Roasted butternut squash soup with celery and sage. This healthy soup recipe is one of my favourite ways to use up all those late summer veggies. The aromatic sage and earthy celery create an amazing green Goddess-style colour and also go incredibly well with the sweet, roasted butternut squash. A topping of feta and crushed pistachios and we have ourselves one incredible soup.
1large butternut squash (1600g - raw whole weight)
2tablespoonolive oil
2large onions chopped(200g)
2clovesgarlic finely chopped
2sticks of celery chopped
1teaspoondried oregano
Black pepper
750mlvegetable stock
Fresh sage leaves(5 leaves, stalks removed and roughly chopped)
Water to add if required
Salt and pepper to season
Pistachios and feta to top(optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Halve the butternut squash - you'll need a large knife for this and a little bit of patience. Scoop out the seeds, and either discard or roast in the oven and serve as a snack. Keep the skin on - we will remove this after cooking!
Place the halved squash on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Use your fingers to spread the oil evenly over the flesh. Place the squash in the oven and bake for around 1 hour. Check regularly, the squash will be cooked when it starts to caramelise and the tip of a knife can be pressed easily in to the flesh. Once cooked remove from the oven and set to one side to cool.
Whilst the butternut squash is cooking the rest of the soup can be prepared. Heat up 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan or casserole dish. Add chopped onion and garlic and fry gently for 5 minutes or until slightly caramelised. Next add the chopped celery, 1 teaspoon oregano and black pepper. Stir well before pouring in 750ml of vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and then simmer gently for 20 minutes.
Whilst the soup is simmering, remove the skin from the cooling squash. This can be done by either peeling the skin away or by scooping out the flesh with a spoon. Once the skin is completely removed chop the squash into chunks and add to the soup. Mix in well and then add the freshly chopped sage.
Next transfer the soup to a blender and blitz until smooth. This is best done in batches to avoid over filling the blender.
Recipe Tip: transfer the bulky veg to the blender first with only a little of the stock liquid. Gradually add more stock whilst blending until the desired consistency is achieved. If all the stock is used and the soup is still too thick; extra tap water can be added. A good consistency is when the soup just coats the back of a spoon.
Finally pass the blended soup through a sieve, taste and add salt and pepper if required. If serving immediately reheat gently in a pan but do not boil. Serve in bowls and top with chopped pistachios and crumbled feta cheese if desired.
If storing for another day do not reheat. Transfer to sealable containers and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.