This soup is everything you want in a winter recipe: Creamy, slightly sweet from the roasted butternut, with the savoury depth of onions and a velvety texture that wraps you in a warm hug. Serve it with freshly baked cheesy scones, a swirl of cream, or a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds for crunch — and you’ve got the kind of meal that makes even the chilliest day feel cozy.
Easy Roasting Hack (No Muscle Required!)
Let’s be honest — chopping a raw butternut isn’t for the faint-hearted. Unless you have muscles like my husband, it can be quite a workout! That’s why I’ve been using this simple roasting hack for years — and it’s a total game changer.
Just pop the whole butternut (yes, unpeeled and unchopped!) into the oven at 200°C for 30–45 minutes, and roast until the skin is blistered and a knife slides in easily. You can even use your air fryer if it fits! No chopping, no peeling — just let the oven do the hard work.
Once it’s cooked, let the butternut cool slightly, then cut it in half and scoop out the soft, golden flesh. It’s perfect for soups, and the roasting brings out a naturally sweet, nutty flavour that adds so much depth. Bonus: it also speeds up your stovetop cooking time, since the butternut is already soft and ready to blend.
Why This Butternut Soup is a Cooking Club Favourite
There’s something truly comforting about a bowl of warm butternut soup — especially when it’s made from scratch with love and laughter in the kitchen. I’ve been making this butternut soup recipe for years, and it’s always a hit, whether I’m cooking at home, or sharing it with eager young chefs in our Teen Cooking Club
Last week, we whipped up this recipe in our Teen Cooking Club and it reminded me again why this soup is a firm favourite. The children were so proud of their cooking — from learning to roast a whole butternut, to gently sautéing onions, and finally blending the soup into creamy perfection.
Here are some of the creations that were shared on our WhatsApp group after class.
A Recipe That Teaches Life Skills
In our lesson, we focused on:
Knife safety and how to handle kitchen tools with confidence
Chopping soft vegetables like butternut and onions
Sautéing onions gently to build deep flavour
Blending hot soup safely, always with adult supervision
These might seem like small steps, but for a young cook, mastering them is a huge confidence booster. Seeing their smiles after tasting their own homemade soup — that’s the magic.
Made Even Better with Lentils
To make this soup even more nourishing, we added a handful of red split lentils. Not only do they melt right into the soup without changing the flavour, but they also:
Add a fibre boost
Increase plant-based protein
Help create a more filling, gut-friendly meal
This little tweak turns a simple soup into a power-packed dish, full of extra fibre and protein — perfect for hungry, growing kids. Once blended, you can add a little more stock if you prefer a thinner consistency.
I love blending my soups in the Omniblend — it’s one of my favourite kitchen tools. It saves time and creates the smoothest, silkiest soup. Unlike many regular blenders, the Omniblend is specially designed to handle hot liquids safely, making it ideal for soups and sauces. Be careful when blending hot soup in any other type of blender — it can be dangerous and messy if your blender isn’t up to the task.
Encouragement for Parents
This recipe isn’t just delicious — it’s doable. Whether you’re a busy parent looking for an easy weeknight dinner or a teacher planning a fun classroom cooking activity, this soup ticks all the boxes. It’s simple, nutritious, and perfect for getting kids into the kitchen to learn valuable cooking skills in a joyful, low-pressure way.
Want More Recipes Like This?
If you love hands-on, healthy cooking activities for your child, join our Teen Cooking Club — online. Our lessons are designed to build kitchen confidence, inspire creativity, and teach lifelong skills, all while having a whole lot of fun.
This easy butternut squash soup is velvety, nutritious, and made without cream — thanks to red lentils for a natural creamy texture and extra protein. Perfect for quick weeknight meals, fussy eaters, and even little hands in the kitchen.
Scale
Ingredients
1 kg butternut
2tbs olive oil
5 ml meduim curry spices
1 onion chopped
1 clove of garlic
2cm fresh ginger grated
900 ml chicken stock
125g red lentils (rinsed)
200ml cream or coconut milk
Instructions
Bake the whole butternut in the oven at 180°C until soft. This will take about 40 minutes. Leave to cool down. You could also use ready chopped butternut.
Chop onion, garlic and ginger. Fry in oil. Sautee until see through. Add the curry spices and fry for a few more minutes.
Scoop out flesh of the butternut and add to the onions. Also add the rinsed lentils. Add stock and leave to simmer until the lentils are soft.
Use blender to puree soup. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
To make a more creamy soup add cream, coconut milk or milk.
Fry bacon bits for extra crunchiness sprinkled on top of soup or toasted pumpkin seeds
Notes
Time-Saving Tip Roast the whole butternut with the skin on — no peeling or chopping required! Once soft, just scoop out the cooked flesh. It’s perfect for busy evenings or cooking with children.
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