Butternut Squash and Ginger Soup

This Butternut Squash and Ginger soup is a perfect cosy meal for curling up on the couch during Autumn and Winter. All it needs is some crusty, fresh bread spread with a thick layer of butter, delicious!

I was inspired to make this soup from eating carrot and ginger soup in a restaurant recently. The sweetness from the vegetables and the warming ginger was such a good combination I had to recreate it (but make it seasonally appropriate!) I added a touch of honey for extra sweetness, which I balanced out with zingy lemon juice and salt. Gorgeous!

I use butternut squash, as they're more accessible throughout the year. But this soup would be a great choice for using up pumpkins around or after Halloween as well. Any variety of the squash or pumpkin family would be appropriate, and through in a carrot or two if you're feeling generous.

Ingredients for Butternut Squash and Ginger Soup

• Vegetables: butternut squash and onion - roasting the vegetables adds an extra depth of flavour to the soup (you could opt to use frozen butternut squash or leftover pumpkin from Halloween)
• Aromatics: honey, ginger, lemon juice
• Vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper

Optional Garnish

• homemade croutons
• crispy bacon
• double cream
• crystallised ginger matchsticks

How to make Butternut Squash and Ginger Soup

Cut butternut squashes in half lengthways and remove the seeds, peel onions and cut in half - add to a lined baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper then roast in the oven for 60 - 80 minutes.

Once roasted, add the roasted vegetables to a blender (food processor) - either remove the skin from the butternut squash if preferred but you can also blend it up (great source of fibre). Add ginger (grated), honey, lemon juice and vegetable stock cubes dissolved in water.

Blend until totally smooth and I serve with homemade croutons, crispy bacon and crystallised ginger.

Storage and Reheating

Storage

The Butternut Squash and Ginger soup can be kept in the:

• fridge for 5 days
• frozen for 4 months

Re-Heating Butternut Squash and Ginger soup

The soup can be re-heated directly from frozen, or after defrosting in the fridge overnight. Heat either in the microwave or in a pot on the hob/stovetop until piping hot throughout before serving.