Recipe details
Ingredients
- One large or two small pumpkins
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- One large garlic bulb
- A few sprigs of rosemary
- Salt and pepper
- 100 mls double cream
- 1 litre of vegetable stock
- 300g drained chickpeas
- 1 onion, diced
- Pumpkin seeds and croutons to serve
Instructions
- Pre heat your oven to 200°c and get an oven tray to hand. You may need two depending on the size of your pumpkin.
- Cut the tops off your pumpkin, halve them, scoop out the seeds then slice into wedges. I never peel mine as the skin is full of fibre and seems a shame to waste it, but feel free to peel yours.
- Arrange the wedges on a roasting tray, along with the garlic bulb with a cm cut off one end to expose the cloves. Drizzle with two tbsp of the olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary and toss to coat. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until pumpkin is soft.
- Gently sauté the diced onion in a pan for 2-3 minutes, then add 3/4 of the stock. Add the roasted pumpkin, chickpeas and squeeze the roasted garlic in. Give it a good stir and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Either blend with a stick blender for a more texturised soup, or put through a food processor for a super smooth one. If it needs more liquid, add the remaining stock.
- Swirl the double cream through and enjoy! This makes a large volume, you can freeze or store in the fridge for a few days.
Can you use any pumpkin for pumpkin soup?
You can use most types of pumpkins for pumpkin soup, but sugar pumpkins are the best choice for their naturally sweet flavour and smooth texture. While larger carving pumpkins can be used, they tend to be less flavorful and a bit more fibrous, making them a less popular option for cooking. You can also use butternut squash and sweet potato in place of pumpkin for when pumpkins are out of season.
What do you serve pumpkin soup with?
Whilst delicious on its own, pumpkin soup pairs beautifully with crusty bread, a cheese toast or garlic toast for dunking. You can also garnish it with a swirl of cream, a drizzle of olive oil, or a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds for added texture and flavour. For an extra kick, try topping it with crumbled feta, crispy bacon bits, finely grated gouda, or a dash of chili flakes. For a spooky Halloween twist, swirl circles of cream round the top and drag lines through with a cocktail stick to give a cobweb effect.
