The fog rolls in off the mountain some evenings before the kettle’s even boiled, and by the time everyone’s inside with wet shoes by the door, dinner needs to be something that’s already half done. Butternut soup gets made more nights than not through June and July for exactly that reason — it needs almost nothing watched, and it stretches beautifully.
These days the pot starts with a couple of spoons of Wilson’s Garlic Flavoured Oil instead of plain oil, so the garlic works through the onion and carrot from the first minute rather than being stirred in as an afterthought. It’s a small change, but the finished soup tastes rounder — nothing to add at the end, nothing missing.
Below is the full recipe, plus the parmesan croutons that turn a good soup into the kind people ask you to make again.
We Use Wilson’s Garlic Flavoured Oil
Butternut is a starchy, fairly bland vegetable on its own, so whatever fat you cook the onion and carrot in does most of the early flavour work. We use Wilson’s Garlic Flavoured Oil because the garlic flavour is already carried in the oil itself, so it coats every piece of vegetable from the first minute in the pot, rather than sitting as a separate note stirred in later.
It also holds up well over the 10 minutes the onion and carrot need to properly soften and start to caramelise at the edges — that gentle colour is where a lot of the soup’s depth comes from, and an oil that behaves consistently at that heat makes it easy to get right.
On the croutons, it does a second job entirely: tossed through torn bread before baking, it crisps the outside while the parmesan melts into the crust, so you get a crouton that’s golden all over rather than just on the top.
Our Tips
Cut the butternut evenly — pieces that are roughly the same size cook at the same rate, so you’re not blending some mush with some still-firm chunks.
Don’t rush the onion and carrot — give them the full 10 minutes over medium heat. That soft, slightly golden base is what stops the soup tasting thin.
Blend it longer than feels necessary — a stick blender needs a good two minutes of steady work to get the soup properly silky rather than just smooth-ish.
Salt after blending, not before — the flavour changes once the soup is smooth, so taste again at the end and adjust.
Bake the croutons on their own tray — if they’re crowded they steam instead of crisping, and you lose the crunch.
Keep a little stock back — if the soup thickens too much as it sits, a splash of warm stock brings it back to the right consistency without watering down the flavour.
How We Serve It
We ladle it into wide, shallow bowls rather than deep mugs, so the croutons sit on top instead of sinking. A final drizzle of oil across the surface right before it goes to the table presents beautifully.
On a proper Highveld or Cape winter night, we’ll put it out with a loaf of crusty bread and butter and call that dinner. If people are still hungry, a simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette on the side cuts through the richness nicely.
It also travels well in a flask, which makes it a good one to pack for a chilly rugby weekend or a day out at the market.
More Ways to Use Wilson’s Garlic Flavoured Oil
Once you’ve got a bottle of Wilson’s Garlic Flavoured Oil in the pantry, it earns its keep well beyond soup season.
Prawns in Garlic Oil — the oil is the whole sauce here, so it needs to carry real flavour on its own, which is exactly what it does. See the recipe.
Vegan Garlic Bread — brushed over a warm loaf, it gives you that classic garlic bread hit without needing butter at all. See the recipe.
Snoek with Paprika Garlic Butter — worked through the paprika butter, it deepens the flavour without competing with the smokiness of the fish. See the recipe.
Cheesy Onion Soup with Crispy Cheese Croutons — the same technique as this butternut soup, built onto a different base, with the garlic oil doing the early groundwork again. See the recipe.
Chilli & Garlic Prawns — a quick weeknight pan dish where the oil takes on the chilli heat and carries it through the whole plate. See the recipe.
The Good Stuff
Wilson’s Garlic Flavoured Oil is Halaal and Kosher certified, and suitable for vegans and vegetarians. It’s a straightforward pantry oil to reach for regardless of who you’re cooking for.
Wilson’s Garlic Flavoured Oil is available online and at leading retailers across South Africa.
Ways to Change It Up
Add a can of coconut milk — stirred in with the stock, it gives the soup a rounder, slightly sweet finish.
Bring the heat up — a chopped red chilli with the onion and carrot, or a good pinch of chilli flakes at the table, works well against the sweetness of the squash.
Swap in Rosemary Flavoured Oil — for a more herbaceous finish, drizzle Wilson’s Rosemary Flavoured Oil over the top instead of garlic.
Make it dairy-free — use coconut cream instead of dairy cream, and skip the parmesan on the croutons, using extra garlic oil and a sprinkle of salt instead.
Add roast garlic — a whole roasted bulb, squeezed into the pot before blending, pushes the garlic flavour further without any raw bite.
Use pumpkin instead of butternut — a good, dense pumpkin works just as well when butternut isn’t available, though it may need a touch more stock.
Questions You Might Have
Can I use pumpkin instead of butternut?
Yes. A dense, well-flavoured pumpkin works as a straight swap. It can hold a bit more water than butternut, so you may need slightly less stock, or a longer simmer to reduce it down.
My soup came out watery. What went wrong?
Usually too much stock was added too early. Start with slightly less than the recipe calls for, simmer uncovered so some liquid evaporates, and top up only if it’s too thick once blended.
Can I make this soup vegan?
Yes. Use vegetable stock, leave out the dairy cream or swap in coconut cream, and use extra garlic oil and salt instead of parmesan on the croutons.
How long does the soup keep in the fridge?
Up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently on the stove rather than at a hard boil, so it doesn’t split.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, for up to 3 months, though it’s best to leave out the cream before freezing and stir it in once the soup is reheated.
My croutons went soft instead of crisp. Why?
They were likely too crowded on the tray, or added to the soup too far in advance. Give them space in the oven, and add them to the bowl just before serving.
Where can I buy Wilson’s Garlic Flavoured Oil?
It’s available to order directly from oliveoil.co.za and at leading retailers across South Africa.
More From Our Kitchen
Cheesy Onion Soup — Roasted Tomato Soup — Lamb Neck Potjie — All Recipes
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