Classic Pumpkin Soup

Classic Pumpkin Soup

Recipe by Dimitra Alfred

Course: Dinner / Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2kg pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large or two small brown or red onions, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 650ml low salt vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari)
• A few good scrapings of nutmeg
• Salt
• Pepper

Optional additions to serve with:

• Sour cream
• Smoked chilli toasted pepitas (see separate recipe)
• Green herb salsa (see separate recipe)

Equipment:

• Large baking tray
• Scales and measuring spoons
• Chopping board and rubber mat
• Utility knife, paring knife
• Large soup pot
• Wooden spoon
• Soup ladle
• Stick blender

Directions

1. Once you have prepared and measured all the ingredients in ingredient list start cooking.

Firstly, roast the vegetables:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C.
2. Use a spoon to remove the seeds from the pumpkin.
3. Cut pumpkin into large chunks and remove the skin.
4. Put the pumpkin, onions and garlic onto a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and some salt and pepper. Stir to coat, then roast in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until pumpkin is tender and lightly charred.
5. Set tray of pumpkin mix aside on a cooling rack to cool slightly.
6. Transfer pumpkin mix to a large pot. Use a flexible spatula to scrape any roasted bits left on the baking tray into the pot (that’s where all the flavour lies!).
7. Add the vegetable stock, soy and nutmeg. No need to turn on the heat just yet.
8. Use a stick blender to process the mixture in the pot until smooth. (If using a blender or food processor to blend the soup, have an adult help you. Do not overfill the blender or food processor bowl and always cool the soup before processing or blending otherwise the excessive heat will cause the lid to explode and fly off!).
9. Place the pot of soup over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally until heated through. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
10. If soup is a little thick, add some hot water, a couple of tablespoons at a time until the right consistency. Taste for seasoning and serve plain or with any of the suggested toppings.