Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Method

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1. Heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F. Rub the squash halves, onion quarters and the head of garlic with 3 tablespoons of the oil and season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper.

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2. Lay the squash cut side down on a large tray with the onions and garlic around it.

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3. Roast 40 to 50 minutes, until the squash is completely collapsed and the cut face is browned and sticky where it met the tray.

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4. Scoop the squash flesh into a large pan and add the roasted onions. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins and add those too.

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5. Warm the remaining tablespoon of oil in the pan, add the cumin, coriander, chilli flakes and ginger, and stir for 45 seconds until fragrant.

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6. Pour in the hot water and the coconut milk, add the remaining salt, and simmer 10 minutes.

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7. Blend until completely smooth — a jug blender gives a better texture than a stick, but either works if you give it long enough.

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8. Stir in the lime juice and taste; it will need more salt than seems right and the lime is what lifts it.

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9. Serve with a swirl of the extra coconut milk, toasted pumpkin seeds and coriander.

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Chef’s Tips

• Cut side down on the tray. That contact is where the caramelisation happens.
• Do not peel the squash. Roast it in the skin and scoop; it is faster and it loses less.
• Water, not stock. A good roast makes stock unnecessary and stock cubes make everything taste the same.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• For a non-vegan version, double cream can generally stand in for the coconut milk; going the other way, a plant-based cream sold for cooking is the closer match to dairy than tinned coconut milk on its own.
• Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.

Pairing Suggestions

• Sourdough toast
• A sharp Cheddar
• A glass of dry cider

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 5 days. Freezes for 3 months. It thickens on standing; loosen with water.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.