Pumpkin Soup

As the bounty of the fall harvest is upon us, I find myself utilizing many of the specials that are found in the local not-so-mega mart.

This week it was sugar or pie pumpkins. These are small pumpkins that are surprisingly heavy for their size. Used to produce pumpkin puree for pies, but are also fantastic roasted as a side veggie or in a soup

One can go sweet with an addition of brown sugar, or savory with the use of garam marsala, or even roast thence use 1/2″ cubes in a spicy thai curry.

My basic pumpkin soup is here, but do not limit your use of this wonderful produce to just soup.

This post is a reboot from November 2008. One can make this vegetarian by substituting veggie or mushroom broth for chicken stock

From Wikipedia:

A pumpkin is a cultivar of winter squash that is round with smooth, slightly ribbed skin, and is most often deep yellow to orange in coloration. The thick shell contains the seeds and pulp.

Pumpkins are widely grown for commercial use and as food, aesthetics, and recreational purposes. Pumpkin pie, for instance, is a traditional part of Thanksgiving meals in Canada and the United States, and pumpkins are frequently carved as jack-o’-lanterns for decoration around Halloween, although commercially canned pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie fillings are usually made from different kinds of winter squash than the ones used for jack-o’-lanterns. China and India combined account for half of the world’s production of pumpkins.

Roasted Pumpkin Soup – Reboot

Warm, Creamy, Sweet, with a hint of spice, this is my go to fall / winter soup

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 6 people

Calories 132 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 small Sugar or Pie Pumpkin Wash, quarter, seed
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1 ea Large Sweet Onion Peeled Diced
• 4 cups Stock Chicken or Veggie
• 1 1/2 tsp Salt (check the stock for saltiness)
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Fresh Ground
• 1 tbsp Sage Dried or 6 fresh sage leaves
• 1 clove Minced Garlic
• 1/3 cup Cream Full Fat

Instructions

 

• Preheat over to 425 F; Line a baking sheet with foil
• Place pumpkin, cut side up on baking sheet; brush with butter; Season liberally with salt and pepper
• Roast until tender (~1 hour); remove from oven and cool so they can be handled
• In large sauce pot over medium high heat, add butter, onions, sage, sauté until onions are translucent and begin to take color; add garlic and sauté one minute more
• Add stock and bring to a simmer
• Scoop flesh from pumpkin and add to stock; simmer 15-20 minutes
• Remove from heat; add cream; blend with immersion blender
• Serve with a drizzle of cream, and scattering of croutons

Notes

This is a basic recipe; one can add curry powder and Garam Masala for an Indian flair, or add nutmeg for a french touch.

Others have roasted and added root vegetables for more veggie punch

One can render thick cut bacon in the sauce pan for that salty smoky flavor that only bacon provides

Always serve with thick cuts of crusty bread slathered with butter, I have also been known to eat this topped with a few crushed potato chips, for a crisp saltiness.

Note the use of a “sugar” or “pie” pumpkin.  Look for smaller pumpkins, very heavy for their size

A sugar pumpkin is a type of pumpkin that tends to be small, dense, and a little sweeter than a carving pumpkin. These pumpkins are perfect for pies or other baking. There are other varieties of pumpkins (not called sugar pumpkins) that are also good for pies and baking. But most of what you’ll find in grocery stores are sugar pumpkins.

Pie pumpkins have darker orange flesh. The flesh of a pie pumpkin is also quite thick. When you pick up a pie pumpkin, it should feel heavy for the size, but a carving pumpkin should “look” about as heavy as it “feels”.

Nutrition

Calories: 132kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 3gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 1232mgPotassium: 781mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 19883IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!