METHOD
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celsius.
Halve the pumpkin and remove the seeds. But don't throw them away, set them aside for later! Then chop the pumpkin into wedges, leaving the skin on.
Prepare two large baking trays with baking paper. Place the pumpkin on the trays and drizzle generously with olive oil.
In a mortar and pestle, grind the chilli and coriander seeds with a pinch of salt until finely ground. Sprinkle the spices over the pumpkin then season with salt and pepper.
Roast the pumpkin for 1 hour, or until soft and slightly caremalised and brown at the edges.
Meanwhile, roughly chop the onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Heat a glug of olive oil over a medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the vegetables and cook for 15 minutes, or until soft and sweet but not coloured.
While the pumpkin is in the oven and the other vegetables are on the stove, now you've got time to prepare the pumpkin seeds as a garnish! Get the seeds that you put aside and pull the strings of flesh away and rinse the seeds clean hot water.
Prepare a baking tray with baking paper, then spread the seeds evenly across the tray. Season with salt and pepper, and other spices if you wish. We like ground fennel seeds.
Drizzle the seeds with olive oil then mix together so that all seeds are well coated in oil and seasoning. Bake for 10 minutes at the same temperature as the pumpkin (while the pumpkin is cooking) or until golden brown.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, cover and heat the stock on low until it is hot (but not boiling - we don't want it to evaporate).
Once the pumpkin is ready, add it to the pan with the other vegetables. Add the hot stock and use a stick blender to blitz up the soup. For a thinner consistency, add a little bit of water and blend again.
Portion your soup into bowls and sprinkle with your roasted pumpkin seeds. Yum!
FAQS
DO I NEED TO ROAST THE PUMPKIN FIRST?
Yes, the pumpkin does need to be cooked first as it takes longer to cook than the other veggies. While you can boil or steam it, roasting the pumpkin will give your soup that extra rich and delicious flavour. It's worth the wait, we promise!
Psstt.. click here to find cookware ideal for roasting.
WHAT VARIETY OF PUMPKIN WILL WORK BEST?
You'll be hard-pressed to find a variety of pumpkin that won't be delicious in this recipe. However, our favourite type of pumpkin for roasting and for soups is butternut.
CAN I FREEZE THIS SOUP IF I DON'T EAT IT ALL?
Definitely! Pumpkin soup lasts in the fridge for up to 4-5 days, but if you don't eat it all in that timeframe (we don't think that will be a problem!) then you can freeze it. Freeze your soup in a freezer-safe container for up to 2-3 months, ensuring that you leave a few centimetres of room to allow for expansion.
WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH THE LEFTOVER ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS?
It's likely that you'll have some roasted pumpkin seeds leftover, but don't let them go to waste! Store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks and enjoy as a snack on their own or as a garnish.
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5kg pumpkin (skin on, seeds removed - but keep the seeds!)
- Generous drizzle of olive oil
- 1 tsp of dried chilli
- 1 tbs of coriander seeds
- 1 large onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 carrot
- 1 stick of celery
- 1 litre hot vegetable stock
- Roasted pumpkin seeds, to garnish
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