If you want to cook a good, simple pumpkin soup, this is the one. It uses ’cookie spices’ which I usually don’t like in my soup (I’m looking at you, ginger and cinnamon), but the ginger predominates, which adds a nice warm kick that feels good going down.
What makes this soup so simple is the way the pumpkin squash is cooked: it’s roasted whole. I got excited about this because I love the sweetness of kabocha squash, but its skin is super hard, which can make it dangerous to cut. I think this could work with pretty much any squash, as long as you don’t mind losing some of the caramelizing that happens when you chop and roast it. But for a soup like this, I found it perfect.
I couldn’t resist garnishing with the gorgeous pansies I’m growing, since they’re edible and their colors sing with the soup. What a lovely harmony!
Whole Kabocha Pumpkin Soup
You will need a blender or immersion blender for this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 whole kabocha pumpkin
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- ½ tsp ginger
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- Salt & pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400º F.
Rinse and dry the pumpkin, then place it on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. With a sharp knife, make a few slits near the top of the squash to let steam escape. (Oven explosions are not fun) Lay the carrot chunks on the baking sheet also. Roast the pumpkin for 45-60 minutes, or until a knife easily slides into the flesh.
While the pumpkin roasts, start the soup.
Pour the oil into a soup pot, and sauté the onion until soft. Stir in the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Turn off the heat and set aside until the squash is done.
Remove the pumpkin and carrot from the oven and let them cool until you can handle them comfortably. Once cooled, cut the pumpkin into pieces, discard the seeds, scoop out the flesh with a spoon, and add to the soup pot along with the carrot chunks. Pour in the broth, then stir in the ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer the soup for 45-60 minutes, then add salt & pepper to taste. Stir in, then taste and adjust as needed.
Blend the soup with an immersion or regular blender. Ladle into bowls, garnish as you wish, and serve.
Makes about 4 servings.
