Silky Butternut Squash & Carrot Soup

Method

1. Heat the oven to 400°F / 200°C (180°C fan) and line a large baking tray with baking paper.

2. If you are preparing a whole squash, pierce the skin a few times and microwave it for 2 to 3 minutes; this softens the skin so it peels far more easily. Trim, peel and scoop out the seeds, then cut the flesh into 1-inch / 2–3 cm chunks. Peel the carrots and slice them into rounds.

3. Spread the squash and carrots on the tray, drizzle with half the oil, sprinkle with the cumin and toss with your hands or a spoon. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, until soft and lightly browned at the edges.

4. While the vegetables roast, warm the remaining oil in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the onion and whole garlic cloves and cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft and golden but not crisp. Stir in the ginger for the final minute.

5. Tip the roasted vegetables into the pan, pour in the stock and bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes.

6. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Blend with a stick blender until completely smooth. If you use a jug blender instead, fill it no more than half full, hold the lid down with a folded tea towel and work in batches.

7. Stir in the lemon juice and season with black pepper. Taste before reaching for salt; the roasted vegetables and stock usually provide plenty of flavour. Add a splash of water if you prefer a thinner soup.

8. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan for 2 to 3 minutes, until they start to pop. Ladle the soup into warm bowls, add a swirl of yogurt and scatter over the seeds.

Why it suits later years

A smooth soup is one of the easiest ways to get a good helping of vegetables when chewing is tiring or appetite is small. Each bowl provides about 6 g of fibre, and the deep orange colour comes from beta-carotene, which the body uses to make vitamin A.

Soup also counts towards your fluids for the day, which is useful because the sense of thirst tends to fade as we age. Using reduced-sodium stock keeps each bowl at roughly 180 mg of sodium, compared with 700 mg or more when made with standard stock cubes.

• Nothing to chew: blended until velvety, it is comfortable for sore gums, new dentures or a tired jaw.
• Easier preparation: ready-cut squash from the supermarket, fresh or frozen, skips the hardest job entirely. The microwave trick helps if you are starting with a whole one.
• More protein: on its own the soup is light in protein, so serve it with a wholegrain roll and cheese, or stir in red lentils (see swaps).
• Ready when you are: single portions in the freezer mean a warm, nourishing lunch on days when cooking feels like too much.

Swaps & variations

• Protein boost: add ¼ cup (2 oz / 50 g) rinsed red lentils with the stock and simmer for 15 minutes instead of 5 before blending.
• Different veg: sweet potato or pumpkin can stand in for some or all of the squash; parsnip adds a gentle earthy note.
• Creamier: stir in 4 tbsp light coconut milk or a little extra milk at the end instead of the yogurt swirl.
• Spice it differently: swap the cumin and ginger for 1 tsp mild curry powder, or a pinch of nutmeg and some fresh thyme.
• Seed-free topping: if seeds are hard to manage, top with snipped chives or a dusting of smoked paprika instead.

Keeping & reheating

Cool the soup quickly, ideally within an hour, and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days. To freeze, pour into single-portion containers, leaving a little space at the top for expansion, label with the date and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw overnight in the fridge, or reheat gently from frozen in a saucepan with a splash of water. Stir often and heat until it is piping hot all the way through. The soup thickens as it stands, so loosen it with a little water or milk. Add the yogurt and seeds after reheating, not before freezing.