Butternut Squash Soup with Cheese Toast

Ingredients

• 1 Butternut squash (small to medium-sized, cut into pieces)
• 1.5 Red onions (1-2 pieces, chopped)
• 1 head Garlic (whole head, top sliced off)
• 1 handful Cherry tomatoes (or 2 regular tomatoes)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil (for roasting)
• 1 tsp Ground cumin (dry)
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Thyme (dried)
• 1 tsp Rosemary (dried)
• 350 ml Vegetable broth (or more depending on desired thickness)
• 200 ml Coconut milk
• 1 tsp Fresh ginger (grated, optional)
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• Chili flakes (to taste)
• Fresh cilantro (for garnish)
• 2 slice Bread
• 2 slice Vegan cheese (preferred variety)
• 1 tbsp Vegan butter

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. 2

   Cut the butternut squash, onions, garlic head, and tomatoes into pieces and place them in a baking dish. Note that smaller pieces will soften faster.

3. 3

   Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with cumin, paprika, thyme, and rosemary. Toss to combine and ensure everything is well coated.

4. 4

   Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.

5. 5

   Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until the vegetables are soft and golden brown.

6. 6

   Once roasted, remove the vegetables from the oven. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of its skin. Transfer all roasted vegetables (and any juices) into a blender or use an immersion blender to puree until smooth, adding the vegetable broth to reach your desired consistency.

7. 7

   Pour the pureed mixture into a pot and place over medium heat.

8. 8

   Add the coconut milk and grated ginger (if using). Stir constantly and cook for about 2 minutes until heated through.

9. 9

   Season the soup with salt, pepper, and chili flakes to taste.

10. 10

    Prepare the cheese toast by spreading vegan butter on two slices of bread and placing cheese between them.

11. 11

    Fry the sandwich in a pan over medium heat on both sides until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has melted.

12. 12

    Garnish the soup with fresh cilantro and serve hot alongside the cheese toast.

Notes

If the soup is too thick after blending, add more vegetable broth until you reach your preferred texture. For the garlic, ensure you cut the top off the head before roasting so it's easy to squeeze out later.

Nutrition per serving

• soup
• main
• vegan
• vegetarian
• autumn
• winter
• baked
• comfort food