Boost a gut with Susan Jane White’s awesome anti-inflammatory butternut, turmeric and garlic soup recipe

Susan Jane White’s awesome anti-inflammatory butternut, turmeric and garlic soup recipe. Photo: Susan Jane White

"I love butternut squash for its freight of talented carotenoids and gut-loving fibre" Photo: Susan Jane White

Susan Jane White’s awesome anti-inflammatory butternut, turmeric and garlic soup recipe. Photo: Susan Jane White

"I love butternut squash for its freight of talented carotenoids and gut-loving fibre" Photo: Susan Jane White

Susan Jane White’s awesome anti-inflammatory butternut, turmeric and garlic soup recipe. Photo: Susan Jane White

Susan Jane White

February 25 2023 04:00 PM

This week’s soup is zippy and powerful. Expect fireworks from the fresh ginger, turmeric and garlic, all dancing in a bath of beta-carotene (hello, squash!).

I love butternut squash for its freight of talented carotenoids and gut-loving fibre. Beta-carotene in particular has been associated with improved immune function, which is something I rather fancy offering my family this time of year. Take a bow, butternut!

Then there’s turmeric to help decommission the inflammation mafia. Inside turmeric’s outrageously bright glow, a snazzy compound called curcumin has shown to help regulate inflammation in the body. What a deliciously devious little dude!

You’ll also enjoy ginger’s legendary ninja moves, which delight in using our tonsils as a punch bag.

Leek love! Rachel Allen’s easy recipes make the most of this root vegetable’s sweet oniony goodness

"I love butternut squash for its freight of talented carotenoids and gut-loving fibre" Photo: Susan Jane White

Butternut, turmeric and ginger soup

Serves 6
You will need:
2 tablespoons olive oil or extra-virgin coconut oil
2 large brown onions, peeled and roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
20g ginger, sliced (you can keep the skin on if it is organic)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1L or more of chicken stock or veg stock
1 butternut squash (700-750g when peeled and chopped)

1 Warm the olive oil or extra-virgin olive oil, whichever you’re using, over a medium heat in your largest kitchen pot, and tumble in the roughly chopped onions. Gently sautee for 10 minutes; doing this will bring out the sweetness of the onions while simultaneously softening their flavour.

2 Now add the sliced garlic, the slivers of ginger and the ground turmeric. Keep sweating over a medium heat for another 5 minutes. If the garlic starts to colour, turn down your heat. You’re looking for a licky-sticky neon party.

3 Time to tumble in the chicken stock or the veg stock, whichever you’re using, and the chunks of butternut squash. Crank up to a boil, then reduce the heat once more to medium so your pot gets the opportunity to politely bubble. Cook until the butternut is soft. This will depend on the size of the chunks you chopped. Expect anything from 20-40 minutes.

4 When it’s cooked, carefully blitz the soup with a soup gun or in a blender — watch out for hot splashes! Serve straight away in deep bowls, garnished with any green herbs you find loitering in your fridge. Chopped nuts are great on top too, or a swirl of natural yoghurt and chilli oil. Alternatively, allow the soup to cool first, before freezing it in portions for another day.