Monday, November 5, 2012

Light and Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Light and Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Hey, who turned on the cold?? We seemed to have gone from jacket weather to winter coat weather in a big hurry around here! For me, cold weather brings on major soup cravings. A nice, steaming hot bowl (or two) with some crusty bread and I'm quite happy to call that dinner. For years I got through winters with my, somewhat hidden, stash of canned soups but this year I decided it was time to tackle my lack of soup making skills.

Light and Creamy Pumpkin Soup
I began last week with creamy potato and leek soup and was quite pleased with myself. It was easy, healthy, plentiful and the flavor seemed to improve each day. I was suddenly hooked on homemade soup. And now I wanted to tackle pumpkin but I knew I'd need to tweak almost every recipe I found. I just don't like sweet soups and most squash and pumpkin versions I've tasted were way too sweet...almost clawing.

Light and Creamy Pumpkin Soup
I decided on pumpkin rather than butternut squash because it is the less sweet of the two. I also decided to tame it a bit by adding a couple of potatoes, a tang of cheese and some zing in the form of a teensie bit of curry powder. The amount I used perks up the soup without being noticeably curried but feel free to add more if you're a curry fan. Either way, this soup is good, good, good. There's still plenty left in the pot and, even though I haven't had breakfast yet, I'm already craving it. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 Baking potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
1 1/2 cups unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 Onion, peeled and diced
1 Clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil or butter
3 - 4 cans (14 oz. each) low fat, low sodium chicken stock
1 Cup low fat milk
2 oz. Low fat goat cheese (optional)
1 Tablespoons chives or scallions, chopped
1/4 Teaspoon curry powder
Salt & pepper to taste
Optional garnishes:  croutons, chives, Parmesan cheese

Light and Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Add the olive oil, onion and garlic to a Dutch oven or other large stock pot and cook on medium low for approximately 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent but not browned. Add the potatoes and pumpkin puree to the pot along with enough chicken stock to cover them. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for approximately 25 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.

Working in batches, add the soup to a blender or food processor and puree. Be careful not to overfill or the hot liquid will leak out of the blender. You can puree all the soup or leave it as chunky as you like. Place the soup back in the stock pot and turn the heat to medium. Add the chives, milk and season with the curry powder, salt and pepper. When the soup is boiling, turn off the heat and stir in the goat cheese. Serve hot with croutons, additional chives and a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Makes approximately 8 servings.

19 comments:

  1. I have come to appreciate soup late in life: just 10 years ago or so, but I do love it now and we make some atleast once per week during cold weather. Luckily, it will generally freeze well and I take to work nearly ever day. I will put this in our soup rotation!

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  2. I make a similar soup all the time use coconut mill and thai curry love it!! I basically eat soups 3 time a day during the fall!!

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  3. I love soup!! This looks fantastic!

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  4. I love the addition of curry! I am eating soup for dinner tonight, it is so cold!

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  5. I adore curry!!! So saving this recipe, thank you!!

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  6. We're still cold down here in New Zealand so where is it warm? I think the touch of curry would make all the difference and cut through that sweetness.

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  7. I have no idea who turned the cold on, I so miss the sun.
    Around here we have the heat on since late September, just way too cold :(
    Your soup sounds perfect on these cold days

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  8. Sounds very delish ... I made squash soup yesterday and it's not at all sweet ... will in-box the recipe to you ... hope you like it and I'll definitely try this. I've always loved soup and make it year round ... gazpacho and vichyssoise in the summer to hot soup the second it hits 50° in Fall and of course it's chicken soup w/matzoh balls the second anyone has a cold coming on. Bring on the soup!

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  9. your pumpkin soup sounds so delicious, so full of flavor with the curry powder and goat cheese!

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  10. Anita.
    I love soup during cold weather, and your pumpkin soup is perfect for that. I like that you added curry to the soup. As much as you like soup, put and immersion or stick blender on your holiday list. It makes pureeing soup ingredients, so much easier. You can just puree in the pan. they aren't that expensive, either.

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  11. Boy, does this sound fabulous! Perfect to warm me down to my toes on a chilly evening!

    PS...I hope to make your pear cosmos for my book club on Thursday!

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  12. Holy moly this looks good! I have only tried sweet treats with pumpkin, I have never tried anything savory. I think it's the perfect weather to try it out :)

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  13. Now if only I could convince my husband that pumpkin soup is delicious. This version sounds fabulous. Soup is something I would love to be having for dinner tonight.

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  14. This sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friends Friday and remember to come back and voted on Sunday.

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  15. And another I need to try. I agree that a lot of squash based soups are rather cloying in their sweetness. I love the touch of curry powder in this one!

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  16. Thanks for sharing on Thursdays Treasures. I am ready for a bowl of pumpkin soup now. Definitely want the goat cheese on mine.

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  17. This looks great! Will have to see if I can find unsweetened pumpkin puree in the store. (I live abroad in Germany and I can't always find all the ingredients here for American recipes!) I know I could make it from scratch from a pumpkin, but I don't know if I'm up for all that! Much easier when you can just open a can... :D

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