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Butternut squash and lentil soup
It's soup season! Warm up with this delicious butternut squash and lentil soup recipe made with butternut squash, red lentils, brown rice, tahini and mushrooms.
SERVES
4
TO
6
Ingredients
Butternut and Lentil Soup
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 shallots, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a knife
- Medium-grained kosher salt as needed
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds or 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp coriander seeds, or 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- A pinch dried red pepper flakes
- 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into medium dice
- 1/2 cup split red lentils, rinsed
- 5 cups vegetable broth or water, plus more
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/3 cup well-stirred tahini
To Serve
- Cooked brown rice or other grain
- Roasted squash seeds
- Green tahini, gremolata, zhug or similar herb condiment
- Crumbled feta
- Minced tender herbs (Italian parsley, mint, dill, cilantro)
- Dukkah
- Fried shallots
- Oil-preserved chilies
- Sautéed mushrooms, soft-boiled egg, roasted chickpeas
Directions
- To make the soup, heat the oil over medium-low heat in a large, heavy bottomed Dutch oven or similar. Tip in the shallots, garlic, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until softened and without colour, about five minutes.
- Scatter in the spices and chili flakes; cook one minute more. Tumble in the squash and lentils, stirring until coated in the spiced shallot oil. Pour in the vegetable broth, drop in the thyme, and bring to a boil over high heat. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer until the vegetables are thoroughly tender, around 20 minutes.
- Pluck the thyme from the pot. Scrape in the tahini and season well. Purée the vegetables until smooth using an upright blender, with the feed hole ajar to allow steam to escape.(If using ground spices, an immersion blender can be used. Whole spices will remain as flecks in the soup unless blitzed in an upright.) Check for seasoning, thin with extra broth or water if desired, and rewarm as needed.
- Serve with desired garnishes. Enjoy!
