I’ve always loved butternut pumpkin, and a buttery, butternut soup brings out the flavour in so many good ways. It’s an autumn soup because that’s when we harvest butternut pumpkins. In the days before we started our veggie garden, autumn was when pumpkins were plentiful and cheap at the local markets, making them a perfect candidate for soups like this.

A tasty combination of butter, butternut pumpkin, leek, potato and herbs all in one autumn soup. Served here with toasted flatbread.
Autumn soup
Ingredients
- 1 or 2 ounces of butter
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 leeks
- 4 carrots
- ½ butternut pumpkin
- 2 large potatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- thyme
- water
- salt and pepper
Directions
- Prepare your veggies: thinly slice the leeks; dice the carrots, pumpkin and potatoes; finely chop the garlic.
- Melt the butter in a large pot, then saute the garlic and vegetables until they’re a lovely golden colour (it takes about 10 minutes).
- Fill with enough water to cover everything (usually 6 cups or so) and bring to the boil.
- Add the thyme, bay leaf and a pinch of salt, and simmer for about half an hour, until the veggies are cooked through.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Source: Adapted from a very old clipping from the local paper.