Roasted Pumpkin Soup
Nothing says cooler weather more to me than pumpkin flavors and a bowl of warm soup. Don’t be intimidated by roasting the pumpkin and squash as it’s easy and really plays up the natural flavors. Enjoy this creamy bowl of goodness for a wonderful dinner with friends or family.
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
1 medium sugar or pie pumpkin
1 acorn squash or small butternut squash
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
¼ cup heavy cream
1-3 tsp sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp favorite dried herbs such as basil, thyme, or oregano
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Olive oil
To Serve:
Roasted pepitas
Pancetta or bacon crumbles
Soft cheese such as Alouette or Boursin
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut pumpkin and squash in half and scrape out seeds and guts. Cut again to make uniformly sized wedges, about 4-6” long and 1-2” wide. Spread wedges on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Be slightly generous without having the pumpkin and squash swim in oil. Sprinkle with a teaspoon of kosher salt and dried herbs. Roast for 25-30 minutes until a fork or knife inserted goes in easily. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until cool enough to handle.
On a cutting board and using sharp chef’s knife, slightly flatten each wedge and carefully slice the skin off. Discard skin. Chop remaining pumpkin and squash into small 1-2” pieces.
Working in batches, puree soup. Fill a blender or food processor about two-thirds full with pumpkin and squash pieces along with 1 - 1 ½ cups stock. Season with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Blend until you have a very smooth puree. Transfer to a large stockpot on medium low heat to keep soup warm. Repeat with remaining squash and stock. Add heavy cream to warm soup and stir to combine. Season with 1-3 teaspoons vinegar and salt and pepper as needed.
Top bowls of soup with pepitas, chili oil, and pancetta or bacon as desired. If you are feeling extra fancy, use an offset spatula or spoon to spread a little soft cheese on the inside of the bowl, allowing little bits of cheese to come in with each bite.