Spicy Pumpkin Soup
from Terryani
November brings the end to much of the growing season (esp. with the cold freeze we just had!) but one thing it doesn’t bring the end to is pumpkins! If you’re like I was a few years ago, your primary experience of eating pumpkin is probably that of the classic pumpkin pie, but there are literally hundreds of tasty ways to cook and eat pumpkin. Here’s one of my favorites:
Yield
6 servings
Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds pumpkin (weighed before trimming)
- 1 leek, washed, trimmed, and sliced into rings (I’ve been known to use onion or garlic instead)
- 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2-4 Jerusalem artichokes (optional, but incredibly tasty in this recipe!)
- 2 T olive oil
- 1 Q vegetable stock
- ½ t salt
- 1 t pepper
- ½ – 1 t cayenne pepper (or chop up any of your favorite spicy peppers)
- 1 T lemon juice
Directions
Cut the top off the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and strings, peel the shell, and dice the flesh.
Sauté the pumpkin, leek, Jerusalem artichokes and potatoes in olive oil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Cover and boil the soup for 15 minutes, until potatoes are soft.
Purée the soup and add spices and lemon juice. Ladle into bowls.
This recipe also works well with other types of winter squash. Try it both with and without the Jerusalem artichokes and taste the difference! If you’re a dairy lover, top with sour cream or crème fraîche before serving.
- 1 1/2 lbs pumpkin weighed before trimming
- 1 leek or onion washed, trimmed, and sliced/chopped
- 2 potatoes peeled and diced
- 2-4 Jerusalem artichokes optional, but incredibly tasty in this recipe!
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 qt vegetable stock
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/2 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper or chop up any of your favorite spicy peppers
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- Cut the top off the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and strings, peel the shell, and dice the flesh.
- Sauté the pumpkin, leek, Jerusalem artichokes and potatoes in olive oil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Cover and boil the soup for 15 minutes, until potatoes are soft.
- Purée the soup and add spices and lemon juice. Ladle into bowls.
This recipe also works well with other types of winter squash. Try it both with and without the Jerusalem artichokes and taste the difference! If you’re a dairy lover, top with sour cream or crème fraîche before serving.