Cream of Roast Butternut Squash Soup with Garlic Confit, Ginger and Chilli

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A velvety, spicy, cream of roast butternut squash soup with garlic confit, ginger and chilli. Full of incredible flavours to excite your tastebuds, this comforting soup can be as spicy as you want to make it!

Quick and easy to make, roasting the vegetables first adds a depth of flavour and sweetness to the soup but the flavour punch comes from the garlic confit, chilli and ginger! Wonderful in the cold weather and delicious with chunks of fresh bread – this hot, hug in a bowl, can be on your table in 45 minutes, with only 10 minutes of actual work!

Using milk as well as stock helps create a creamy soup, without the need to add a lot of extra cream or butter – although, if you are that way inclined, a good glug of cream stirred into the soup, or drizzled on top, would be utterly delightful. Furthermore, if you are looking for a vegan option, simply use coconut milk and vegetable stock and drizzle over some coconut cream.

Don’t be alarmed by the 2 heads of garlic confit! When you roast whole bulbs of garlic in the oven for 40 minutes, you get soft, creamy cloves with a rich, mellow, sweet flavour. Adding depth and complexity to your food, these little nuggets of flavour pack a huge punch for their size and can be used to enhance many different recipes, not just this beautiful soup!

How to make Cream of Roast Butternut Squash Soup with Garlic Confit, Ginger and Chilli

Collect all your ingredients together:

For the garlic and ginger confit:

• heads of garlic
• ginger, in 5mm slices – no need to peel
• olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:

• butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and cut into 3cm chunks
• onion, peeled and chopped into similar size cubes
• chilli flakes
• fine salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil
• vegetable or chicken stock
• milk

Topping ideas:

• Drizzle with sour cream or natural yoghurt
• Scatter over chopped cooked crispy bacon
• Some garlic and/or cheese croutons
• Sprinkle with chopped herbs such as coriander, chives, parsley
• Drizzle with chilli oil
• Or all of the above!

Serving suggestions:

• Fresh country bread, white or brown
• Fresh naan or flatbread

How to make the soup:

1. Make the garlic confit and ginger: slice the top ¼ off the whole bulbs of garlic and thinly slice the ginger. Put in the centre of a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Wrap the foil loosely around the garlic and ginger but make sure it is sealed.

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Prepare and cook the vegetables:

1. Peel and de-seed the squash and cut into 3cm chunks. Peel and chop the onion into similar sized pieces. Tip everything into a bowl.
2. Add the chilli flakes, salt and pepper and mix everything thoroughly, making sure all the vegetables are covered in the oil.
3. Tip everything out onto baking tray and ensure the vegetables are evenly scattered, leaving a space in the corner for the garlic and ginger foil parcel.
4. Put the vegetables and confit in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.
5. Take out of the oven, stir and put back in the oven for a further 20 minutes
6. Transfer the vegetables to your food processor.
7. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the garlic confit out of the cloves. (If you cannot wait and the garlic is still hot, I use rubber gloves to protect my hands.) Add to the processor with the sliced ginger.
8. Pour in the stock and blend until smooth.

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Add milk and re-heat:

1. Pour into your cast iron casserole or saucepan.
2. Add sufficient milk to get the consistency you are looking for and re-heat when ready to serve. Taste and adjust seasoning.

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Serve:

1. Add little dollops of sour cream or yoghurt in a circle around the soup.
2. Use a skewer or the tip of a knife to draw a circle through the centre of the cream/yoghurt to make little heart shapes.
3. Sprinkle on your choice of garnish – crispy bacon bits, herbs (I used coriander). You could also add croutons and a little chilli oil if you are after a spicy hit!

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Made this recipe?

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