Easy, healthy pumpkin soup
Guys, I never thought that I’d be sharing a pumpkin soup recipe on this blog. This is mostly due to the fact that I used to avoid pumpkin at all costs.
When I moved to the States years a go, it was right around Fall and I realized just how obsessed everyone was with everything “pumpkin spice.” It was also right around that time when I had my first pumpkin spice latte (I mean, how could you not?), and I thought it was gross. Ever since then, I stayed away from anything “pumpkin.”
Few years later, when my husband and I moved in together, I realized just how much HE loves everything pumpkin: pumpkin cakes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin ice cream, etc. Thanksgiving is also his favorite holiday so pumpkin pie is always a must. Even though I’d bake it every year for him, I’d only had a small piece myself. Every year my “small” piece kept getting a little bigger and even though you won’t ever catch me drinking pumpkin spice latte again, I kinda have to say that pumpkin has grown on me.
Few weeks a go I made this pumpkin soup for the first time, and it was the bomb. So quick and easy to make, full of flavor, healthy yet very comforting and just perfect for those cold, gloomy days.
Easy and healthy pumpkin soup
3 lb sugar pumpkin*
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp paprika
salt, pepper to taste
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 TBS coconut palm sugar
1 tsp chili powder
dash of cayenne pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Cut the pumpkin in half, then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and pulp. Brush the inside of the pumping with a little olive oil and bake for half an hour.
2. In the mean time, heat some olive oil in a tall pot, add the onion and garlic and cook until fragrant then add: paprika, chili powder, cinnamon and nutmeg and cook until everything combines nicely, around 2-3 minutes.
3. Once your pumpkin is done, let it cool off a bit so you don’t burn yourself while peeling it. Once the pumpkin has cooled off a little, peel the skin off, and cube it.
4. Add your pumpkin to the onion/garlic mix, making sure to combine everything nicely then cook covered for about 2 minutes.
5. Add coconut milk and enough water to cover the pumpkin, then cook everything for about 10 minutes, covered.
6. Using a hand blender, blend everything together until your soup becomes smooth and creamy, then add the rest of the spices: sugar, salt and pepper, and if need be, a little more paprika. I also love adding just a small dash of cayenne pepper.
7. Garnish your soup with a little coconut milk, roasted pumpkin seeds and parsley. Serve hot.
*if you want to make this but are short or on time and don’t want to mess around with scooping and baking the pumpkin, you can also use organic pumpkin puree instead.
23 Comments
Isabelle Goodall-Munroe
December 5, 2015 at 1:08 pmWe have a huge – and I mean huge – pumpkin on our dinner table waiting to be carved or used for something other than an annoying decoration! We never got round to carving it for Halloween, and now we’re in December and I finally know what to do with it! I love a hearty soup in the winter, so healthy and filling- I’ll definitely be making this!
________
http://www.isabellekategm.co.uk ♡
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
December 8, 2015 at 1:33 pmSounds like a great idea! Although I’m not sure if regular carving pumping would work as well as sugar pumpkins!
Jodie
December 5, 2015 at 1:10 pmHonestly I’ve not got the hype around pumpkin spice everything but this sounds easy to make and I’m always willing to give everything a go once!
Jodie, xo // Jodie Loue
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
December 8, 2015 at 1:37 pmI also can’t stand pumpkin spice, especially when it comes to coffee drinks. I think it’s a bit too artificial.
Hannah
December 5, 2015 at 2:09 pmThis sounds delicious and easy to make. I’ll definitely have to try this one out :)
Hannah xx
thatthoughtfulgirl.blogspot.co.uk
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
December 8, 2015 at 1:38 pm:)
Ela BellaWorld
December 5, 2015 at 4:12 pmI used to hate pumpkin when I was a child however now I really like it! Pumpkin soup is one of my favourite in a/w, it is delish! Your version of soup looks great, I’ve never thought about using coconut water to make it look that fancy!
http://www.elabellaworld.com
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
December 8, 2015 at 1:42 pmThanks Ela!
The Sunday Mode
December 5, 2015 at 6:37 pmBeautiful photos as per usual, this soup looks amazing and so perfect for cooler weather. I’ve loved pumpkin soup since I was little, though I tend to love anything with pumpkin in general.
http://www.thesundaymode.blogspot.com.au
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
December 8, 2015 at 1:42 pmAw thanks Love! :)
Esther
December 5, 2015 at 8:53 pmI also used to hate pumpkin, but now I LOVE it, and this soup looks delicious, thank you so much for sharing! Have a nice day!
xo, Esther
http://bubblesther.com
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
December 8, 2015 at 1:43 pmSame here! :)
Whitney
December 5, 2015 at 10:09 pmoh gosh that looks delicious! I’m so into coconut milk based soups right now as well.
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
December 8, 2015 at 1:46 pmThanks Whitney!
Erica
December 6, 2015 at 1:17 amThis sounds amazing! Great post!
leavingericafootprints.blogspot.com
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
December 8, 2015 at 1:51 pmThanks Erica!
Alina
December 6, 2015 at 6:03 amPumpkin is definitely not that big over here in the UK and I’m not so sure how I would feel about eating it in things like pie etc. But I do like the idea of making a soup, it sounds delicious x
Beauty with charm
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
December 8, 2015 at 1:52 pmThanks so much Alina! I think this is one of the reasons why I originally wasn’t a huge fan of pumpkin- because growing up in Poland I’ve never tried it.
Sam K Francis
December 6, 2015 at 11:41 amLove pumpkin at this time of year, and your soup looks so yum!
crossinglemons.com
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
December 8, 2015 at 1:55 pmThank you!
veebzboo
December 6, 2015 at 1:41 pmThis looks and sounds so delicious! Also the photography is so stunning, that it should be in a published cook book!!
– http://www.veebzboo.com
– http://www.youtube.com/veebzboo – FASHION HAUL
Tal
December 6, 2015 at 2:31 pmthis is always my go to soup- soo good.
Beauty Blender- worth the hype?
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
December 8, 2015 at 1:48 pmIt’s delicious!