Pumpkin Soup

 

https://www.recipetineats.com/classic-pumpkin-soup/

1.2 kg / 2.4 lb pumpkin (any type) OR butternut squash, unpeeled weight (Note 1)

1 onion , sliced (white, brown, yellow)

2 garlic cloves , peeled whole

750 ml vegetable or chicken broth/stock , low sodium

250 ml water

Salt and pepper

Finishes:

125 - 180 ml cream , half and half or milk (Note 2)

Instructions

Cut the pumpkin into 3cm / 2.25" slices. Cut the skin off and scrape seeds out (video is helpful). Cut into 4cm / 1.5" chunks.

Place the pumpkin, onion, garlic, broth and water in a pot – liquid won't quite cover all the pumpkin. Bring to a boil, uncovered, then reduce heat and let simmer rapidly until pumpkin is tender (check with butter knife) – about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and use a stick blender to blend until smooth (Note 3 for blender).

Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir through cream (never boil soup after adding cream, cream will split). 

Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle over a bit of cream, sprinkle with pepper and parsley if desired. Serve with crusty bread!

Recipe Notes:

1. Pumpkin – ~2.4lb / 1.2kg pumpkin before peeling and removing seeds. Approximate is fine – use the liquid levels in the video as a guide for quantity.

Butternut Squash is also ideal in this. It’s called Butternut Pumpkin in Australia.

To make this with canned pumpkin puree, you will need 2 cans. Add it in place of the fresh pumpkin and follow recipe as is.

2. Cream – cream will add a layer of richness to the mouthfeel. But it is truly still delicious even made without – I often make it with just milk. To add a rich finish, I sometimes stir through a bit of butter instead!

3. Pureeing – you can use a blender BUT you must make sure that the soup is cooled slightly before blending it, otherwise you will find out the hard way that hot soup + blender = soup explosion (literally, the lid will blow off the blender when you start blending it).

4. Flavour variations – see in post for list of suggestions, including quantities.

5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings and made with cream.