Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Fall means pumpkin and squash, and for the past weeks, they’ve been everywhere - and a standard on my veggie shelf. I love them, whether roasted as a side, mixed in with creamy risotto, but also a big fan of squash and pumpkin soup. There are countless ways to make it, and I probably do it slightly differently every time I make it. This version was especially lovely so I had to share. It’s full, creamy and the spices are just right. An added bonus - roasting the veggies in the oven saves you heaps of time. 

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash

500g carrots

2 onions

2 cloves

1L vegetable stock

1 tablespoon ras el hanout spice

4 tablespoons Greek yoghurt

Rind of 1 orange

Salt and black pepper

Toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Instructions:

1. De-seed the squash, chop into squares (no need to peel). Roughly chop the carrot. 

2. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, add the squash and the carrot, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper.  Roast for approximately 30 minutes until softened but not browned. (Give it all a stir about halfway through for even baking).

3. Chop the onion, slice the garlic. With some olive oil, add both to a soup pan and sauté over medium heat. When glazed, add the butternut squash and carrots.

4. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Then puree with a hand blender - or by transferring to a regular blender - until smooth. 

5. Return to a pan and heat. 

6. Mix the yoghurt with the orange rind and the Greek yoghurt. 

Pour the soup into bowls and add a dollop of the orange-yoghurt middle in the middle of each bowl. Optional: sprinkle some toasted pumpkin seeds on top.