Soup Du Jour Recipe

Roast squash (optional for deeper flavor)

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Toss cubed butternut squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread on a baking sheet and roast 25–30 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized. (You can skip roasting and proceed to sautéing for a quicker soup.)

In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and chopped carrot; sauté 6–8 minutes until softened and translucent.

Add minced garlic and thyme; cook 1 minute until fragrant.

Add roasted (or raw) butternut squash and vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and simmer gently 15–20 minutes until all vegetables are very tender.

Using an immersion blender (or in batches in a countertop blender), purée the soup until completely smooth. Return to pot and stir in heavy cream or coconut milk if using. Warm through but do not boil.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper; adjust to taste. If too thick, add up to 1 cup more stock or water to reach desired consistency.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley or chives and an extra drizzle of cream if desired. Serve hot.

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté 5–6 minutes until soft and translucent.

Add minced ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.

Add chopped carrots, ground cumin and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 18–22 minutes until carrots are very tender.

Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender or transfer in batches to a blender and purée until smooth.

Return puréed soup to the pot over low heat. Stir in coconut milk and lime juice. Warm through gently for 3–4 minutes—do not boil to avoid curdling the coconut milk.

Season with salt and black pepper, taste and adjust lime or seasoning as needed.

Serve garnished with chopped cilantro or chives and an optional swirl of extra coconut milk.

Roast tomatoes and aromatics

Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). On a rimmed baking sheet, toss halved tomatoes, quartered onion and unpeeled garlic with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper and dried oregano. Spread in one layer and roast 25–30 minutes until tomatoes are deeply blistered and slightly caramelized.

When cool enough to handle, squeeze roasted garlic from skins into a blender or pot. Add roasted tomatoes and onions as well.

Transfer roasted vegetables to a pot (or keep in blender), add vegetable stock and tomato paste. Simmer gently 8–10 minutes to meld flavors. If using a blender, add basil leaves and purée until smooth.

If needed, strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve for a silky texture, pressing solids to extract as much liquid and flavor as possible.

Return to pot, warm over low heat and stir in sugar if soup tastes too acidic. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with torn fresh basil and a dollop of crème fraîche or coconut cream if desired. Serve hot with crusty bread.