Recipe based on one from Olive Magazine, with immune system-boosting spices.
Ingredients
1 large white onion, diced
2 green apples, peeled and chopped
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp chilli powder
1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
2 kg butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and cut into cubes
8 cups vegetable or chicken stock (made from a cube or homemade)
For the spiced pumpkin seeds:
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp chilli powder
Generous pinch of salt and black pepper
Method
- Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion, apple, cinnamon, ginger, chilli powder and salt. Cook, whilst stirring occasionally, for around five minutes.
- Add the butternut squash to the pot, and stir to coat for another five minutes. Add the stock, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, with the pot covered, for around 40-50 minutes, until the squash is soft.
- Allow the soup to cool, then blend in a blender or with a hand-held immersion blender until completely smooth.
- To make the spiced pumpkin seeds, combine the oil, cinnamon, chilli powder, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Add the pumpkin seeds and stir to coat.
- Heat a pan over a medium heat. Add the pumpkin seeds, and allow to toast in the pan, whilst stirring to ensure they don’t burn, for around 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool fully.
- Serve the soup heated, with a generous sprinkling of spiced pumpkin seeds on top.