Category: Soups

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Golden Pan-Fried Chickpeas

Published on by Sharon7 Comments

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In today’s post, I’m sharing a recipe for the perfect Winter warmer – Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Golden Pan-Fried Chickpeas 💛 With its delicious, sweet flavour and golden orange hue, this soup is so bright and cheery that it’s bound to put a smile on your face. It also happens to be packed full of immune-boosting nutrients to help keep those pesky Winter bugs at bay.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash is a fantastic immunity-booster. Of all the winter squashes, it contains the highest amount of vitamin C. It’s also packed with the vitamin A antioxidants alphacarotene and betacarotene.

I love blending some cashews into this soup to make it thick and creamy. The cashews also provide protein and heart-healthy fats, which help us to feel full and satiated. Simmering the cashews in the soup softens them, making them easy to blend smooth in a high-speed blender.

Butternut Squash Soup in blender

Butternut Squash Soup in blender

My family loves to serve this soup as a weekend lunch or weeknight supper. The Golden Pan-Fried Chickpeas that I posted last week, make the perfect topping.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

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Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

This soup is cheery, flavourful and packed full of immune-boosting nutrients. The addition of cashews makes it thick, creamy and filling. We love to top it with Golden Pan-Fried Chickpeas (recipe link in Notes below). These only take eight minutes to make, so we prepare them while the soup is simmering or cooling.
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Hands on time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Light Dinner, Lunch
Servings 4

Ingredients
 

  • ½ TBSP olive oil
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 750 ml / 3 cups vegetable stock (broth)
  • 800 g / 5 cups butternut squash deseeded and chopped into small, bite-size pieces
  • 1 TBSP tomato puree (paste)
  • 72 g / ½ cup cashews
  • salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Gently heat the oil in a large saucepan. Cook the onion until it starts to soften (about 4 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
  • Add the vegetable stock, squash, tomato puree and cashews to the pan. (This is meant to be a thick soup, so the liquid should just be sufficient to cover the squash). Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes or until the squash is tender.
  • Leave to cool slightly then transfer to a high speed jug blender (due to the quantity of soup, I recommend blending half at a time). Start blending on low speed, then increase to high speed until silky smooth.
  • Transfer the soup back to the pan and gently heat through. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.
  • This soup will keep for five days in the fridge. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m pretty confident it will be freezable too.

Notes

My recipe for Golden Pan-Fried Chickpeas can be found here.
Keyword Budget Vegan Meals, Dairy-Free, Easy Vegan Meals, Vegan Soup
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

As you can probably imagine, it’s pretty tricky taking food photos this time of year as the days are so short and the weather’s so changeable! It was certainly a fun challenge taking these soup photos. As I was shooting them, the sky suddenly clouded over, which totally changed the look and feel of the photos. Compare the photo below to the ones above. It looks pretty different, doesn’t it? It’s dark and gloomy, but kind of atmospheric too.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

If you make this Creamy Butternut Squash Soup, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I always love to see your creations! You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.   

With love,

Sharon xx

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Mexican Black Bean Soup (Vegan | Dairy-free | Easy One Pot)

Mexican Black Bean Soup (Vegan | Dairy-free | Easy One Pot)

Published on by Sharon7 Comments

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Looking for a hearty, flavour-packed soup that’s easy to prepare and guaranteed to warm you up? This Mexican Black Bean Soup is just the ticket! Brimming with wholesome veggies, protein-rich black beans, and warming spices, this soup is as nourishing as it is delicious.

Here in the UK, black beans (aka ‘turtle beans’) don’t tend to get the love they deserve. Their smoky flavour makes them a fantastic addition to Latin American-style dishes, especially soups. Once you try this one, we think you’ll be a convert too!

This soup is perfect for lunch or a light dinner, especially when served with toasted wholegrain tortilla chips (see recipe below). For a heartier meal, we love to pair it with freshly baked vegan cornbread. It’s family-friendly too — simply blend the soup smooth for little ones or those who prefer a silky texture.

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Mexican Black Bean Soup (Vegan | Dairy-free | Easy One Pot)

Mexican Black Bean Soup

This richly spiced Mexican-style black bean soup is hearty, satisfying, and easy to prepare. Packed with vegetables and flavourful black beans, it’s perfect for a cosy lunch or dinner.
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Hands-on time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Mexican, Vegan
Servings 6

Ingredients
 

  • 1 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 medium onion (130g) finely diced
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 large carrot (140g) finely diced
  • 1 large sweet potato (370g) peeled and diced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp sweet or smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp chilli powder (I use mild)
  • 145 g / 1 cup canned or frozen sweetcorn
  • 400 g / 14 oz can Italian vine-ripened chopped tomatoes
  • 600 ml / 2½ cups vegetable stock (broth)
  • 2 x 400g / 14 oz cans black beans rinsed and drained
  • salt to taste
  • cayenne pepper to taste
  • 2 TBSP nutritional yeast flakes optional – adds savouriness and nutrients

Suggested Garnish

  • fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves
  • finely chopped red pepper or red chilli

Instructions
 

  • Gently heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, sweet potato, cumin, paprika, oregano, and chilli powder. Stir to combine, then cover with a lid and cook on low for 5 minutes, allowing the veggies to sweat.
  • Add the sweetcorn, chopped tomatoes, and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, partially cover with a lid, and gently boil for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
  • Stir in the black beans. Remove half the soup and blend smooth using a jug blender. Return it to the pan and stir well. (For a smoother soup, blend more as needed).
  • Season to taste with salt. If desired, add a pinch of cayenne for a spicy kick (after setting aside any children's portions). Let it cool slightly, then stir in nutritional yeast, if using.
  • Serve hot with toasted tortilla chips or slices of cornbread. Garnish with fresh coriander and a sprinkle of red chilli or pepper, if desired.

Notes

Storage Instructions:
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. The soup may thicken over time—just add a splash of water or vegetable stock to loosen. It also freezes well.
Family-Friendly Tip:
For younger children, blend the soup completely for a smoother texture and use mild chilli powder.
Keyword black beans, Budget Vegan Meals, Dairy-Free, easy dinner, healthy soup, Mexican soup, one-pot recipe, Plant-Based, sweet potato soup, Vegan Soup
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Mexican Black Bean Soup (Vegan | Dairy-free | Easy One Pot)

Toasted Tortilla Chips (Baked or Grilled)

These crispy toasted tortilla chips are so simple to make! You can enjoy them plain or add a sprinkle of paprika, cumin or chilli for a flavourful kick. They're perfect for dipping into soups, guacamole, salsa, or hummus — or top with mashed avocado and salsa for a quick wholesome snack!
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Hands-on time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Healthy Snacking, Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican-Inspired, Vegan
Servings 4

Ingredients
 

  • 2 large or 4 small whole grain soft tortillas
  • Optional: ground cumin, paprika, or chilli powder for sprinkling

Instructions
 

Baking Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan) / 375°F.
  • Slice the tortillas into segments and place them in a single layer on two baking sheets.
  • Sprinkle with spices if desired.
  • Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until lightly browned. TIP: Watch closely towards the end of the baking time as they can burn quickly!
  • Remove and let cool — they’ll crisp up as they cool.
  • Store in an airtight container. They’ll stay crispy for up to 2 weeks.

Grill Method:

  • Place the whole tortillas under a medium grill (broiler).
  • Keep a watch on them and, as soon as they start to brown, flip them over.
  • Once lightly browned on both sides, remove from the grill and immediately slice into segments.
  • Leave to cool and crisp up.
Keyword Healthy Snacking, homemade tortilla chips, soup accompaniment, toasted chips, tortilla chips
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If you try this soup, I’d love to hear how it went! Leave a comment below or tag me on social media using #bitofthegoodstuff — I always love seeing your creations! 💛 You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.   

With love,

Sharon xx