Cozy up with Avoca's vegetable and squash soup with cheese soda bread recipes

Soup is something of a passion at Avoca, and this is one tasty recipe!

This Irish recipe is perfect for when the kids come in from school or a family lunch as it is both filling and bursting with goodness and delicious served with some of their famous cheese soda bread.

Avoca's root vegetable and squash soup recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
• 2 sticks of celery, chopped
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• ½ butternut or similar squash peeled and chopped
• 2.5oz orange lentils, rinsed under running cold water
• 1oz grams butter
• 2pts vegetable stock
• ½ red chili, de-seeded and chopped
• 1-inch piece of fresh root ginger peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons cream

Method:

• On low heat, cook the onions in the butter in a large heavy-bottom saucepan until they have started to soften and turn opaque in color, about 8–10 minutes.
• Add the vegetables, along with the chili and ginger, and cover with the stock, (you may need a little extra stock depending on the size and shape of your saucepan), ideally all your vegetables should be totally immersed with about 2 inches extra stock.
• Simmer the soup until the vegetables are fully cooked. Then, immediately add the well-rinsed lentils, bringing back to a simmer and cooking for a further 8-10 minutes by which stage the lentils should have burst and are cooked.
• Remove from the heat, add the freshly chopped thyme and liquidize until smooth, you may need to thin out with a little bit of extra stock, a couple of tablespoons of cream is also a lovely addition for a slightly richer texture and flavor.

Avoca’s Cheese Soda Bread recipe

Method:

• Preheat oven to 400º F.
• Simply mix together 1lb of plain flour, with a level teaspoon of sieved bread soda, and a teaspoon of both salt and caster sugar.
• Add 3-4oz of grated mature cheddar, and about 1pt of buttermilk and mix gently until it all comes together, no need to knead, just pop it into a loaf tin that you have lined with baking parchment.
• Flatten out the top of the loaf with the palm of your hand, and then run a deep line down the center of the bread with an ordinary kitchen knife (this will help your bread to rise evenly in the oven).
• Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, then remove the loaf from the tin and return to the oven for a further 10 to 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

*Through its cafés, food markets, and cookbooks, Avoca has led a revolution in Irish food, championing seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and showcasing artisan food producers. It's a passion born out of its roots in 1723 when Avoca first started weaving its world-famous throws & blankets - and nurtured still in its stores, home-wares, and fashion. Find more of the story at Avoca.com. Join the Avoca community on X, Facebook, and Instagram.

*Originally published in January 2022. Updated in 2024.