Halloween is almost here! And with that holiday, which is one of my favorites, comes my most favorite food ever: Pumpkin. I love pumpkin in all its forms: puree, pie, flavoring in coffee, ice cream, roasted seeds, etc. If it’s made from pumpkin, I’ve eaten it. Today’s recipe, Roasted Pumpkin Soup, is one I love and have made many times.
It looks intimidating but it’s actually really, really easy. And if you ditch the homemade pumpkin puree and use the canned, it’s even easier. This soup is a perfect weekend supper or a starter for Thanksgiving dinner. It can be dressed up with homemade roasted pumpkin seeds or dressed down with rolls from a can. (Yes, those are perfectly acceptable in our house!)
However you serve it, this soup is everything that’s wonderful about fall. It’s delicious and fills you with warmth on those cold autumn nights. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Roasted Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 pounds pumpkin
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 large onion peeled and quarter
- 3 cloves garlic cut into quarters
- 1 carrot peeled and cut into 1" chunks
- 1 stick of celery cut into 1" sticks
- 4 cups chicken stock
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350℉. Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds (save the seeds if you want to roast them later). Cut the pumpkin halves in half again, and then again, so you have 8 wedges. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the pumpkin wedges on the paper.
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Grind the coriander seeds with with a pinch of salt until finely ground. Mix the coriander and salt with the cayenne pepper. Sprinkle the spices over the pumpkin wedges. Then add the black pepper, to taste. Roast the pumpkin fore 1 hour or until really soft and slightly caramelized .
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While the pumpkin is cooking, heat a large stockpot and add the oil. Once the olive oil is hot, stir in the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Stir for 15 minutes until the veggies are soft, but not mushy.
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When the pumpkin is done, remove the tray from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Then scoop out the pumpkin (from the skin) and put into the stockpot with the veggies. Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Then use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. If the soup is too think, add more chicken broth or water. Serve immediately.
