How to make Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Want something warm and comforting for lunch? This Spicy Pumpkin Soup recipe may be exactly what you’re looking for. This soup with its bright cheery orange colour will brighten the dullest of days. It is one of the best of autumn’s soups.

Beautiful golden orange, Spicy Pumpkin Soup makes a welcome and warming lunch and it’s healthy. It contributes loads of vitamin A, C and other vitamins and minerals besides. So, it’s good for you and it tastes just wonderful. This is such a favourite of ours.

Pumpkins may be mostly associated with halloween, carving lanterns and lots of other spooky stuff but this instantly recognisable squash makes a great soup. Treat yourself – I think you may be pleasantly surprised.

If you grow your own pumpkins and we frequently do. We grow the Baby Bear variety which are a perfect size for using to make soup. Better still, if you happen to have a pumpkin glut make this wonderful soup and enjoythe fruits of your labour.

Ingredients in this recipe

This Spicy Pumpkin Soup recipe will make a delicious lunchtime meal. It contains;

• onion – a brown or red onion works well. This needs to be chopped.
• pumpkin – a small squash as you need about 750-800g ( 1 lb 12 oz) of pumpkin flesh.
• garlic- 2 garlic cloves chopped up finely. This gives a wonderful fragrance and flavour to the soup.
• coconut milk – I tend to use a reduced fat variety. It gives the soup wonderful flavour and a creamy richness.
• bay leaf – dried. This adds a subtle savouriness to the soup.
• cayenne pepper and chopped fresh ginger – both of these add a little spicy warmth which is really delicious.

How to make Spicy Pumpkin Soup

This is really easy to do.

Peel and chop the onion, the garlic and the ginger. Prepare the pumpkin by peeling off the outside skin, and cubing the flesh, removing the seeds and any stringy bits in the middle of the squash. You need up to 750g of flesh or around 6 1/2 cups.

Place a large saucepan on a low heat with the oil and add these ingredients to the pan. Let them cook a little until the onion looks translucent. Then add the pumpkin flesh and the rest of the spices. Give everything a really good stir and let them cook for a minute or two.

Next, add the stock, the coconut milk and the bay leaves. Time for another really good stir and leave everything to cook for approximately twenty minutes.

Once the twenty minutes is up, check to make sure that the pumpkin flesh is soft and cooked through. If it is, blend the soup carefully in a blender or use a stick blender and liquidise it in the saucepan. Be careful at this stage as the soup can scald if you’re not careful. Once you’ve blended it to your satisfaction, return it to the saucepan and check the seasoning. If it needs anymore salt or pepper now is the time to do it.

If the soup is too thick for your liking then add a little more water. It is too thin then cook it for a little longer until it thickens up.

How to serve Spicy Pumpkin Soup

This homemade vegetable soup will go down beautifully with fresh crusty bread or served with a special bread such as Focaccia or a simpler bread like Soda bread.

Croutons make a lovely addition too. If you’ve not made these before, these are just pieces of sliced and cubed bread that are fried in oil until slightly golden. These can then be sprinkled on the top of the soup for another texture or flavour. These are best made with bread that’s a few days old.

Extra flavours can be added to the croutons by stirring in some finely chopped garlic or herbs right at the end of the cooking time. (As they begin to take on a little colour.)

Sprinkle cheese on the top, swirl in some sour cream or coconut cream and how about a sprinkle of your favourite herbs? Coriander in this case.

A garnish of toasted seeds can look very pretty too and of course they add a little protein as well. Why not try pumpkin seeds.

Substitutions and variations

If you cannot find a pumpkin and in England that is certainly true of most of the year, then you can substitute a butternut squash instead. Both squash work well with these flavours.

You can also use tinned pumpkin puree which you tend to find in the aisle with the condensed milks – no idea why… but that’s where I tend to find it.

Storing this Soup

This vegetable soup will last for up to three days in the refrigerator in a suitable airtight container. Always re-heat stored soup thoroughly before eating.

Can I freeze this soup?

This soup freezes well for up to 3 months. Once the soup has cooled, add it to a suitable freezer-safe container, remember to leave a little space for it to expand and freeze for up to three months.

Defrost thoroughly once you’re ready to use it and re-heat until it is piping hot.

If you like this … then you may like these

• Spicy Tomato and Chilli Soup
• Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup
• Simple Green Pea Soup recipe
• Spicy Red Lentil Soup
• Creamy Cauliflower Soup
• Leek and Potato Soup
• Simple Corn Chowder Recipe
• Creamy Tomato Soup
• 5-Hearty Vegetarian Soups – this is a collection of soup recipes, which includes some of the above

Soup accompaniments… make it special

• Soda Bread
• Focaccia
• Homemade baked croutons
• Cheese straws

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