Slow-Cooked Pumpkin Soup
This pumpkin soup is made by slow-cooking chunks of pumpkin along with aromatic spices in a crockpot, resulting in a rich and velvety texture. The finished soup has a smooth consistency with a warm, inviting orange hue, often garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch. The preparation involves sautéing aromatics, slow-cooking to meld flavors, and blending to a creamy finish.
Equipment
- Crockpot
- Knife
Ingredients
- 1 kg pumpkin or pumpkin chunks peeled and chopped
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup coconut milk optional for creaminess
- to taste salt and pepper
- for topping toasted pumpkin seeds optional garnish
Instructions
- Begin by chopping the pumpkin into large chunks and dicing the onion. Mince the garlic and gather your spices.
- Add a splash of oil to a skillet and sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until fragrant and translucent, about 5 minutes. This builds flavor right from the start.
- Transfer the sautéed onion and garlic to the crockpot along with the pumpkin chunks. Sprinkle in the cinnamon and nutmeg, stirring slightly to coat the pumpkin with spices.
- Pour in the vegetable broth, ensuring the pumpkin is mostly submerged. Cover with the crockpot lid and cook on low for about 4 hours, until the pumpkin is very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- Once cooked, use an immersion blender to carefully blend the soup directly in the crockpot until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, transfer the mixture to a blender in batches and purée until silky.
- If desired, stir in coconut milk for added richness. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then warm the soup for another 5 minutes uncovered, until heated through.
- Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top with toasted pumpkin seeds or other garnishes for extra texture and flavor. Serve immediately and enjoy the velvety, aromatic soup.
Notes
You can prepare this ahead of time and reheat gently on the stove or in the crockpot. Adjust the seasoning as needed before serving. For a vegan-friendly version, use coconut milk or omit dairy ingredients.