Roasted Squash, Cumin & Garlic Soup with Chorizo & Crispy Bread

There is something particularly lovely about squash at this time of year. Roasting brings out its natural sweetness, while cumin and garlic give it warmth and depth. Add a good vegetable bouillon and you have a beautifully simple soup made from a handful of seasonal ingredients.

But the thing that really makes this soup is the topping: crisp little pieces of chorizo and torn bread cooked in the delicious paprika-coloured oil. I always save the ends and heels of bread in the bottom drawer of the freezer. They’re there when I need them, ready to defrost, tear up and turn into something wonderful instead of being thrown away.

Roasted Squash, Cumin & Garlic Soup with Chorizo & Crispy Bread

Serves: 4–6
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45–55 minutes
Vegetarian option: leave out the chorizo and crisp the bread in olive oil with smoked paprika.

Ingredients

For the soup

• 1 medium butternut squash or other edible winter squash, about 1–1.2kg (2¼–2⅔lb) whole
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 750ml–1 litre (3–4 US cups) good vegetable stock, made with vegetable bouillon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• A squeeze of lemon juice, optional

For the chorizo and bread topping

• 75–100g (2½–3½oz) cooking chorizo, finely diced
• 2–3 slices or heels of stale bread, defrosted if frozen, torn into small pieces
• A little olive oil if needed
• Extra virgin olive oil, to finish
• 1–2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted, to finish
• Optional: chopped parsley or a pinch of chilli flakes

Method

1. Roast the squash. Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / 400°F. Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds and cut into manageable chunks. Toss with the onion, unpeeled garlic, cumin, olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a roasting tray and roast for 35–45 minutes, turning once, until the squash is tender and caramelised at the edges.
2. Make the soup. Allow the vegetables to cool slightly. Scoop the squash flesh from any tough skin, and squeeze the soft roasted garlic from its papery skins. Put the squash, onion and garlic in a saucepan with 750ml of hot vegetable bouillon. Blend until smooth, adding more stock to reach the consistency you like. Warm through gently and taste for seasoning. A squeeze of lemon can brighten the flavour.
3. Crisp the chorizo. Put the diced chorizo in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook until it releases its richly coloured oil and starts to crisp.
4. Use up the bread. Add the torn, defrosted bread to the pan and toss it in the chorizo oil until golden and crunchy. Add a tiny splash of olive oil if the pan seems dry. If you’re in a hurry, simply toast the bread and scatter it over the soup, or make ordinary croutons in the oven.
5. Serve. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and finish with the crispy chorizo and bread, plus a little of the fragrant oil from the pan. Finish with a swirl of good extra virgin olive oil and a scattering of toasted pumpkin seeds for a lovely nutty crunch. Add parsley or chilli flakes if you fancy.

Before you shop: save those bread heels

The bottom drawer of my freezer is where bread ends go. The heels that nobody wants for sandwiches are brilliant for soups: take out a couple, defrost them and tear them into rough pieces. They soak up the chorizo oil and become a crunchy, savoury topping. They can also be cut into cubes for croutons, toasted straight from the freezer or whizzed into breadcrumbs for another day. It’s a tiny habit that makes a real difference to how much bread gets wasted.

Make it your own

Use whatever winter squash you have, as long as it’s a culinary variety. You can roast a carrot or sweet potato alongside it if one needs using up. Start with less bouillon and thin the soup gradually — squash varies in water content. The soup itself is vegetarian if you use vegetable stock; the chorizo topping is entirely optional. For a meat-free version, crisp the bread in olive oil with smoked paprika and a pinch of cumin.

The soup keeps in the fridge for up to 48 hours if cooled promptly, or freezes well. Store the crispy topping separately and make it just before serving so it stays crunchy.