Pumpkin Chipotle Soup
By Heidi Allison
Soup is always a “go-to” in cold weather, and this updated version of comforting Pumpkin Soup is creamy and velvety-smooth with a Southwestern flavor that grabs your attention. Rather than boiling the pumpkin, onions and garlic in stock, the veggies are initially roasted in the oven, bringing to the foreground their sweet, rich flavor, then simmered in a rich chicken stock. This step allows you to significantly reduce the amount of heavy cream traditionally called for in this soup and keeps the calories down without sacrificing texture or flavor.
The spicing in this savory soup is modern with a Southwestern bent— a hint of smoky chipotle heat with a back note of earthy cumin—nothing boring here! The toasted garlic-flavored pumpkin seeds add a bit of textural crunch and the final drizzle of maple syrup provides balance and a sweet grace note to the finished dish.
Makes: 6 cups
2 medium Pumpkins, cut in half
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Yellow (Sweet) Onions, peeled and sliced
2 cloves Garlic, peeled
½ teaspoon. Kosher Flake Salt
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
2 teaspoons Chipotle Chile Powder and 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
2 cups Rich Chicken Stock
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup, for drizzling
Garlic Pumpkin Seed Garnish
3 Tablespoons Store Bought Organic Pumpkin Seed
1 teaspoon. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ teaspoon Garlic Salt
Preparation:
Heat a toaster oven to 220 degrees. Toss pumpkin seeds with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt. Toss to combine. Place on a baking sheet and toast for about 5 minutes until slightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside.
Preparation:
Heat oven to 350 degrees Place pumpkin halves, cut side down, on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cook for 50 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Preheat toaster oven to 375 degrees. Place sliced onions and garlic cloves on a foil-lined baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat; then sprinkle with ½ teaspoon. kosher salt. Place in oven for 30 minutes or until caramelized with brown edges and soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Place butter in a stock pot and heat on medium high until melted and slightly brown. Add cumin and chipotle chile powder and sauté until fragrance emerges—about 10 seconds. Reduce heat to medium and add cooked pumpkin, onions, garlic and stir till combined. Add chicken stock and heat till simmering. Add garlic salt and stir to combine.
Add pumpkin mixture to a blender and purée until smooth. Add cream and blend again.
Return to pot and heat until hot if needed or just ladle hot mixture into soup bowls and top each bowl of soup with a drizzle of maple syrup and toasted garlic pumpkin seeds, then serve.
Soup is always a “go-to” in cold weather, and this updated version of comforting Pumpkin Soup is creamy and velvety-smooth with a Southwestern flavor that grabs your attention. Rather than boiling the pumpkin, onions and garlic in stock, the veggies are initially roasted in the oven, bringing to the foreground their sweet, rich flavor, then simmered in a rich chicken stock. This step allows you to significantly reduce the amount of heavy cream traditionally called for in this soup and keeps the calories down without sacrificing texture or flavor.
The spicing in this savory soup is modern with a Southwestern bent— a hint of smoky chipotle heat with a back note of earthy cumin—nothing boring here! The toasted garlic-flavored pumpkin seeds add a bit of textural crunch and the final drizzle of maple syrup provides balance and a sweet grace note to the finished dish.
Makes: 6 cups
2 medium Pumpkins, cut in half
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Yellow (Sweet) Onions, peeled and sliced
2 cloves Garlic, peeled
½ teaspoon. Kosher Flake Salt
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
2 teaspoons Chipotle Chile Powder and 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
2 cups Rich Chicken Stock
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup, for drizzling
Garlic Pumpkin Seed Garnish
3 Tablespoons Store Bought Organic Pumpkin Seed
1 teaspoon. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ teaspoon Garlic Salt
Preparation:
Heat a toaster oven to 220 degrees. Toss pumpkin seeds with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt. Toss to combine. Place on a baking sheet and toast for about 5 minutes until slightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside.
Preparation:
Heat oven to 350 degrees Place pumpkin halves, cut side down, on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cook for 50 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Preheat toaster oven to 375 degrees. Place sliced onions and garlic cloves on a foil-lined baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat; then sprinkle with ½ teaspoon. kosher salt. Place in oven for 30 minutes or until caramelized with brown edges and soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Place butter in a stock pot and heat on medium high until melted and slightly brown. Add cumin and chipotle chile powder and sauté until fragrance emerges—about 10 seconds. Reduce heat to medium and add cooked pumpkin, onions, garlic and stir till combined. Add chicken stock and heat till simmering. Add garlic salt and stir to combine.
Add pumpkin mixture to a blender and purée until smooth. Add cream and blend again.
Return to pot and heat until hot if needed or just ladle hot mixture into soup bowls and top each bowl of soup with a drizzle of maple syrup and toasted garlic pumpkin seeds, then serve.
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