5 Days of Pumpkin: Pumpkin Soup

The first spoonful of soup is the best, especially on those crisp and chilly fall days. The steam gently warms your face, bathing you in the aroma of a hearty stock and herbs, and the comforting savory flavors satiate each taste bud. While my boyfriend usually thinks that soup won’t fully satisfy him, my Pumpkin Soup recipe had him (and his two friends) lingering in the kitchen vying for a taste.  I happily reminded him that he had dinner plans with his friends and that my soup was for a girls’ dinner and movie night. I have to admit I relished in the very disappointed look on his face when he had to leave for his dinner plans!

This vegetable laden soup gets a delicious kick from the pasilla pepper and will surely fill you up without any cream! Paired with a glass of vino or two and it makes for a perfect ladies’ night dish, but is also great as a first course!

Pumpkin Soup

2 tbsp butter

1 medium brown onion, roughly chopped

1 large leek (white and light green parts), diced

8 Cremini mushrooms (button also work), chopped

6 springs of thyme

1 pie pumpkin (Small Sugar Pie), about 1.5 to 2 lbs

3 large carrots, peeled and diced

2 parsnips, peeled and diced

4 cups low sodium chicken stock

1 cup cooked wild rice (per package instructions)

1 pasilla pepper

¼ tsp ground white pepper

½ tsp cumin

Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste

¼ cup chopped scallions for garnish

Roast the pasilla pepper over an open flame on a gas stove or in a broiler until blackened and lightly charred on all sides. I also like to roast peppers on a BBQ at high heat to get some extra smoky flavor. Once blackened, place the pepper in a large ziplock plastic bag for 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Gently peel the charred skin of the pepper away and dice the pepper (including seeds). Set aside. If you’re handling very spicy peppers I recommend wearing gloves. Trust me, I’ve had to halt meal preparations after rubbing my eyes with some pepper juice on my hands. Not fun! 

In a large stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Once butter is melted, continue to stir the butter until it turns a light brown color. Make sure to closely monitor the butter as the milk solids brown. Once the butter is a golden brown hue and emits a nutty aroma, immediately reduce the heat to low. Add the onions, leeks and mushrooms and sauté until softened. Add the thyme and cook for another minute.

Meanwhile, peel the pumpkin with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler. I have a ceramic peeler that works wonders and if you have a ceramic peeler or knife this is the time to use it! Before you peel the pumpkin slice off the very bottom to create a flat working surface, but leave the stem, which you can use to help steady the squash during peeling. Once peeled, cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds (but save them to make some delicious roasted pumpkin seeds) and dice the pumpkin into one-inch cubes.

Add pumpkin, carrots and parsnips to the pot and mix thoroughly. Sauté for five minutes and then add white pepper, cumin, salt and pepper. Continue cooking for another five minutes and then add the chicken stock (vegetable stock can also be substituted). Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, or until the pumpkin has softened and soup has thickened. Add the wild rice and pasilla pepper and simmer for 5 minutes uncovered.

Ladle the soup into large bowls and top with scallions as a garnish. Adding a few roasted pumpkin seeds atop the soup also gives it a nice little crunch.

I love how filling this soup is and how nutritious it is for you, too! The leeks and mushrooms aid cardiovascular and immune functions, respectively, while the carrots and pumpkins are great for your skin. With only two tablespoons of butter in the entire recipe, my Pumpkin Soup is much lower in fat than traditional, creamy fall soups, so you can enjoy a guilt-free evening!