Immune Boosting Spicy Butternut Squash Soup
Keep your inner flame burning. Enjoy this spicy version of the classic, butternut squash soup. Not only is this immune boosting soup deliciously warming, but it will also help to ward off seasonal colds.
I developed this classic recipe on a very cold day. I was starting to feel like I was getting a bit of a cold and really needed to boost my immune system. Taking my experience and passion for cooking and understanding of Ayurveda, I decided to make a nice warm soup. Using ingredients and spices that could help to increase my immunity and help prevent the onslaught of a cold.
The result, a fusion of classic Mediterranean flavours and warming Indian spices. Bringing an Asian twist to a classic soup.
A fusion of flavours
The Mediterranean flavours in this recipe come from the olive oil, white wine, cumin and sweet paprika… these give a very beautiful taste!
The Indian spices are used for their Ayurvedic healing properties. Turmeric is an amazing natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Ginger, like Turmeric is also known for anti-inflammatory properties, but is wonderful for fighting respiratory infections, flu and the common cold. Ginger also helps to balance the Kapha dosha. In Ayurveda, an unbalanced Kapha is the dosha associated to colds, and respiratory infections.
The last magical spice is hot chilli. Chilli is used to clear out the nasal passages and give fuel to fire in the digestive system. When the digestive system is working well, energy can be freed up to fight infections elsewhere in the body, like the common cold.
Let’s not forget the hero and main ingredient in this recipe. Butternut squash is ‘golden’ when it comes to carotenoid content. These are plant-based compounds that convert to Vitamin A in the body, an essential boost for the immune system.
I hope you enjoy this recipe. It can be served for lunch, or as a light dinner during these cooler months.
Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha!
Immune boosting Spicy Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients:
- Olive oil for cooking
- 2cm piece of ginger (finely chopped)
- 1 onion medium (diced chopped)
- 60ml white wine
- 700gr butternut squash*(diced chopped)
- 2 medium potatoes or sweet potatoes (diced chopped)
- 2 medium carrots (diced chopped)
- Salt, Black pepper – to season
- ¼ tsp of turmeric
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- ¼ tsp coriander powder
- 1/3 tsp hot red chilli powder (or to taste)
- Filtered water (enough to cover the veggies)
- 100ml coconut cream
- Fresh coriander or parsley
Prepare the soup.
- Add a dash of olive oil & the finely chopped ginger into a saucepan, cook for a minute.
- Then add the turmeric and a pinch of black pepper.
- Next add the chopped onion, the white wine, and cook until the onion is soft.
- Add to the pan the chopped butternut squash, carrot, potato. Keep stirring.
- Next season with salt and black pepper.
- Add in the sweet paprika, cumin & coriander powder.
- Sauté all together for approx. Five minutes.
- Next add the water until it covers the veggies. Bring to the boil. Then bring to a simmer.
- Add the hot chilli
- Simmer until veggies are soft.
Blend
- Blend all the cooked veggies together in the pot using a hand blender.
- Once the mixture is smooth, add the coconut cream.
- Taste. If required, season with more salt and black pepper.
- Mix well, then it’s ready to serve!
Serve with: Crusty bread. I like to serve with a sprinkle of chopped fresh coriander. It’s also nice to serve with toasted pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of olive oil. Any leftovers can be kept in the fridge for a couple of days.
*Any kind of squash can be used in this recipe.
Enjoy!
If you liked this recipe you may also enjoy our favourite Kitcheree recipe. You can access this by <<clicking here.>>
