This Harissa Butternut Squash Soup is the perfect seasonal dish to warm you up during the colder months. Seasoned with harissa and warm spices and topped with crispy za’atar pitta chips and garlicky coriander oil, this hearty, vegan soup is jam-packed with flavour.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Ingredient Breakdown
- Building Layers of Flavour
- The Role of The Coconut Milk and Vegetable Stock
- Crispy Za’atar Pitta Chips: The Perfect Garnish
- Garlicky Coriander Oil: A Finishing Touch
- Bringing It All Together
- Why You’ll Love This Harissa Butternut Squash Soup
- More Soup Recipes
Introduction
It’s that time of year again – the weather is cooling down, and there’s nothing more comforting than a steaming bowl of soup. But let’s step it up a notch, shall we? This Harissa Butternut Squash Soup is the answer. It’s creamy, spicy, and full of flavour, perfect for those chilly evenings when you need a bowl of warmth and heartiness. What makes this soup extra special is the harissa paste – an ingredient that adds depth and warmth without overpowering the natural sweetness of the squash. And don’t even get me started on those crispy za’atar pitta chips and garlicky coriander oil – so delicious!
Ingredient Breakdown
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Used to sauté the onion and garlic. It brings a layer of luxuriousness to the soup.
- Onion: Provides the aromatic base of the soup. It helps build depth and sweetness.
- Garlic: Thinly sliced garlic adds aromatic depth.
- Ground cumin: A warm, earthy spice that complements the sweetness of the squash.
- Ground coriander: Bright and citrusy, it balances the richness of the coconut milk and harissa.
- Harissa paste: The star of the show. This fiery North African paste, made from chillies, spices, and garlic, adds heat and complexity.
- Butternut squash: Naturally sweet and creamy, it’s an ideal vegetable for soup.
- Vegetable stock: A light, neutral base that enhances the overall flavour without overpowering it.
- Coconut milk: Adds creaminess and a hint of tropical flavour, keeping the soup vegan without compromising on richness.
- Pitta bread: When baked with za’atar, these crunchy chips provide a fantastic textural contrast to the smooth soup.
- Za’atar: This Middle Eastern spice blend, with its tangy, herbaceous notes, elevates the pitta chips, making them a standout garnish.
- Fresh coriander: Used in the oil, it introduces a refreshing, herbaceous element that cuts through the richness of the soup.
Building Layers of Flavour
This Harissa Butternut Squash Soup’s secret lies in the layering of flavours. It starts simply with onions and garlic, both cooked gently in extra-virgin olive oil. The trick here is to soften the onion without browning it, allowing it to sweeten naturally. Once the garlic goes in, the aroma immediately starts to fill the kitchen.
Next come the spices. Ground cumin and coriander provide the warming backbone of this dish. Toasting them in the hot oil releases their essential oils, boosting their intensity. Then comes the harissa paste – this is where things start to get exciting. The paste not only adds heat but also a complex, smoky flavour that’s impossible to replicate with any single ingredient.
Once the spices and harissa are fully incorporated, the butternut squash is added. Make sure to toss the squash thoroughly in the spice mixture so every piece is coated. This ensures that the flavour penetrates deeply into the squash as it cooks.
The Role of The Coconut Milk and Vegetable Stock
The coconut milk in this Harissa Butternut Squash Soup recipe plays a dual role. First, it provides creaminess that makes the soup feel indulgent without needing any dairy. Second, it tempers the heat of the harissa, ensuring that the soup is spicy but balanced. The vegetable stock, on the other hand, adds depth to the base while keeping the overall soup light and easy to eat.
Simmering the squash in this liquid mixture is where the magic happens. In just 15 minutes, the squash softens to the point where it can be blended into a velvety smooth soup. The coconut milk and stock absorb the flavours of the spices and harissa, ensuring that every spoonful is packed with taste.
Crispy Za’atar Pitta Chips: The Perfect Garnish
This Harissa Butternut Squash Soup is great on its own, but to really take it to the next level, we need texture. Enter the za’atar pitta chips. These aren’t your average croutons. The combination of crispy, golden pitta bread and fragrant za’atar makes for a topping that’s both crunchy and deeply flavourful.
The za’atar, with its mix of sesame seeds, sumac, and herbs, brings an unexpected tang that cuts through the richness of the soup. The best part? These pitta chips are so simple to make. Just toss them with olive oil, sprinkle with za’atar, and pop them in the oven. In 10-12 minutes, they’re ready to go.
Garlicky Coriander Oil: A Finishing Touch
Every good dish needs a little something extra. For this Harissa Butternut Squash Soup, it’s the garlicky coriander oil. Making this oil is quick and easy – all it takes is a garlic clove, some fresh coriander, and extra-virgin olive oil. You’ll want to pound the garlic and coriander into a rough paste first, then stir in the oil to combine.
Drizzled over the soup just before serving, this oil adds brightness and freshness, balancing the heavier elements like the coconut milk and pitta chips. The garlic in the oil amplifies the overall savouriness, while the coriander brings a green, citrusy note that lifts the whole dish.
Bringing It All Together
Once you’ve blended the soup, return it to the pan and reheat it gently. If the soup is too thick for your liking, add a splash of extra vegetable stock to loosen it up. Remember to taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.
To serve, ladle the Harissa Butternut Squash Soup soup into bowls and top with a generous handful of crispy za’atar pitta chips. Drizzle with the garlicky coriander oil, and if you like, add an extra dollop of harissa for even more heat. This final touch ensures that every bite has a bit of crunch, freshness, and spice.
Why You’ll Love This Harissa Butternut Squash Soup
This Harissa Butternut Squash Soup is the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and creamy. The heat from the harissa is bold but not overwhelming, while the coconut milk ensures that the soup is rich and satisfying. The crispy za’atar pitta chips bring the texture you didn’t know you needed, and the garlicky coriander oil adds a burst of freshness that rounds everything out. It’s a soup that’s hearty enough to stand on its own but elegant enough to serve as a starter for a dinner party.
Best of all? It’s vegan and packed with flavour, proving once and for all that plant-based food doesn’t have to be boring. This is the kind of soup you’ll want to make all season long – cosy, comforting, and oh-so-delicious.
More Soup Recipes
If, like me, you love soups, I have so many different recipes for you to choose from. You can access all my soup recipes here. Some of my favourite include:
- Golden Thai Curry Chicken Noodle Soup: This Golden Thai Curry Chicken Noodle Soup is quite literally a hug in a bowl. The star of the show is the umami, flavour-packed broth, which comes together in just 20 minutes.
- Teriyaki Pork Miso Ramen: This ramen is so incredibly flavourful, which is surprising given that the broth comes together in just 5 minutes. The secret weapon is instant dashi, which packs an umami-packed punch that makes the broth taste like it’s been simmering for hours.
- Turmeric Coconut Squash Soup: This autumnal soup is the perfect soup to make on a chilli day. Turmeric and coconut are a match made in heaven and they complement the butternut squash so beautifully.
- Spiced Red Lentil Soup: This thick, creamy vegan spiced red lentil soup is high in protein, packed with flavour and naturally vegan. It’s inspired by the Lebanese classic, shorbet adas.
Harissa Butternut Squash Soup
Tis the season for squash and my favourite way to enjoy it is in soup form. Seasoned with harissa and warm spices and topped with crispy za’atar pitta chips and garlicky coriander oil, this hearty, vegan soup is jam-packed with flavour.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
For the soup:
- extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tbsp harissa paste, plus more for serving
- 640g diced butternut squash
- 400ml vegetable stock
- 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
For the za’atar pitta chips:
- 3 pitta breads
- extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp za’atar
For the coriander oil:
- 1 garlic clove
- 15g fresh coriander
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Heat a splash of extra-virgin olive oil in a large saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Then, add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add the ground cumin, ground coriander and harissa paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute, then add the butternut squash, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
- Add the coconut milk and vegetable stock, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce the heat to medium/medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the butternut squash is soft.
- Meanwhile, heat your oven to 200°C/ fan 1800°C. Cut the pitta breads into pitta chips. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper and add the za’atar. Toss to coat then bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Set aside.
- Place the garlic in a mortar and pound to a paste with a pestle. Add the coriander and pound until a paste forms, then add the extra-virgin olive oil stir to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Purée the soup in a blender until silky smooth then pour it into a clean saucepan. Adjust the salt level, if necessary.
- Reheat the soup to a gentle simmer, adding some extra stock if the soup is too thick for your liking. Pour into bowls, top with the pitta chips, coriander oil and some extra harissa then serve – enjoy!
