Sweet and earthy, mildly spicy, nutritious… and delicious.
Getting ahead/got leftovers? Your soup will sit happily in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Ingredients (makes 6-8 portions)
1.5kg butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 3cm cubes
2 red peppers, deseeded and roughly sliced
3-4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp runny honey (optional)
1 large red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 x 5cm knob of root ginger, peeled and grated
½ -1 tsp dried red chilli flakes
1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk
800ml vegetable stock
Method
Preheat the oven to 180c/gas mark 5.
Tumble the prepared butternut squash, red peppers and olive oil together in a large roasting tin. Season well and roast for 40-45 minutes (drizzled with the honey, if using, for the last 5 minutes or so) or until the vegetables are tender and just beginning to caramelise around the edges.
Warm a little more olive oil in a large, deep-sided saucepan over a medium heat and gently fry the sliced red onion until translucent, adding the garlic, ginger and chilli flakes for the last couple of minutes. Add the coconut milk and stock to the pan, bring to a gentle simmer (stirring continuously), then add the roast vegetables and continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly before tipping into a food processor or using a hand blender to create a smooth consistency. Reheat the soup thoroughly before serving with crusty bread.