Description
This Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring roasted butternut squash and red peppers blended with red lentils and warm spices. It’s creamy, smooth, and perfect for chilly days, garnished with Greek yogurt, pumpkin seeds, and fresh thyme, with optional cheesy toasts for dipping.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Pepper
- 2 cups peeled and diced butternut squash (½ inch dice)
- 3 pointed red peppers, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup red lentils
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
To Garnish the Soup
- Greek yogurt
- Pumpkin seeds
- Fresh thyme leaves
- Cheesy toasts (see recipe notes)
Instructions
- Roast the Vegetables: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the diced butternut squash and chopped red peppers on the sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and sprinkle with chilli flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes until tender and slightly charred at the edges.
- Sauté Aromatics: While the vegetables roast, heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and diced onion. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until softened and golden around the edges.
- Add Garlic and Spices: Stir in the crushed garlic, smoked paprika, ground cumin, onion powder, and dried thyme. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring continuously to release the aroma of the spices.
- Add Lentils and Stock: Add the red lentils to the pan and stir to coat them with the onion and spice mixture. Pour in the chicken or vegetable stock and sea salt, then bring to a boil.
- Simmer Soup: Lower the heat to a simmer and add the roasted butternut squash and red peppers. Simmer for 15 minutes until the lentils are soft and fully cooked.
- Blend Until Smooth: Carefully transfer the soup to a blender, covering the top with a tea towel to avoid splashes. Start blending slowly and then increase speed until completely smooth. Add more stock if you prefer a thinner consistency.
- Season and Serve: Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot, garnished with a spoonful of Greek yogurt, pumpkin seeds, fresh thyme leaves, and optionally with cheesy toasts for dipping.
Notes
- Use your favorite variety of squash such as red kuri, acorn, or kabocha; cooking times may vary, so start checking at 20 minutes if using a softer variety.
- If you can’t find red pointed peppers, red bell peppers are a good substitute.
- If you don’t have a traditional blender, a hand-held stick blender works well.
- This recipe makes about 1.2 liters (5 cups) of soup, serving approximately 3 full portions or 4 smaller ones.
- For smoky cheesy toasts, toast slices of baguette, top with grated cheddar, smoked paprika, and thyme, then grill until golden and melted.
- To make the soup vegan, use vegetable stock and substitute Greek yogurt garnish with coconut milk.
- Adjust salt according to the saltiness of your stock.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 400ml)
- Calories: 297 kcal
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 1546 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 15 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
