Pumpkin soup is the star of the soup season. It is creamy, hearty, and so filling. Many people use canned pumpkin puree to prepare their pumpkin dishes, but that’s not for me. I buy a giant pumpkin, split it open, and make my puree to use in soups and baking. I find the entire process satisfying.
This pumpkin soup recipe has been with me since I got my first oven. I make it at least once a week or whenever I feel too lazy to cook dinner on a weekday. My pumpkin soup recipe only uses fresh pumpkin puree and salt and pepper for seasoning. I occasionally use onion and garlic for extra flavor, but you are happy to choose whichever version you like.
I don’t use cream either because that overpowers the pumpkin’s taste. I also like it slightly thick for a soup but I guess it comes down to personal preference.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Active Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy
Pairs With: Grilled cheese
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs whole pumpkin
- One stick of butter
- One diced onion (medium)
- 4 cloves of garlic
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic chives
- Pumpkin seeds
How to Make Pumpkin Puree at Home
- Cut and Scrape: To make pumpkin puree at home you need to take the pumpkin, wash it properly, and cleave it in half. Now use a big spoon or ladle to scoop out the guts, seeds, and pulp
- Bake for an Hour and a Half: Put the pumpkin halves on a parchment-lined baking sheet – peel side up. You can also sprinkle some salt and oil on the peel, though I chose not to. Bake the pumpkin in a preheated oven for an hour and a half (or until a knife easily goes through the flesh) at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (about 200 degrees Celsius)
- Cool and Process: Once the peel comes off the flesh easily, let the pumpkin cool down. Then scoop the soft flesh into a food processor and process until very smooth. You can store the puree in canning jars and keep it in the fridge for up to one week or in the freezer for up to 3 months
Also Read: Cozy Winter Night Butterbean Stew With Mushrooms and Kale
Instructions on How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Soup
- Prepare and Cook the Ingredients: Dice one medium onion and mince four garlic cloves. Now heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, and cook the onion and garlic until translucent
- Add the Pumpkin Puree: Once the aromatics are cooked, add about 2 cups of pureed pumpkin and salt and pepper according to the taste. Let it cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or until steaming and fragrant
- Add Vegetable Broth: Next, add the vegetable broth, which you can easily make at home or use store-bought. I think homemade broth is more delicious and it helps minimize food waste. So, when the broth is ready, mix and stir the broth and pumpkin to achieve the perfect consistency
- Remove From Heat: Once the mixture is cooked and bubbled over, take it off the heat. Now is the time when you can add in heavy cream if are going that way. For vegans, you can use plant-based substitutes. But if you trust me, a non-cream version of this soup tastes even better. To get that luscious creamy texture, you can use an immersion blender to blitz the content in the pan or transfer it to a blender
- Garnish With Herbs and Serve: I like to serve my pumpkin soup warm with a butter cube and finely chopped garlic chives. This time, I also roasted a few pumpkin seeds for that crunch. You can use fresh thyme leaves, flaky salt, and more black pepper as garnish
Note: I know it is unorthodox but I really like to finish up this soup with a grilled cheese sandwich, but that’s entirely personal taste. Also, I like the soup a bit thick, so you need to be careful of your desired consistency of the soup when adding the broth.
How to Make Pumpkin Soup Without Puree
- If you do not wish to use canned puree or make it at home (like we have done above), you can peel the pumpkin, cube it, and bring it to a boil in a pan along with broth/stock. You can optionally add onion and garlic for extra flavor
- Once the pumpkin is tender, use a stick blender to blitz the contents smoothly
- You can adjust the salt and pepper to taste, optionally add either milk or cream to make it smoother, and serve with your choice of herb as garnish
So this is how you can easily make delicious and nutritious pumpkin soup at home, without using puree.
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