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

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

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! Serves 4

Course Lunch, Starter
Keyword butternut squash, chilli, garlic confit, Ginger
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Author Susan

Ingredients

For the garlic and ginger confit:

  • 2 heads of garlic
  • 20g fresh ginger, in 5mm slices (no need to peel)
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:

  • 600g peeled and de-seeded butternut squash, cut into 3cm chunks (weight is prepared weight)
  • 125g/1 onion, peeled and chopped into similar size cubes
  • ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
  • ¼ – ½ teaspoon fine salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 500ml vegetable or chicken stock
  • 300ml – 500ml 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 - if you want an extra kick
  • Or all of the above!

Serving suggestions:

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

Instructions

  1. Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

  2. Preheat oven to Fan Oven 180°C/200°C/400°F/Gas 6. 

  3. 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.

  4. Wrap the foil loosely around the garlic and ginger but make sure it is sealed.

  5. Prepare and cook the vegetables: 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.

  6. Add the chilli flakes, salt and pepper and mix everything thoroughly, making sure all the vegetables are covered in the oil.

  7. 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.

  8. Put the vegetables and confit in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.

  9. Take out of the oven, stir and put back in the oven for a further 20 minutes

  10. Transfer the vegetables to your food processor.

  11. 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.

  12. Pour in the stock and blend until smooth.

  13. Pour into your cast iron casserole or a saucepan.

  14. Add sufficient milk to get the consistency you are looking for and re-heat when ready to serve.

  15. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

  16. Serve: add little dollops of sour cream or yoghurt in a circle around the soup.

  17. 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.

  18. 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!

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

  • Kitchen scales and measuring spoons
  • Chopping board and knife
  • Mixing bowl
  • Baking tray 
  • Piece of foil large enough to bring up around the sides of the garlic and ginger, scrunch together and seal
  • Blender/food processor
  • Cast iron casserole dish or saucepan