Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup

Today, I made my test batch of this heart warming soup for a wedding that is coming up this weekend. Alice and Kelly chose this soup to go along with lamb and turkey as their proteins.  I’m so very excited to share this soup not only with the guests at the wedding but also with our followers.

All shapes and sizes

All Colours and Textures

Pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes but by far the best to cook with are the smaller, vibrant orange ones called “Pie Pumpkins”. The pie pumpkin is much smaller than the traditional Jack-O-Lantern and has a denser flesh which makes it perfect for roasting, stewing or using in a stir fry. I post this recipe with instructions on how to roast the pumpkin in the oven but today I actually roasted it on the BBQ in a manner similar to roasting red peppers. The best part is when the pumpkins are roasted, the peel is very easy to remove from the flesh. The toasty and nutty flavour imparted by the BBQ is unmatched when you roast the pumpkin in the oven.

You can adjust the flavours according to your own preferences. I personally like my soup with a bit of heat without overpowering the flavour so I like to add a couple of chili peppers to the olive oil right before I cook the onions and celery.

Pumpkins are high in fibre, low in calories and pack a nutritional punch. Beta Carotene and Alpha Carotene are immune boosting antioxidants which are responsible for the great orange colour. Add the benefit of Vitamins A, E and C (plus a few other vitamins and minerals) and your harvest soup not only warms the heart but is good for your health too. Enjoy!

Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Ingredients

1 onion, medium dice

1 stalk of celery, finely chopped

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2-4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

1 teaspoon Tandoori curry powder

½ teaspoon coriander

½ teaspoon cumin

2 medium-sized (2-pound) pie pumpkins, cut in half and remove pulp & seeds

3 ½ cups vegetable stock

1 can coconut milk and 3 cups of coconut milk (I use Silk brand unsweetened coconut milk)

Salt, to taste

Pie Pumpkins

1 7-ounce container Greek yogurt, for garnish

Parsley or cilantro, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rub pumpkin halves with coconut oil. Place flesh-side down on a foil-lined cookie sheet and roast for 45 minutes or until flesh is tender when pricked with a fork. Let cooked pumpkin cool until you are able to safely scoop out the flesh and mash it.
2. Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat, and add olive oil. Add diced onion and celery and cook at a low heat to sweat the ingredients. Add garlic and ginger, stir, and cook for 1-2 minutes, until garlic becomes fragrant and slightly brown. In a separate fry pan add cumin seeds and heat at medium heat until just fragrant being careful not to burn them. Add Tandoori curry powder, and coriander and constantly stir until spices become toasted and fragrant, about 60 seconds. Add stock, coconut milk, and pumpkin, and bring to a boil.
3. Turn off heat, use a hand immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Alternatively, transfer soup in small batches to a blender, and blend until smooth. Once soup is completely smooth, simmer soup at low heat for 40 minutes to 1 hour with a lid on the pot. Stir occasionally to ensure it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pot.
4. Serve soup with a dollop of Greek yogurt and pinch of parsley or cilantro leaves.