Okay, so my Roasted Pumpkin Soup recipe is a little overdue, but better late than never right? Its a little time consuming but SO worth it, and freezes well too! Remember when I went apple picking? Yeah, thats where the pumpkin came from. But if you don't want to bother with the cutting/cleaning/roasting process, feel free to buy canned pumpkin- you'll need about 4-5 cups (it just won't have that roasted flavor).
Here's what you need:
- 1 (2 pound) pumpkin, seeded and halved
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped carrot
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- Splash of heavy cream (use up to 1/2 cup or don't use at all; I found you only need a little to finish it off right)
- Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish
I had a devious task ahead of me...
Only half of the roasted pumpkin!
Diced veggies
I could have used a bigger pot...
Finished product! So its not the most beautiful of dishes, but it sure tastes like fall :)
How to make Roasted Pumpkin Soup:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
- Place the pumpkin cut side up on a foil lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the pumpkin over and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Place in the over and roast until the skin is golden brown and the pumpkin is tender, about an hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop the flesh from the skin and set aside.
- Set a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the cinnamon and allspice. Stir constantly for a minute. Add the onions, carrots, celery, ginger and garlic to the pan and saute, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized. Add the chicken or veggie stock and the roasted pumpkin. Bring pot to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
- Remove the soup from the heat and either using a food processor or an immersion blender, process until smooth (if using a food processor, you are most likely going to have to blend a little bit at a time to avoid splashing and spilling). Place the soup back into the saucepan and finish with cream, salt and pepper.
- Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds
