I know that we are well into April, but there is still definitely the need for a nice warming soup sometimes! This one is a bit of an experiment that seems to work nicely, and the blend of smoked paprika and ras-el-hanout works really well with the butternut squash. The addition of butter beans adds a bit of texture and variety, and my children enjoyed the treasure hunt aspect of fishing them out!

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and roughly diced

3 tbs sunflower oil

1 large onion, peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp sweet smoked paprika

2 tsp ras-el-hanout

1 lt vegetable stock from bouillon

1 x 400g tin of good quality butterbeans

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat up the oil in a large saucepan and gently sauté the onion and garlic for five minutes.

2. Add the paprika and ras-el-hanout and simmer for a further one minute.

3. Add the butternut squash and mix well to coat with the spices. Add the hot vegetable stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Allow the soup to cool then pour into a food processor and blend until smooth. Return the soup to the pan and add the butter beans and gently heat through. Season to taste, garnish with fresh coriander and serve with plenty of fresh crusty bread.