Squash & Apple Soup
This squash & apple soup is as tasty as it is easy. One pot and minimal prep, this vegan soup is silky smooth and super sweet.
My daughter thinks drinking soup out of cups is the height of excitement. But then, she is two. Still, the only other thing that will get her as excited about soup is when I tell her it’s mummy’s squash and apple one. Ironic, since she claims not to like squash!
While I enjoy the hand-warming experience of drinking homemade soup out of a mug on a cold day, at heart I am more of an old-fashioned soup bowl girl. (If that is a thing. Let’s say it is…)
Regardless of which way you like to eat your soup, however, this is a tasty, autumnal, one-pot recipe that is guaranteed to hit the spot during these colder months.
Part of what I love about the autumn and winter seasons is that the house constantly smells of homemade soup. Yummy, warming, hearty soups. Soup like this gorgeously orange squash and apple soup.
These fall ingredients go beautifully together, and I don’t think I have found a better way to combine them than in this dish.
Butternut squash takes a good few minutes and a sharp knife to prepare, but it’s so worth it for the sake of a massive batch of soup that will keep you going through the week in sweet, tasty bowlfuls of happiness.
I know a lot of butternut squash recipes get you to roast the squash first, but while I know there is no smell or taste more delicious than roasted squash, I don’t feel it adds enough flavour to this soup to warrant the extra time and effort and washing up. Having made this several different times in several different ways, I genuinely feel that the best tasting soup was actually the easiest, and fortunately my children agreed wholeheartedly.
This soup is naturally sweet (no honey-roasting necessary!), heavenly-tasting, and perfect for this orange root veg season as the weather turns cold. You can make it with pumpkin, sweet potato or other types of squash if you wish, but having tried these myself, I find butternut squash to be the superior, sweeter tasting root veg of choice.
And, as a bonus, it’s all made in one pot, so the washing up is minimal!
This recipe will make enough to feed a family of four over two lunches if you are all hungry, or even three if you are having smaller amounts, so is perfect to make as a weekend lunch or dinner and send the family in to school or work with a flask of it the next day.
Little hands can:
- help you scoop the squash and apple into the cold pot as you chop them
- drizzle in the coconut milk/cream
A vegan, fall ingredient soup that tastes amazing but is all made in one-pot in little time. Naturally sweet and truly delicious.
- 2 butternut squash (or 1 large pumpkin), peeled and chopped into cubes
- 3 apples, chopped
- vegetable stock, sugar free
- 1 sprig fresh sage or rosemary, finely chopped
- salt & pepper
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, or freshly grate nutmeg
- 1/2 tin coconut milk (or single cream if you prefer/are not vegan)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander or parsley to garnish, optional
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Add the squash and apples to a large stock pot, and pour in enough stock and/or water to just cover everything. Add in the sage and salt & pepper, and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 20 mins, or until the squash is soft.
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Puree, then stir in the spices and coconut milk or cream. Garnish with fresh herbs and an extra drizzle of coconut milk if you wish.
Love easy homemade soups? Find lots more here.
what is ‘mixed spice’ – that’s not something I have ever seen on my grocery store shelf.
Mixed Spice is a (Christmassy) spice blend found in most supermarkets in the UK – not sure whether it is as prevalent elsewhere. You can make it yourself by mixing ground cinnamon with ground coriander, caraway, nutmeg and ginger (https://www.schwartz.co.uk/products/herbs-and-spices/spices/mixed-spice). Or use this recipe for a similar tasting mixed spice blend: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/181605/mixed-spice. It is my favourite spice blend, and basically smells and tastes like Christmas in a jar. I put it into pretty much anything at this time of year. I believe pumpkin spice is not too dissimilar. Hope that helps! 🙂