Pumpkin and butternut squash roasted with garlic and fresh sage blitzed into a smooth and silky soup, topped with a swirl of rustic carrot top pesto, fragrant, savoury and a perfect accompaniment to the sweetness of this wonderful winter warmer.
Ingredients
Pumpkin & Butternut Squash Soup
1 medium pumpkin, diced
1 large butternut squash, diced
2 Sweet Potatoes, diced
1 White Onion, chopped
2 Carrots, chopped (keep the leafy green tops!)
2 Sticks of celery, chopped
3 Garlic cloves, minced
A couple of fresh sage leaves (or a pinch of dried)
2 cups (1 pint) vegetable stock
2 cups (1 pint) water
1 tsp Onion powder
1 tsp Garlic powder
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of chilli flakes (opinion)
Carrot Top Pesto
The green leafy tops from the carrots (rinsed and patted dry)
3 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves
Small bunch of fresh basil (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste
A handful of Brazil nuts
A handful of sunflower seeds
3 Tbsp vegan parmesan (optional) or nutritional yeast
A squeeze of lemon juice
Method
Pumpkin & Butternut Squash Soup
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Cut open the pumpkin and butternut squash, peel and de-seed, cover with a little oil and a pinch of salt, pepper, the fresh sage and nutmeg and roast for 30-40 mins until tender.
Peel and dice the sweet potatoes, onion, carrots and celery and set aside.
I used the Instant Pot for this recipe but once the pumpkin and squash are cooked you could add it along with the other ingredients to a soup pot and simmer on the stovetop until everything is soft (about 40 minutes) and then use a hand blender to smooth it or a potato masher if you prefer a chunkier soup.
Remove the roasted squash and pumpkin from the oven and add to the Instant Pot along with all the other vegetables, ingredients, stock, water and seasoning. Stir everything thoroughly and ensure the Instant Pot lid and vent are sealed correctly. Set the pot to the ‘Soup‘ setting and natural release venting. Whilst this is cooking it's time to make your Carrot Top Pesto.
Once the Instant Pot is finished, remove the lid and blitz with the hand blender until desired consistency. Serve in deep bowls with warm crusty bread and a drizzle of carrot top pesto.
Carrot Top Pesto
Add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor and blitz whilst gradually adding the oil. Season to taste.
If you don't have a blender, you could use a pestle and mortar by smashing together the carrot tops and garlic with a little salt, then add the nuts and smash these into the mixture. Add the vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast, lemon juice and oil at the end and mix together.
If you don't have any of the above, you can smash the nuts in a clean dry tea towel and add to a bowl, finely chop the carrots tops and garlic and ensure all the other ingredients are finely diced before incorporating the vegan cheese, oil and ensure everything is stirred to combine before serving.
Serve your pesto in a swirl on top of your butternut squash and pumpkin soup.
H x
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Looking for more winter warmer recipes? Why not try my No Beef Stew and Dumplings recipe!