Soups are a staple food for many in the winter months, and they are so versatile. From tomato soups to leek and potato, there’s an endless variety. One popular soup in the winter months is butternut squash soup, made even tastier with an ingredient Mary Berry loves.
The recipe notes said: “This easy butternut squash recipe is flavoured with red pepper and ginger and then blended until silky smooth. Roasting the squash, rather than boiling it in a pan, really brings out the flavour in the vegetables to make a rich-tasting soup without any added dairy.” However, it’s one other ingredient Mary adds to this recipe that can make all the difference.
How to make Mary Berry’s butternut squash soup
Ingredients:
- 1.5kg peeled and de-seeded butternut squash, cut into 3cm cubes
- One large onion, roughly chopped
- Two medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- One red pepper, de-seeded and cut into cubes
- Four tablespoons of olive oil
- One tablespoon of honey
- 5cm fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1.5L vegetable stock
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C, then tip the prepared squash into a large bowl or a resealable freezer bag. Add the onion, carrots, red pepper and half the oil.
Season with salt and pepper and toss everything together until the vegetables are evenly coated. Tip the mixture into a large roasting tin and spread it out to form a single layer.
Roast in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until tender and tinged brown at the edges. Drizzle the honey over five minutes before the end of cooking.
Adding honey to the butternut squash can help the squash brown more deeply as well as boost the soup’s natural sweetness without being overpowering.
A drizzle of honey adds a layer of complexity that can make the soup have various flavours running through it, removing any bitterness too.
Overall, the soup will have more flavour when you drizzle one tablespoon of honey over the vegetables.
Next, place a large, deep-sided saucepan over medium heat, then add the remaining oil and fry the ginger for 1 minute.
Pour in the stock and bring to a boil, then stir in the roasted vegetables and add salt and pepper.
Remove from the heat and, using a hand blender, blend the mixture until smooth. Return to the heat to warm through and serve hot, accompanied by crusty bread.