPerfect, glad you love!
Oh my goodness.... this was so gooood! I saw this on your IG and had to make it. It’s really perfect for spring. This soup is so nourishing. Both my 8 year old and 17 month old had 2nd helpings. Thanks and stay well. xx
ReplyYes! I love when I hear a recipe is loved by the whole family. Glad you guys love it too!
I am very sad that I apparently don't like the taste of turmeric at all, and it is definitely prominent in this soup. I love everything else about it, but I would suggest to NOT do two tablespoons of the turmeric, stick with one, and if that is adaptable for you, then you can increase it. Turmeric just tastes like bad chalk to me, but I know other people love it and it is good for you. Other than that, the soup itself is very healthy and tasty. Try it the way it is written and make your own judgements, but if you choose to leave it out, the soup itself is very good.
ReplyOh what a bummer! Sorry to hear that but thanks for your feedback. I will make a note in the recipe. Just so you don't have to waste it, I would suggest adding another can of coconut milk and that will dilute the turmeric taste. If you have some curry powder or cinnamon you could add a bit of that to soften the taste. All yellow curry powder will have some turmeric but you don't really taste it when it's in a blend and it's more sweet.
Oh, I actually added those suggestions in my recipe card. I just went to adjust it and I did make some notes about it. Did you see the notes section? Anyhow, you must have just missed it.
Thank you for responding. I actually did what you said, pretty much. i took out all the vegetables, and then just added more broth and coconut milk and I used curry powder. Now, curry powder I like! The soup was much better. I appreciate your recipes and have printed out a lot of them and also bought one of your books. I will make this soup again, just without the turmeric. Thank you again for your healthy lifestyle and information!
You're welcome Bev, glad you got the soup as tasty as possible!
Hi Joy! I had been meaning to make this recipe for months now! I’m so glad I got around to it this weekend. It was delicious! I loved the turmeric and the creamy taste of the coconut milk. It was delicious! My fiancé loves spice — he puts Sriracha on everything. I was wondering if you could recommend a spice with some heat that could work with this soup? Thank you so much!
You could use finely chopped jalapeños or just add some ground cayenne powder - either would be nice!
You could some chopped jalapeños or red chili pepper flakes or ground cayenne! All would work nicely and I agree, heat in this soup would be really great!
Just made it tonight! PERFECTION!!!
ReplySo happy to hear you love it too!!
Looks amazing! I’m allergic to coconut any subs?
ReplyFor sure, you could use oat milk or any dairy milk.
Hey Joy! Thank you so much for the recipe. Would love to make it today, but I don’t have canned coconut milk. Can I use my regular refrigerated Almond Breeze almond milk/ coconut milk blend? Also, how can I make this recipe a little creamier? Thanks!!!!
ReplyYou're welcome! Yes you could definitely do that but it will alter the taste quite a bit. You could add a couple of tbsp of arrowroot starch/powder to thicken it up.
This is is amazing and scrumptious! Light and nutritious yet filling. Tried it for the first time tonight and it will definitely be a new rotating recipe in this house! Thank you, JOY!
ReplyExcellent, you're most welcome, glad you loved it too!
Your soup was amazing . The flavours were rich and mixed well together adding the canned coconut had it so creamy .
ReplyYesssss, it's the perfect finishing touch. Thank you for you comment, glad you loved it too!
Made the soup tonight. Loved it Joy! Thanks :)). My daughters and Dad want me to try blending it next time. Because there will definitely be a next time!
ReplyAwesome, so happy to hear that Melissa!
This soup looks very nice.
ReplyI hope you love it!
Made the soup on Monday and have had it for lunch 3x this week...love it!
ReplySo happy to hear you've had 3 joyous meals this week!
Made this tonight, so delicious!!!
ReplyGlad you enjoyed it!
Thank you Joy! I have bought two copies, of this Book, and both times gave it to someone who really needed it. Now I follow it online.
ReplyThat's awesome, thank you Nancy :)
I’ve made this many times. I portion it and freeze it. When feeling like my system needs an extra boost of healthy goodness in a bowl, this soup fits the bill. I always use fresh ginger and turmeric and it packs a spicy punch. A staple in my house. 😀😋
ReplySounds wonderful especially with the fresh ginger and turmeric!! Glad you love this soup too!
My family enjoyed this soup. I added some grass-fed beef to make it a little heartier, it tasted very good.
ReplyMmm, that sounds like a delicious addition!
What can I substitute for the coconut milk because it always upsets my stomach.
ReplyIf you want to stick something dairy-free then I would go with oat milk because it has the most neutral flavour. Hope that helps!
Made this soup tonight and it was so delicious!!
ReplyGlad to hear you loved it!
This is my SECOND time making this soup this week! It went that quick my kids requested it again. Thank you thank you thank you fir another delicious healthy meal that my kids actually enjoy
ReplyYou're welcome! I'm so glad to hear you love this soup as much as I do!!
I was wondering about using fresh tumeric instead of the powder? Would that work and how much would I use?! Looking forward to trying this recipe!! Thank you!!
ReplyYes definitely that would work and be even more tasty. I would probably use a whole piece of turmeric root, so the size of your pinkie finger and then give it a taste test. Add more to your liking. Let me know how it turns out!
This was GREAT! I'll definitely be making this again and again. Thank you
ReplyGlda to hear it!
Joy, this soup was absolutely delicious 😋 , a favorite right now. Problem is I can consume to much in one sitting. Would you happen to have the nutritional value of the soup. I’m following WW and was wanting to figure out the point value, Many thanks, Emilia
ReplyHi Emilia, glad you're loving it! I'm not sure but you could put the ingredients into a fitness app like myfitnesspal for that information. Hope that helps!
Love this recipe can’t wait to make. You think you can do in instant pot?
ReplyYes I think so!
Made this tonight with a few alterations ... added pumpkin purée, subbed lentils for quinoa, and added some spinach. Extremely tasty!
ReplySounds delicious!! Glad you made it your own :)
I’ve been making this soupy these last few weeks and am loving it. It’s so nourishing and healthy it leaves me feeling full and satisfied. :)
ReplySo happy you're loving it and it's nourishing you :)
Made the soup today and my family loved the soup it was good.
Replyglad you enjoyed it!
Hi Joy, I have all your cookbooks but am looking for a way to pin your recipes to my Pinterest page. Is it possible? I don't see links on your recipes...
ReplyHi Denise, there's two ways to do it. It's a little plug-in on your browser that allows you to do it or if you look at the bottom of your screen you'll see a little arrow, click on that arrow and then click the pinterest icon. Hope that helps!
Would adding a drizzle of lime or lemon juice be good? Or maybe adding some lemon grass? Or would that make the soup too weird? Thanks
ReplyYes I love both those ideas very much! Adding a little acid to this would be perfect. I say go for it - not weird at all!
I prepped all my chopping to get ready to make tomorrow. Then I realized that my squash was much bigger than the average squash. How many ounces of cubed butternut squash would you recommend for this recipe? Hope this finds you well.
ReplyI don't have a kitchen scale so I can't tell you that, sorry! However, that happens to me sometimes too and I just keep it for another recipe or I make a bigger batch!
OMG! Soooo good! My family has asked me to make it again. I used sweet potato
Replyperfect! glad you loved it too :)
I absolutely love this soup! So incredibly tasty and nourishing! I make it almost every other week! Would love another sou coconut milk based soup to add to the repertoire
ReplyHave you tried this new one yet? Chickpea Coconut Curry: https://www.joyoushealth.com/27506-blog-chickpea-coconut-curry or this one, while it's very similar the root veggies give it a lovely flavour: https://www.joyoushealth.com/27285-blog-root-veggie-turmeric-soup There's also the Sweet Potato Coconut Soup in Joyous Detox and one of my fave recipes is the butternut squash lentil soup from The Joyous Cookbook. You can find my cookbooks here: https://shopjoyoushealth.com/cookbooks/ ENJOY!
Hiya, Literally just made this from your recipe....but I decided to be adventurous and added a teaspoon of chilli flakes and rice noodles instead of quinoa.... Goodness me! It’s amazing! Thanks. Penny
ReplyThose sound like wonderful additions!
I have to say I love this soup. I have made it several times and every time not only does it taste amazing but smells amazing!!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, it’s definitely on rotation in my house.
ReplyYou're very welcome! So glad it's going to be a regular in your home!
Hi Joy! I made this soup a couple of weekends ago and OMG! I LOVED it so much! My husband enjoyed it, too. I felt so good making it. After I had it, I was full and happy for a long long time! I added more turmeric instead of the cumin. Now, I know why it is the most popular recipe of all time! It will certainly be one I will be making again and again! Thank you for this beautiful creation!
ReplyAwesome, glad you guys loved it. I totally agree with you, it's one of those recipes that makes you feel really good!!
Hi Joy, I’m making this recipe tonight, but I hardly cook at all unless it’s a weekly soup recipe. I would love to make this in my Instant Pot next time. Any suggestions on cook time for that or other IP tips?
ReplyHi Catherine, I don't have an instant pot so I can't advise but given how quickly it cooks other recipes, I would think it would be very fast. You want to avoid making the veggies mushy.
This soup is good, however, I had to use an enormous amount of salt and pepper. With my low sodium veggie broth, it was pretty bland. Also wondering why just 1/4 cup of quinoa? I barely knew it was there. Thanks for the basic starter for this soup, but I will definitely amp it up next time.
ReplyOh interesting! I don't use much salt but I find the coconut milk and veggies make it so flavourful. What brand of coconut milk did you use? And did you use full fat?
I used full fat.
ReplyHmm, I'm kinda stumped as to why you didn't get a good result. Sorry about that! Must just be a personal preference :)
Have you made it sweet potatoes instead of squash yourself? If so how was it?
ReplyI have and it's just as yummy!
Do you think this recipe would work in a slow cooker?
ReplyYes for sure, but it wouldn't need that long to cook. Enjoy!
Do you happen to have nutritional facts for this recipe
ReplyI do not sorry!
Hi! I made it and LOVE IT! Looking for the nutritional info on it for macro counting..am I overlooking it?
ReplyHi Carrie! I don't include this information on purpose, it's just not my philosophy :) But there are lots of apps that can calculate that information for you. Try myfitnesspal.
How many calories per serving ?
ReplyHi there, I'm not sure as I don't typically count calories. However, you can enter the ingredients into an app like my fitness pal or one of those and it will quickly calculate it for you. Hope that helps!
Hi there! Could I sub fresh turmeric and if so, how much would you recommend? Thanks!
ReplyNo sorry.
I am not a good cook, but I followed this recipe to a T, and it came out perfect!! It is so creamy and delicious!
ReplyGlad to hear it! Tell yourself you're a great cook since you made a yummy recipe ;)
How to print soup recipes. I always do this so what has been changed that after pressing the print option, no print option shows?…
ReplyHi Norah, nothing has changed on our end. I would suggest clearing your cache to see if that helps. Make sure you haven't changed your settings preventing a PDF from popping up as well.
Got recipe now, thanks! Looking forward to making the soup,
ReplyEnjoy!
if I add collard greens and leaks to this soup do you think it will still taste good?
ReplyYes totally, that would be delish!
Absolutely fabulous soup. It was so comforting and delicious. I added barley instead of quinoa and topped with dairy free sour cream snd cilantro. I was recently diagnosed with rosacea and I was so happy to find a yummy recipe that my husband and I love. I also made your apple nut crisp, and am excited to try your recipes in your Joyous cookbook. I feel so blessed that I found you! Thank you!
ReplyBarley sounds like a lovely addition, glad you enjoyed it Anne! I'm glad you found me too. Enjoy!