How to make roasted butternut squash soup with crispy cavolo nero

The shorter days call for warming soups that make the most of the season’s produce, says Julia Platt Leonard

Crispy cavolo nero adds a welcome crunch (Photography by Julia Platt Leonard)

Roasting vegetables brings out a sweetness and complexity that boiling can’t.

Cooked at high heat, butternut squash caramelises, tasting both nutty and savoury – the perfect base for a vegan autumnal soup.

The key is to choose a roasting pan that is big enough to handle all your veg in one layer.

Too crowded and the vegetables sweat and steam, rather than roast. Turn a couple of times during cooking to ensure even browning.

Serve as is or add some cavolo nero – black cabbage – cooked quickly in olive oil until crispy, for welcome crunch.

Drizzle coconut yoghurt mixed with lime juice or simply stir in some lime juice for a hit of acid. Any leftovers can be frozen for a rainy day.

Note: kale can be used instead of cavolo nero.

Roasted butternut squash soup with crispy cavolo nero

Serves 2-3

1 medium butternut squash, about 700-800g, peeled and chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4tbsp olive oil
1tsp turmeric
¾tsp cumin seeds
½tsp coriander seeds
500ml vegetable stock
Juice of one lime
125g pot coconut yoghurt (optional)
Mild chilli pepper flakes (optional)
 

Crispy cavolo nero

3 leaves cavolo nero​
2tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 220C.

Place the chopped butternut squash in a roasting tin. Toss with 2tbsp of olive oil and sea salt – about ½tsp. Place in the preheated oven. Roast for about 20-25 minutes – until the squash is nicely browned.

While the squash is roasting, heat the other 2tbsp of the olive oil in a deep, lidded-casserole or soup pot. Add the chopped red onion, cover and allow to sweat over medium heat until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Crush the cumin and coriander seeds with a mortar and pestle or in a spice mill. Add to the softened onions along with the turmeric and minced garlic. Stir and cook for another few minutes.

Add the squash to the onion mixture, stir and pour over about 400ml of the vegetable stock. Cover and cook until the squash is tender – about 10-15 minutes. Blitz with a handheld stick blender or in a regular blender until smooth. Add the remaining stock as needed. The soup should be thick but pourable.

To make the crispy cavolo nero, remove and discard the ribs. Cut the leaves into thin strips. Wash and spin dry. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the cavolo nero – it will spit so be careful or use a splash guard. Fry for a minute until crispy. Remove and place the cavolo nero on a piece of kitchen towel to drain.

If serving with the coconut yoghurt, mix the yoghurt with the lime juice. If not, simply add the lime juice to the soup right before serving. Spoon out the soup, top with some of the cavolo nero and drizzle with the lime-coconut yoghurt and chilli pepper, if using. Serve hot.

All photos Julia Platt Leonard

@juliapleonard