Hairy Bikers Butternut Squash Soup

Caramelised squash, smoked chipotle and lime are what you get from Hairy Bikers butternut squash soup, not cream. Everyday Winners publishes it under the name Squash, Lime and Chilli Soup, with 500g of squash and 250g of cauliflower. Four bowls take 45 minutes at about 210 calories each.

They write in Everyday Winners that Mexican tortilla soup gave them the idea. Chipotle brings smoke, lime brings sharpness, and they say those two together are what lift the whole thing. Any chilli paste works, though chipotle is the one they reach for.

Squash and onion go into hot oil first and stay there until the edges catch and brown. That browning is the sweetness which later stands up to the chilli, so a pale pan at this stage gives you a flat soup at the end.

Hairy Bikers Butternut Squash Soup

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Simmering Cuisine:British Mexican Courses:Soup

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 30 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time: 45 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:210 kcal Best Season:Autumn

Description

Squash and onion caramelise in the pan before cauliflower, garlic, chipotle and lime zest join them. Stock goes in, then fifteen minutes of simmering and a blitz until smooth. Fried pumpkin seeds and coriander finish this Hairy Bikers butternut squash soup.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp coconut or olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 500g butternut squash or pumpkin, peeled and diced
• 250g cauliflower florets, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 to 3 tsp chilli paste, to taste
• zest and juice of 1 lime
• 800ml vegetable stock
• sea salt and black pepper
• 1 tsp oil, for the garnish
• 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, for the garnish
• ½ tsp chilli paste, for the garnish
• fresh coriander leaves, to serve

Instructions

1. Caramelise the squash: Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and squash and cook over a medium-high heat, stirring often, until they start to caramelise.
2. Add the cauliflower: Stir in the cauliflower and garlic and cook for a few more minutes.
3. Add the chilli and zest: Mix in the chilli paste and lime zest, then season well with salt and pepper. Keep stirring until the vegetables are coated.
4. Simmer: Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are completely tender.
5. Blend: Blitz the soup until smooth, then add half the lime juice. Taste, and add more only if it needs it.
6. Fry the seeds: Heat the garnish oil in a small pan and fry the pumpkin seeds for a minute. Loosen the extra chilli paste with any leftover lime juice, add it to the pan and stir until the seeds look dry and roasted.
7. Serve: Ladle into bowls and top with the pumpkin seeds and a few coriander leaves.

Keywords:hairy bikers butternut squash soup, butternut squash soup hairy bikers, hairy bikers butternut squash soup recipe, hairy bikers squash lime and chilli soup, spicy butternut squash soup

FAQs

Is this the same as a classic creamy butternut squash soup?

No, and it is worth knowing before you shop. The book publishes it as Squash, Lime and Chilli Soup, and it came from Mexican tortilla soup rather than the smooth British version.

There is no cream in it anywhere. The body comes from squash and cauliflower blended together, and the flavour from smoked chilli and lime. If creamy and mild is what you pictured, their celeriac and apple soup is much closer to it.

What is the cauliflower doing in it?

Adding body without starch. Squash on its own blends thin and slightly stringy, while cauliflower breaks down into a thick smooth base, which is why 250g goes in against 500g of squash.

You will not taste it. Chipotle and lime are loud enough to bury it completely, so the cauliflower is doing structural work rather than adding flavour of its own.

How much chilli paste should I use?

The recipe says 1 to 3 teaspoons, and that range is deliberate. Start with one, because more can be stirred in after blending and none of it can be taken back out.

Chipotle is their choice, for smoke as much as heat. Their jambalaya gets to the same place with sweet smoked paprika and cayenne, and harissa or gochujang work here too. Keep half a teaspoon back for the pumpkin seeds.

Why does the lime juice go in at the end?

Heat destroys it. Lime juice simmered for fifteen minutes loses its sharpness and turns faintly bitter, so the zest goes in early for aroma and the juice goes in after blending.

Add half and taste. The book says you may only need half a lime to hit the balance, and it depends on how sweet your squash is. Their chicken quesadilla handles Mexican flavours the same way, building the spice in early and finishing bright.

Can I use pumpkin instead?

Yes, and the recipe says so outright: 500g of squash or pumpkin. They swap directly, and the pumpkin seed garnish makes more sense that way.

Butternut is easier to find and sweeter, so most people will use it. Buy a whole pumpkin, though, and you can rinse and dry the seeds and fry those for the topping instead of shop-bought ones.