The cold air is blowing into the UK now and it just feels ‘right’ to have a bowl of scrumptious soup as one of my ‘healthy’ options. Making a pan of hearty Butternut Squash Soup is so easy and yet SO TASTY! I vary the ingredients depending on what vegetables I’ve got and it’s a great way of using up the sticks of celery or leeks that are starting to see ‘better days’ (occasionally found lurking in the bottom of my fridge… haha)
My ingredients available this week included:
- 1 x Butternut Squash – peeled, de-seeded and chopped
- 1 x stick of celery – chopped (I would’ve used 2 sticks but the others really had seen better days so I stuck with the last decent stick in the bunch..)
- 2 x leeks
- Carrots (I had some small chardonnay carrots in the fridge so just top and tailed them and popped them in whole (no peeling)
- Onion – diced and chopped
- Ginger – either grated fresh – about 1 inch or cheat and use a small teaspoon of ginger puree..
- Dried or chopped chilli (to taste) – depending if you like it spicy or not..
- Single or double cream (optional but really adds to the taste and indulgence..)
- Vegetable and/or chicken stock (I used Knorr vegetable stock pot but you can prepare a fresh vegetable stock if you are so inclined..)
The ginger and chilli are optional – I like to add a bit of spice to contrast with the sweetness of the squash and carrots. You may prefer to just add salt and black pepper.
Method
- Peel and chop the vegetables and fry off in a large heavy bottomed pan until the onions start to go golden brown..
- Add the 1.5 pints of stock and top up with extra water if required to cover the vegetables in the pan.
- Cover and simmer for 30-40 mins until the vegetables are softened
- Add the spices (if you want a bit of extra ‘zing’) and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Blend the soup in a liquidiser or with a hand held blender until smooth
Tips:
- The soup may be too thick in consistency and can be watered down slightly with either water or milk. If adding milk, only add it to the quantity you are going to serve immediately..
- Once the soup is smooth, pop the desired amount back into the pan and heat until piping hot. Pop into serving bowl and add in some fresh cream and top with some parsley to garnish..
For ‘non diabetics’, this would be delicious with hot, crusty fresh bread… obviously bread to be avoided for the ‘healthy low carb’ option!
It sounds really good!! I have to try it 🙂
I can definitely recommend it… It never lasts very long as we all go back for second helpings!! xx
Great share Wendy!! Soup sounds so delicious, and can read the lovely texture in that glaze
Thanks Sumith – It’s really tasty and never lasts more than a day as we all go back for seconds! xx
Looks Yummy 🙂
Thank you! It really is delicious.. xx
Love a good soup recipe. This sounds delish!
It’s SO tasty.. In fact I’ve made it again for the weekend! xx Hope you have a great weekend too! xx
Thanks, you too.
My children call me the Soup Dragon …. life without soup is unthinkable and your recipe is a winner … I’m liking the ginger and chilli in the mix! Xx
It’s really tasty.. You can’t beat some nice soup and infact I’m going to make some more now to have over the weekend! Yep – that bit of ‘spice’ heats it up nicely.. x
Here (and your fact for the day is that the town I live in is the official home of the butternut squash … I’m proud of this even as a temporary resident 😂) they tend to put cinnamon in all squash soups, in fact they tend to put cinnamon in everything and whilst I like cinnamon I find it too sweet in the soup. Ginger and chilli will kick it nicely! Enjoy your second batch xx
Oh how fab – fancy that.. this was either the ‘perfect’ recipe for you then or ‘overkill’ as you may be sick of the sight of butternut squash… haha!! Yep the chilli and ginger are really tasty in it – well we think so anyway so if you try it Ms Food Dragon I’d love to know what you think! …. xx
I will certainly report back … another family joke is my love of squash – they used to tease me as I made them a feature of kitchen decorating at this time of year and then used them one by one for months. Here I just blend with the squash wallpaper!! x
Hahaha – well I’m a great believer in.. “What you focus on is what you get” and in this instance it seems that the proof is in the pudding… no hang on .. the proof is in the squash!! xx
Looks great! I have been meaning to make some more soup – this recipe looks great!
It really doesn’t last very long as we all go back for seconds! Enjoy.. xx
Yum!! I love both butternut squash and ginger, thank you! Wendy, you are great. ☺ Smiles for your weekend
Thanks so much!! And Big SMILES for your weekend too! Very much appreciated xx
☺☺
Looks great!
Scrumptious! Have a fab weekend.. hope you’re ok? xx
Thank you. I’m fine thank thee 🤓
Fab – speak soon.. xx
Wendy, you wont believe i made version of this twice already. I am vegeterian /vegan..
Oh soups come calling in the winter months. Sainsbury do a pre-chopped butternut squash and sweet potatoe mix.. normally i do from scratch but for two persons it a bit too much ..in terms of left overs.
So in mine added celery, dry chill flakes orgenano , mixed herbs, drop of olive oil.. few sweet tomatoe.. water… and pressure cooker… the blitz with hand held..
Guess what i brought again from sainsbury’s yesterday… i have frozen it … so when ever i feel like making it ..i can. I might add fennel this time..
Oh mouth watering… yum… may be at the weekend
That sounds like a great mix from Sainsbury’s as it is a bit of a pain peeling and chopping the butternut.. I’ll definitely be giving it a whirl! I love these home made soups and it’s great that you can just use up all the ‘leftovers’ too! Have a fab weekend Bella! x
It is a small packet though, near where they keep spinach and all the chopped up stuff. Buttersquash is so slippery to handle..
Have a great day..and weekend
Fab – thanks Bella I’ll be on the ‘hunt’.. xx
Its in fresh section.. never checked frozen section
Perfect! x
Yum, this sounds delicious Wendy and would be perfect for my dinner tonight. It’s suddenly turned wintery in Melbourne! Instead we’re having Steak Diane. Thanks for sharing and have a great Friday. xo
It’s a delicious soup for those cold, crisp days.. Very comforting! Steak Diane sounds delicious… Hope you have a lovely weekend Miriam! xx
Thanks Wendy. Just sitting down after a nice relaxing dinner. Cheers to Friday night 🍷
Cheer indeed Miriam!! “Bottoms Up”! ..