Parmesan and butternut squash soup

Name: Parmesan and butternut squash soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Ingredients: 150g parmesan, with rind; 25g butter; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks; 900ml hot vegetable stock; 150ml milk; 4 - 6 slices French bread; Fresh parsley or thyme, chopped to garnish

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 30 mins

150g parmesan, with rind

25g butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks

900ml hot vegetable stock

150ml milk

4 - 6 slices French bread

Fresh parsley or thyme, chopped to garnish

Cut the rind off the parmesan then into large pieces. Shred the cheese finely.

Pour the butter into a large saucepan and heat until melted. Add the onion and fry for about 3 minutes. The onion should be tender without colouring. Mix in the squash, vegetable stock and parmesan rind and turn up the heat until it almost boil. Partially cover with a lid and stew on low heat until tender, which should take about 20 minutes.

Take the rind off then pour the soup into a blender or a food processor. Set aside 25g of the shredded parmesan and add the rest to the soup. Blend until creamy (15-20 seconds) then pour the soup back to the saucepan. Stir in the milk and heat until boiling hot. Season to taste.

In the meantime, put the bread in a toaster then top each slice with the rest of the shredded cheese. Grill until the parmesan is melting.

Divide the soup into 4 to 6 warm bowls. Place a slice of bread on top of each bowl then add some parsley or thyme and freshly ground black pepper. Serve while hot.

Serves
4-6

Preparation Time
15 minutes

Cooking Time
30 minutes

Main ingredients
Cheese, Vegetables

Recipe Type
Soups, Starters, Easy Recipes, Entertaining, Healthy, One Pot, Vegetarian

Special Info
Vegetarian, Pregnant Mums

Level of Difficulty
Easy

Ensure to use a vegetarian alternative to parmesan if opting for a vegetarian version of this soup.