Lightly spiced butternut squash soup recipe

Stuart Forster introduces a delicious, easy-to-cook, lightly spiced butternut squash soup recipe.

For many of us, the coronavirus lockdown has resulted in significantly more time at home than would normally be the case. That means additional time to think about recipes and cooking. This lightly spiced butternut squash recipe is a dish that I have developed over the past few weeks.

The soup is both filling and relatively healthy. It’s also easy to cook. Depending on your portion size, this lightly spiced butternut squash soup recipe should make enough for between four and six bowlfuls.

Leftover soup can be frozen, making an easy (and tasty) lunch or dinner.

This recipe requires a preparation time of up to 15 minutes and 70 minutes of cooking.

The inspirations for this soup

The first time I made butternut squash soup I followed a recipe published on the BBC Good Food website. The second time I followed a recipe from Mary Berry.

After that, I started experimenting and came up with my own recipe, partly because I didn’t have certain ingredients available.

I’m proud of this easy-to-make roasted butternut squash soup. It is ideal as an any time of day snack or the basis of a hearty supper.

Big on flavour and easy to make

Thanks to the carrots and dash of maple syrup, this butternut squash soup has a hint of sweetness.

The green chillies add a spicy undertone. If you’re not a fan of chillies deseed the chillies before frying or leaving them out altogether.

I have found that using a mixture of vegetable and chicken stock produces optimal results. However, if you’re vegetarian there’s no reason why you can’t substitute the chicken stock for its veggie counterpart.

You’ll need an oven, a baking tray, a large pan and a mixer to make this soup.

I like to prepare my lightly spiced butternut squash soup a day in advance of serving it. Maybe it’s my imagination but it seems more flavoursome if I wait. I keep the soup in the fridge overnight then reheat it and serve it with a swirl of fresh double cream and a chunk of freshly baked bread.

Ingredients of this lightly spiced butternut squash soup recipe

Two butternut squashes (medium size)

Two red onions (medium size)

Two carrots (medium size)

One red pepper (you guessed it, medium size)

Two fresh green chillies

Chicken stock (400ml / 14 fluid ounces)

Vegetable stock (400ml / 14 fluid ounces)

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Tablespoon of maple syrup

Double cream (optional)

Vegetable oil

Olive oil (optional)

Method of cooking the soup

1. Peel, deseed and chop the butternut squashes and red pepper into chunks. Cut the squashes into pieces roughly the width of a finger and about 5 centimetres (two inches) in length. Chop the red pepper into chunks about a centimetre (half-an-inch) square. Also peel and chop the carrots and onions, into pieces of a similar size. Place the chopped vegetables on a baking tray and drizzle lightly with vegetable oil. Bake in a pre-heated oven (180°C (360F) with a fan or 200°C (390F) without), for approximately 40 minutes.
2. As the baking time nears its end prepare 400 millilitres (14 fluid ounces) of vegetable stock and 400 millilitres (14 fluid ounces) of chicken stock.
3. Drain the oil from the baking tray and discard it. Place the baked vegetables into a large pan and add the warm stock. Heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. While the soup is simmering, chop the two green chillies into small pieces and fry them in a tablespoon of olive oil (or vegetable oil). Add the lightly fried chillies to the soup along with a tablespoon of maple syrup. Season the soup with salt and pepper.
5. Allow the soup to cool then blend it together using a mixer.
6. Reheat and serve (a tablespoon of double cream is a tasty addition).

I hope you enjoy following this lightly spiced butternut squash recipe. Feel free to suggest enhancements to the recipe in the comments field below.

Further information

Illustrating photos are by Why Eye Photography.

Thanks for reading this lightly spiced butternut squash soup recipe. You may find inspiration for your home-cooking in the Lavender and Lovage cookbook by Karen Burns-Booth.

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