Roasted butternut squash soup

This easy butternut squash soup recipe is completely dairy-free! It has added red pepper and ginger, and is deliciously smooth.

For this recipe you will need a 3.5–4 litre/6–7 pint deep-sided saucepan.

By Mary Berry
From Mary Berry's Foolproof Cooking

Ingredients

  • 1.5kg/3lb 5oz peeled and deseeded butternut squash, cut into 3cm/1¼in cubes (see tip)
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into cubes
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp clear honey
  • 5cm/2in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 1.5 litres/2½ pints vegetable stock
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.

  2. Tip the prepared squash into a large, resealable freezer bag with the onion, carrots and red pepper. Add half the oil and salt and pepper and toss everything together until the vegetables are evenly coated. Tip into a large roasting tin and spread out to form a single layer.

  3. Roast in the oven for 40–45 minutes, or until tender and tinged brown. Drizzle over the honey 5 minutes before the end of cooking.

  4. Place the large, deep-sided saucepan over a medium heat, add the remaining oil and, when it is hot, add the ginger and fry for a minute. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then stir in the roasted vegetables and add salt and pepper.

  5. Remove the saucepan from the heat and, using a hand blender, blend the mixture until smooth. Return to the heat to warm through and serve hot with crusty bread.