A handful of simple ingredients are transformed into this super easy roasted butternut squash soup. No need to peel OR chop the squash – just throw it in the oven to get richly caramelised, then blitz with the rest of the ingredients. It’s sweet, salty, spicy and the ultimate hug in a bowl.
Growing up, I was never a fan of butternut squash (or sweet potato or pumpkin for that matter). I always found it too sweet and cloying, but I’ve found that the secret is to combine that sweetness with something salty, and something spicy to create a gorgeously balanced, super satisfying combination of flavours.
This soup is the perfect example of that. Sweet nuttiness from the roasted squash, saltiness from the fish sauce, stock and feta on top plus spiciness from the warming spices and a cheeky drizzle of chilli oil to serve. Add the most moreish salted honey squash seeds for a lovely bit of texture, and this is a seriously gorgeous bowl of comfort, fab for cooler evenings. It’s also special enough to serve as part of a holiday spread.
I tend to shy away from using squash when I have to peel and chop it because I find it a tedious, hard job, so here, I’m skipping that entirely by roasting the squash. Not only does it cut down prep time, but it also means the flavour is intensified and much better than if you were to just simmer the squash in the stock. Roasting it allows it to caramelise and brings out the natural sugars in the oven, resulting in a deeper flavour.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Super easy to prep. No need to peel or chop up the squash – just split it down the middle and throw it into the oven.
- Perfect for meal prep and making ahead. The soup lasts up to 5 days in the fridge and freezes well.
- A wonderful combination of sweet, salty and spicy flavours and textures, perfect for cosy evenings or as part of a holiday spread.
Ingredients
- Butternut squash. One large squash is all you need here.
- Garlic. I’m using two whole heads of garlic but you can reduce this if you like – because the garlic is roasted with the squash it’s not SUPER garlicky and strong, it becomes milder and sweeter.
- Spices. To add that warming factor that pairs gorgeously with the sweetness of the squash, we’ll use ground cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli flakes. If you like, you can skip the chilli flakes.
- Fish sauce. This is the secret ingredient that I add to just about anything to boost the umami, savoury factor. It brings a deep saltiness that you can’t achieve with salt alone, and I promise it doesn’t taste fishy at all. If you want to keep this vegetarian, use a vegetarian fish sauce, or use soy sauce.
How to make it
Slice your butternut squash in half, lengthways, then scoop out the seeds. Drizzle the exposed sides with a little olive oil and salt. Slice the tops off your heads of garlic, then place them in the little cavity the seeds were in. Place the squash (with the garlic) cut side down on a lined baking tray and pop into the oven to get soft and caramelised.
Soften the onions in a little olive oil, then add the spices. Rinse your scooped-out seeds, then remove as much of the leftover flesh as you can. Toast them in a small pan, then add a little honey and flaky sea salt. Stir to combine, then remove from the heat to get super sticky and crispy.
Scoop the butternut squash flesh straight into the pot with the onions and spices, along with the roasted garlic (literally just squeeze the soft, roasted cloves out of their skins into the pot). Pour in the stock and the fish sauce (if you’re using it), then stir and bring to a simmer. Use either an immersion blender straight in your pot to blitz the soup into a lovely smooth consistency, or if you’d like it super smooth, transfer the soup to a stand blender. I like to do this because I prefer my soup very smooth, but it’s up to you!
Pour back into your pot and bring to a simmer, taste and add the lemon juice and a little more salt if needed. Divide between plates, then top with the chilli oil, feta and the salted honey seeds.
Got a question?
You can – it will keep well for 5 days, stored in the fridge and it’s easy to reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. You can also freeze it (I like to do this in individual portions in ziplock bags).
Fresh bread is a classic pairing – try it with chilli cheese focaccia, rosemary parmesan bread or Vogel’s style seed bread. A grilled cheese toastie is also always a good idea.
The chilli flakes in the soup itself give it just a hint of spice – it’s still pretty mild. Adding the chilli oil to serve definitely kicks up the spice factor, but you can choose how much to use if you use it at all. If you’re cooking for kids or worried about spice, you can skip the chilli flakes if you like.
Not in this recipe! Peeling butternut squash is one of my least favourite kitchen activities, so I tend to skip it altogether if I can help it. Here, we’re just cutting the squash in half, then roasting the halves until soft and caramelised. Not only is peeling unnecessary, but you don’t need to chop it either.
Like this recipe? Here are more cosy favourite you might enjoy
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave me a comment below.
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Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A handful of simple ingredients are transformed into this super easy roasted butternut squash soup. No need to peel OR chop the squash – just throw it in the oven to get richly caramelised, then blitz with the rest of the ingredients. It’s sweet, salty, spicy and the ultimate hug in a bowl.
Ingredients
For the soup –
- 1 butternut squash
- 2 whole heads of garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Flaky sea salt
- 1 litre/4 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
To serve –
- 2 tablespoons chilli oil
- 1/4 cup feta, crumbled
- Handful of mint leaves
Instructions
- Roasted the squash and garlic. Heat your oven to 220C/425F fan and line an oven tray with baking paper. Carefully chop the top (with the end of the stem) off the squash, then cut straight down the middle, so you’re left with two long pieces of squash. Scoop the seeds out, and place them in a bowl. Slice the tops of the cloves off your garlic heads. Drizzle the cut sides of the squash and garlic with a little olive oil, then place the garlic into the cavities where the seeds were. Sprinkle the squash with 1 teaspoon of salt. Turn the squash (with the garlic inside), upside down, then place on your prepared baking tray. Transfer to the oven for 45 minutes, until super soft and caramelised.
- Cook the onions and spices. Set a large saucepan over medium heat, then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the diced onion and 1 teaspoon of salt, then cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the onion softens. At this point, add the ground cumin, coriander, turmeric and the chilli flakes. Stir the spices through the softened onion for another minute, then remove from the heat until the squash is cooked through.
- Make the salted honey seeds. Rinse the squash seeds and remove as much of the squash flesh as you can. Pat dry with a kitchen towel. Place a piece of baking paper onto a small plate or tray. Set a small pan over low heat, then add the dried seeds. Cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes, until they start smelling a little nutty and they’re developing brown spots. At this point, pour in the honey and add 1 teaspoon of flaky sea salt, then stir them through the seeds for another 30 seconds. Transfer the seeds to the prepared plate to cool and crisp up. PRO TIP: The seeds will get SUPER sticky once they dry so it’s important to use greaseproof paper – they will stick to the plate if you don’t.
- Add squash, garlic and stock. Once the squash is super soft (pierce the squash with a knife – it should easily go through the skin into the flesh), remove it from the oven. Scoop the squash from its skin, directly into the pot with the onion and spices. Squeeze the garlic from its skin into the pot too. Pour in the stock, then add the fish sauce and lemon juice. Turn the heat to medium, then stir and bring the soup to a simmer for a couple of minutes, just to let the flavours mesh.
- Blitz, season and serve. You can either use an immersion blender to blitz the soup or transfer it to a stand blender. I prefer using a stand blender for the smoothest consistency, but the immersion blender is easier and creates less washing up, so it’s up to you. Blitz the soup until it’s super smooth and creamy. If you’re using a stand blender, transfer the soup back into the pot, then taste and add more salt if you like. Divide the soup between bowls, then top with a drizzle of chilli oil, a scattering of the feta and the salted honey seeds.
Notes
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: The soup will keep well for up to 5 days, stored in the fridge in a covered container. Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave at 30-second intervals. It’s fab for freezing too – I like to freeze individual portions in ziplock bags for quick and easy defrosting. If you only have a little soup left over, try tossing it through pasta for a quick, delicious pasta sauce.
SUBSTITUTIONS: To keep this vegetarian, skip the fish sauce or use soy sauce or a vegetarian fish sauce. You can skip the chilli flakes and the chilli oil if you’re making this for kids, or if you don’t like things too spicy.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: A piece of lovely fresh bread is perfect with this soup – try it with chilli cheese focaccia, rosemary parmesan bread or Vogel’s style seed bread.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: soups
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 350g
- Calories: 468
- Sugar: 8.5g
- Sodium: 1512mg
- Fat: 38.9g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 28.6g
- Fiber: 3.4g
- Protein: 4.6g
- Cholesterol: 8mg
Keywords: pumpkin soup
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