Sweet, hearty and steaming, this soup is comfort in a bowl.
Typical nutritional content (per portion)
5 carrots
4 medium potatoes
1 small turnip (about 160g)
1 small onion
1 stalk of celery
1 medium butternut squash (about 200g)
1.5 litres low-salt vegetabe stock
Freshly ground black pepper
4 stalks of thyme, plus extra for garnishing
Optional garnish: toasted pumpkin seeds, sprig of thyme
Peel and roughly chop the carrots, potatoes, onions, turnip and celery into bite-sized chunks.
To prepare the butternut squash, slice a small amount off the base so it can stand steady. Then peel from the top down, slowly rotating the butternut squash. Once peeled, use a large knife to slice down the middle, and a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds and pulp. Chop into bite-sized chunks.
In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil on a medium heat, and add the butternut squash, potatoes, carrots, onions and celery. Fry for 10 minutes until the onions have softened. If anything starts to stick to the bottom, add a splash of water to deglaze the pot.
Once the vegetables have softened, add the stock and thyme (leaves only) to the pot. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes until all vegetables are cooked.
Using a hand blender, blitz until smooth. Season with freshly ground black pepper and garnish, if you like, with toasted pumpkin seeds and a sprig of thyme.
