Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk and Pepitas
This paleo roasted pumpkin soup made with coconut milk and finished with fresh herbs and pepitias is a hearty, healthy, and simply delicious fall soup!
2tablespoonpure maple syrup(substitute date syrup for Whole30)
1sprigfresh thyme
1sprigfresh sage
¼croasted, salted pepitasfor garnish
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400. Slice the sugar pumpkin in half and scrape out the seeds and fibrous pulp using a spoon. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over the pumpkins and rub the oil into the flesh. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the pumpkin halves cut side down on a baking sheet and roast until the skin is golden brown and the pumpkins are starting to cave in on themselves, 40-45 minutes. The pumpkins are done when you can easily pierce the skin with a fork. Remove from the oven, flip them over, and set aside to cool. Once the pumpkins are cool enough to handle (10-15 minutes) scrape out the flesh with a spoon, or simply peel away the skin with your (clean) hands.
Heat a dutch oven or 6-quart soup pot over a medium high flame. Add the second tablespoon of oil to the pan and heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and the edges are starting to brown, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1 minute.
Add the spices to the onion and garlic mixture and sauté, stirring continuously, until the spices are toasted, about 1 minute.
Add the pumpkin flesh to the pot, along with the broth, coconut milk, maple syrup, and fresh herbs and give everything a good stir. Increase the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce to low, cover, then simmer until the herbs are falling off the stems, about 20 minutes.
Fish out the herb stems from the soup. Puree the soup in the pot using an immersion blender until completely smooth. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper if needed.
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with roasted, salted pepitas. Serve immediately. This soup keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Useful Tools for this Recipe:6-Quart Enameled Dutch Oven Stick or Hand BlenderSubstitutions:To make this vegetarian or vegan, substitute vegetable broth. To make this a fast 30-minute weeknight meal, substitute 3 cups (about 2 cans) of organic canned pumpkin puree. Increase the broth by ½ a cup.