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HEARTY PUMPKIN SOUP
Great soup for Fall or the holidays. I can imagine enjoying this fabulous, low-calorie soup for lunch on Thanksgiving and having dinner later in the evening or the other way around – enjoying the soup in the evening in front of a roaring fire. And let’s add some pretty, falling snow outside to complete the cozy scene inside the house! I love the color of this soup.
I never know whether to call it chicken stock or chicken broth.
If you are using a commercial product, it may be called chicken broth,
which is fine. Just remember it will be higher in sodium than my
homemade chicken stock, so add salt cautiously after tasting the soup.
Soup recipes can notoriously be high in sodium, but using a lower
sodium product can help a lot. I have another pumpkin soup recipe or
two. They are so satisfying - like a squash soup.
If
spicy soup is your thing, you can add cayenne pepper cautiously.
Coconut cream or coconut milk can be used instead of heavy cream for a
dairy-free version.
I used the canned variety
of pumpkin but I don't see why you cannot use fresh pumpkin. Keep
leftovers in the fridge obviously. Pumpkin soup needs a place among the
cozy fall soups. I don't think many people have actually tried it -
try it - it will surprise you as to how good it tastes and how
satisfying. You could add bits of bacon or sausage to this soup, if
desired. One way to get extra veggies is to have vegetable soups from
time to time.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp unsalted butter (30 mL)
1/2 cup finely minced onion (125 mL)
2 tsp crushed garlic (10 mL)
1 tsp thyme, OR coriander (5 mL)
1 tsp molasses - you can leave it out (5 mL)
1/2 tsp ground cumin (2 mL)
1/4 tsp nutmeg (1 mL)
1/4 tsp black pepper (1 mL)
4 cups Chicken Stock, commercial OR see recipe below (1 L)
15 oz can mashed pumpkin (425 g)
1/4 cup heavy cream (60 mL)
1 tsp salt, OR to taste (5 mL)
Black pepper, to taste
Garnish (optional):
Dollops of sour cream
INSTRUCTIONS:
In large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and transparent. Add garlic and cook about a minute. Add thyme, molasses, cumin, nutmeg and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
Stir in Chicken Stock and pumpkin and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in cream. Taste and add salt and pepper and heat gently over low heat (do not boil). Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.
Helpful Hint: Stirring the sour cream into the hot soup will cool it down slightly and make it even thicker and richer-tasting.
Variation: Pumpkin Sausage Soup: Add rings of your favorite sausage.
*To make homemade chicken stock, place rotisserie chicken carcass in slow-cooker. Add water to cover. Add 1 tsp (5 mL) salt, 1 tsp parsley (1 mL), 1/2 tsp (2 mL) thyme (optional) and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) black pepper. Place slow-cooker on low and cook overnight. Strain and either refrigerate or freeze the chicken stock in an airtight container. This chicken stock makes a wonderful base for soups and gravies.
Yield: 5 servings
1 serving
157.5.0 calories
6.3 g protein
10.2 g fat
