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Dehydrated Butternut Squash Soup with Red Lentils and Ras El Hanout

Ras el hanout is a North African spice blend. You can buy it at most supermarkets but it’s way tastier and very easy to make it yourself. See recipe notes for the how-to.
Course Soup
Calories 240 kcal

Equipment

  • dehydrator

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbsp ras el hanout
  • 1 butternut squash peeled and cut into 2cm pieces
  • 100 g red lentils
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • small bunch of coriander chopped
  • dukkah and yoghurt to serve

Instructions
 

At home:

  • Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Fry the onions with a pinch of salt for 7 mins, or until softened and just caramelised. Add the garlic, chilli and ras el hanout, and cook for 1 min more.
  • Stir in the squash and lentils. Pour over the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 25 mins or until the squash is soft. Blitz the soup with a stick blender or conventional blender until smooth, then add the chopped coriander season to taste.

To dehydrate:

  • Let the soup come to room temperature.
  • Spread the soup puree on dehydrator trays covered with non-stick sheets or parchment paper.
  • Dehydrate at 130°F/ 55°C for 4-6 hours or until completely dry and crumbly. (Check it from time to time to see if it’s done.)
  • Let cool to room temperature, then grind the dehydrated soup into a powder using a blender or food processor.
  • Divide into 4 individual portions and pack them in zip lock bags. Store in a dark, cool place.

On the trail:

  • Boil 400ml water per portion of soup.
  • Add the dehydrated soup to the water and simmer for a minute or two, stirring most of the time. The soup should rehydrate reasonably quickly. Add more water for a thinner consistency.
  • Decant into a bowl or mug if you’d like. Garnish dukkah, yoghurt, olive oil, fresh herbs, or anything else that inspires you. Enjoy with bread, oat cakes, or flatbread for a heartier meal.

Notes

To make ras el hanout:
Dry fry the spices below in a frying pan on a low heat. Leave to cool then blitz in a blender into a fine powder.
  • 2 2-inch cinnamon sticks, broken into several pieces
  • 1 tbsp cloves
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tbsp fenugreek
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tbsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 10g dried rose petals
Serves 4. Nutrition information (per serving): 240 Calories; 7g Fat; 38g Carbohydrates; 9g Protein