A deliciously zingy and warming soup to brighten up your November days, it’s become a bit of a welcome regular at our winter Garden Volunteer Days. Equally as delicious with pumpkin, butternut squash or other autumn squash and sweet potatoes. Add a generous amount of chilli if you like a kick of heat. The recipe also features as the November recipe on our 2020 Growing Local Recipe Calendar, available for purchase for £5. 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive or rapeseed oil

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 very large thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 kg butternut squash and sweet potato, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2/3cm chunks

150g red lentils

black pepper

1.25 litres weak vegetable stock (we use Marigold Reduced Salt)

1 x 400g can coconut milk, less if you don’t want your soup too creamy

a little Harissa paste or chilli flakes, optional

Method:

1. Prepare all the veggies following the ingredients list.

2. Heat the oil in a very large saucepan and saute the onion for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time.

3. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a further minute before stirring through the butternut, sweet potato, lentils, stock and a generous pinch of black pepper.

4. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the veggies and lentils are all fully tender.

5. Whiz the soup until smooth with a hand held stick blender directly in the saucepan or in a jug blender.

6. Stir through the coconut milk, using half to a full can depending on how creamy you like your soup.