Pumpkin Spiced Soup

Hi Liketu,

There’s one cooking tradition that I eagerly anticipate every autumn - making my yearly batch of pumpkin soup. This comforting dish has become a beloved family tradition and makes me feel warm and cozy.

Here is my recipe for roasted and spiced soup:

1 medium-sized pumpkin
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup of heavy cream (or, for a lighter version, you can skip the cream)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional toppings: toasted pumpkin seeds or fresh herbs for garnish

First, I roast the pumpkin:
I cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp (yes, I made Halloween faces in the pumpkin first - how can you not?). I then brushed the pumpkin flesh with olive oil and seasoned it with salt and pepper. I placed the pumpkin halves on a baking sheet, cut side down, and roasted them for about 45-60 minutes, or until the pumpkin had softened. Then, I scooped out the pumpkin.

To prepare the soup, I melted butter in a pan and started cooking the chopped onions and garlic together, sautéing until they became translucent. Then, I stirred in the spices - cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. I added the roasted pumpkin flesh and stirred well to combine.

I poured in the vegetable broth, brought the mixture to a gentle boil, and simmered for about 20 minutes. I blended it carefully until the puree became smooth and velvety.

I used an immersion blender to carefully puree the soup until it was smooth and velvety, and I decided to forgo the cream, adding salt and pepper to taste.

I then served a bowl with roasted pumpkin seeds as a garnish.

I look forward to this time of year and love the cozy and warm feeling it brings.

Hope you enjoy my recipe.

Love.Lindsay x