Anna Louise This is the soup I make when I want something that looks as beautiful as it tastes. The colour alone — a deep, vivid orange-red from the roasted butternut squash and charred red peppers — makes it immediately appealing before anyone has tasted a spoonful.
The technique that makes this soup specifically wonderful rather than simply pleasant is the roasting. I do not soften the squash and peppers in a pot on the hob — I roast them in a hot oven until the squash is golden and caramelised at the edges and the pepper skin is charred and blistered.
The roasting concentrates the natural sugars in both vegetables, gives a slight smokiness to the pepper, and gives the finished soup a depth of flavour that the boiled version simply cannot match.
The smoked paprika in the base reinforces the smoky character of the roasted pepper. The coconut cream stirred through at the end gives a slight richness without making the soup heavy. The result is a soup that is vibrant, complex, and genuinely satisfying.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup
For the Soup
- 1 large butternut squash (about 1.2kg), peeled, deseeded, and cut into 3cm chunks
- 3 large red peppers, halved and deseeded
- 1 large red onion, cut into wedges
- 4 garlic cloves — left whole and unpeeled for roasting
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika — for roasting
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 litre good quality vegetable stock
- 150ml coconut cream or double cream
- Juice of ½ lime or lemon
- 1 tsp runny honey — balances any residual bitterness
To Serve
- A swirl of coconut cream or crème fraîche
- Toasted pumpkin seeds — scattered over the surface
- A drizzle of good chilli oil or a pinch of chilli flakes
- Fresh coriander leaves
- Warm crusty bread or seeded rolls
How to Make Mary Berry Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup
Step 1 — Roast the Vegetables
Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6.
Place the butternut squash chunks and red onion wedges on a large roasting tray. Scatter the whole, unpeeled garlic cloves among them. Drizzle generously with two tablespoons of the olive oil. Season well with salt, pepper, and the smoked paprika. Toss to coat.
Place the red pepper halves skin-side up on a separate baking tray. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil.
Roast both trays for 35 to 40 minutes — the squash should be tender and golden at the edges, the onion should be slightly caramelised, and the pepper skins should be charred and blistered.
Remove the peppers from the oven. Place them in a bowl and cover tightly with cling film for ten minutes — the steam loosens the skins. Peel away and discard the charred skins. The flesh beneath will be intensely flavoured, slightly smoky, and deeply red.
Squeeze the roasted garlic from its papery skins — it will be soft, golden, and fragrant.
Step 2 — Build the Soup
Transfer all the roasted vegetables — squash, onion, peeled pepper flesh, and squeezed garlic — to a large saucepan. Add the ground cumin and coriander and stir over a medium heat for one minute.
Pour in the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for ten minutes — long enough to ensure everything is completely tender and the flavours have combined.
Step 3 — Blend Until Silky
Blend completely smooth with a stick blender — two full minutes — or in batches in a standard blender. The combination of squash and roasted pepper gives a naturally thick, naturally velvety consistency that needs no additional thickening.
Step 4 — Finish and Season
Return to a gentle heat. Stir in the coconut cream and the lime or lemon juice. Add the honey. Warm through — do not boil. Taste carefully and season with salt and pepper. The soup should be vivid, slightly smoky, slightly sweet, and perfectly balanced.
Step 5 — Serve
Ladle into warm bowls. Swirl coconut cream or crème fraîche over the surface. Scatter toasted pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with chilli oil or add a pinch of chilli flakes. Finish with a few fresh coriander leaves.
Tips For Best Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup
Roast the vegetables — do not boil them. This is the instruction that makes the single biggest difference between a good butternut squash soup and an extraordinary one. Roasting concentrates the sugars in the squash and the pepper, gives caramelisation, and introduces a slight smokiness that boiling entirely removes. Add the extra 40 minutes — it is completely worth it.
Char the pepper skins and remove them. The charred skin gives a slightly bitter, slightly acrid note if left on. Removing it after steaming leaves pure, intensely flavoured roasted pepper flesh with all the smokiness and none of the bitterness.
Roast the garlic whole and unpeeled. Unpeeled garlic roasted in its skin becomes soft, mellow, and slightly sweet — completely different from raw garlic’s sharpness. Squeeze the soft flesh from the skins into the soup and it gives a background depth without any harshness.
The honey balances the residual bitterness from the pepper. A teaspoon of honey added at the end rounds the slight bitterness that can linger from even a properly roasted and skinned pepper. It does not make the soup sweet — it makes it balanced.
Toasted pumpkin seeds on top are worth the five minutes. Toast pumpkin seeds in a dry pan with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of oil for three to four minutes until golden and beginning to pop. Scattered over the vivid soup, they give a crunch and a nuttiness that contrasts beautifully with the smooth, velvety texture.
Serving Suggestions
As a warming autumn or winter lunch with crusty bread. As an elegant starter at a dinner party — the colour alone makes it visually stunning in small bowls. As the first course of a vegetarian dinner where something vivid and substantial is needed.
How to Store Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup
In the fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently. The flavour improves significantly overnight.
In the freezer: Freeze before adding the coconut cream for up to 3 months. Add the cream fresh when reheating.
Mary Berry Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Toss squash, red onion, and unpeeled garlic cloves in 2 tbsp oil — season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Roast 35–40 minutes until golden. Place pepper halves skin-side up on a separate tray with remaining oil — roast until skins are charred. Cover peppers in cling film 10 minutes — peel and discard charred skins. Squeeze garlic from skins.
- Transfer all roasted vegetables to a large pan. Add cumin and coriander — stir 1 minute. Add stock — bring to boil. Simmer 10 minutes.
- Blend completely smooth — 2 full minutes.
- Return to gentle heat. Add coconut cream, lime juice, and honey. Warm through — do not boil. Season carefully. Taste and adjust.
- Ladle into warm bowls. Swirl cream. Scatter pumpkin seeds. Drizzle chilli oil. Add coriander. Serve with crusty bread.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use sweet potato instead of butternut squash?
Yes — sweet potato gives a slightly sweeter, slightly less complex result. The colour is slightly different — a more golden-orange. Roast and use in exactly the same way.
Can I make this without coconut cream?
Yes — replace with double cream for a richer, less tropical result, or omit entirely and add an extra splash of stock. The soup is still beautiful without any cream.
Can I add ginger?
Yes — a 3cm piece of fresh ginger, grated and added with the cumin and coriander before the stock goes in, gives a warmth and vividity that suits the squash and pepper combination very well.
Can I use yellow peppers instead of red?
Yellow peppers give a slightly milder, slightly sweeter result and a more golden colour. Red peppers give the most vivid colour and the most complex flavour — they are the better choice for this soup.
Leave a Reply