Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

This butternut squash and sweet potato soup is quick and easy as well as velvety smooth with a twist of subtle spice.

Butternut squash and sweet potato soup

This lightly spiced butternut squash and sweet potato soup is rich and delicious in flavour yet light on calories.

Thanks to my cheat ingredient it is ready in about half an hour, it makes a delicious, satisfying lunch to see you through the day without sending you to sleep.

See also

• Leek and potato soup is subtle but tasty and makes a great comfort dish
• Zesty and fragrant, carrot and coriander soup is a lively treat
• Reawaken memories of holidays in the sun with this easy gazpacho recipe

I love soup for lunch. It’s a great way to get those healthy veg into your diet and so much more satisfying that a sandwich, which tends to be too heavy on the bread.

This recipe is extremely easy to make and if you want to be really lazy, you can buy bags of ready peeled and chopped vegetables to cut out all the work.

Although I nearly always cook for two, I generally making 6 portions when I’m cooking soup rather than make soup every day. Like stews, casseroles, and curries, they are often better for keeping for a day or two and they store well in the fridge for several days.

A normal batch of soup provides me with lunch for two days of the week and a couple of portions for the freezer too, which means I can ring the changes whenever I want.

I have recently found that supermarket preprepared bags of veg give me just the right amount for a batch of soup, and that is what I have used here. You would expect these to be expensive, but in fact they work out quite well.

With no weight lost to the skins, I found this to be a good way to buy squash and sweet potato, with no leftovers to go off in the bottom of the fridge.

You can obviously deseed, peel and chop your own vegetables if you prefer.

Why make butternut squash and sweet potato soup?

• quick and easy to make

• adaptable – the recipe is flexible

• cut out all the work with preprepared veg

• contains at least 2 portions of vegetables per serving

• perfect for batch cooking and filling the freezer

Butternut squash and sweet potato soup ingredients

• Sweet potato and butternut squash – I cheated and bought 2 bags of ready prepped sweet potato and butternut squash with my regular grocery order to save time, but you can peel and chop your own into 2 cm chunks

• Onion – one white/yellow onion, though you could use 2–3 shallots instead

• Garlic – 2 cloves

• Olive oil and butter – for frying. I like a light, non-refined oil.

• Spices – coriander, turmeric and cumin, though you can substitute your own favourites if you prefer

• Stock – vegetable or chicken stock, as you prefer

How to make butternut squash and sweet potato soup – step by step

Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this perfectly every time.

Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.

Step One – First, peel and chop the onion and garlic. Melt the butter into the oil in a soup pan and fry the onion until it starts to become translucent.

Now add the garlic and spices and fry for a minute or two longer.

Step Two – Add the sweet potato and butternut squash chunks. Stir in well to coat with the spices and allow to cook for a minute or two.

Step Three – Add the stock. Now put the lid on, and simmer over the lowest heat for 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.

Helen’s Fuss Free Tip

I use a heat diffuser to keep the soup simmering rather than boiling. They are inexpensive and last for years, so if you have difficulty keeping the heat low and even, do invest in one.

Step Four – Use a stick blender to whizz the soup to a silky smooth consistency. Taste and season as needed, and if you want to adjust the consistency, you can add a little extra water or stock.

Then serve hot, garnished to taste.

Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
I nearly always use a stick blender to blend my soup. They are inexpensive, easy to clean and last for years.
You can use a jug blender or food processor if you prefer, but it’s a lot more trouble and you must take extra care when blending hot liquids.

Make sure that the central bung is loose to allow steam to escape. Cover it with a folded tea towel to catch any liquid and blend in short pulses allowing steam to escape between each pulse to avoid blowing the lid off.

Serving suggestion

I like to serve this soup garnished with some pumpkin seeds, chopped chives and a drizzle of olive oil.

Enjoy it with fresh bread or toast.

Variations

• You can vary the proportions according to what you have. You won’t need to adjust the method at all.

• Vary the spicing to taste. A little chilli works really well here.

• Intensify the flavours by roasting the squash and sweet potato – see my full tutorial for how to roast butternut squash

• For a lighter, brighter soup add a squeeze of lemon. The acidic lemon juice works as a flavour enhancer.

• For a richer soup, stir through an extra knob of butter at the end. Alternatively, reduce the amount of stock and add some coconut milk.

• Add a spoonful of nut butter or tahini. It’s delicious!

Storage

This butternut squash and sweet potato soup recipe will serve six with some hearty bread, so if you are making it for one or two, you will have plenty for the next few days.

Fridge – Once cool, cover and store in the fridge, where it will keep for up to three days. Reheat in a pan on the stove or in the microwave.

Freezer – Transfer the cooled soup to airtight containers and freeze your soup for up to three months.

Reheating – Defrost your sweet potato and soup in the fridge overnight, or on the kitchen counter for a few hours. Reheat in a pan on the stove top, or in a safe container in the microwave. When using the microwave, I like to use a Pyrex-style jug as you can lift it out one handed and pour it out easily.

Hints and tips

When you are chopping vegetables for a blended soup, you don’t have to worry about making them look pretty and even, but if you have vegetables that cook at different rates, cut the slower cookers smaller.

If you must use a jug blender, leave the bung loose or out, and cover with a tea towel. I really do recommend using a stick blender instead. It’s so much easier and they are cheap to buy.

FAQs

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