Basic pumpkin soup recipe with Yummy Tips

Duration - 30 minutes

• Chop an onion and fry gently until translucent.
• Stir in peeled pumpkin pieces — smaller bits will cook faster.
• Add stock or water to cover and cook gently until softened.
• Blend with stick mixer or food processor until smooth and season to taste.

But if you want to hot up your soup, to pimp your pumpkin, here are 10 top tricks to try.

 Pumpkin soup - How to

1 – Pick your pumpkin

Different pumpkins will end up producing a different result. The good news is that the most common, off-the-shelf types — the butternut, Jap all have the dense texture sweet flavour to make an excellent soup.

Pumpkin soup is best made with your good, old-fashioned varieties like butternut or the harder pumpkins. Soft fleshed pumpkins can make the soup a little watery. They are a different beast… from your standard  pumpkin.

2 – Add more vegetables

As lovely as pumpkin is, its natural sweetness needs a little back-up to really shine.

Try sweating a chopped leek with, or instead of, onion at the start of cooking. Add potato to make the texture a little thicker and more velvety. Carrot or even parsnip will bring a pleasing earthiness — just make sure they are cut smaller so they will be softened at the same rate.

The biggest surprise, though, is a combo with fruit, not veg.

Throw in a chopped granny smith apple and that little hit of sourness will give your soup some extra zing.

 3 – Swap water for stock

While you can cook the pumpkin in a little water, using chicken or vegetable stock can add extra depth and make your soup more satisfying. A good homemade chicken or veg stock is best.

Or add sweat onion, garlic and spices like cumin and coriander. Top up with water, bring to the boil and simmer to create a sweet, oniony stock, before adding the pumpkin, preferably roasted. If you like a richer soup, stir through a little cream or creme fraiche. For Asian flavour soups try coconut milk or cream.

 4 – Use roasted pumpkin

Roasting the pumpkin and other veg gives it that yummy, caramelised flavour that makes it  the best.

Toss the cubes of pumpkin, wedges of onion and other veg in oil, throw in a few cloves of garlic (the brown goo can be squeezed out after) and roast at 180C until the edges are darkened.

Then cook for a short time in a little stock before processing.

 5 – Add spices

A sprinkle of spice added when the onions are softening will send it en route to all manner of destinations. Pumpkin laps up the earthiness of ground cumin that could lead to Indian curry flavours. Go for cinnamon and nutmeg for America’s favourite pumpkin pie.

Always season to taste. with a dash of white pepper.

6 – Add protein from pulses

Channel your inner hippie throw pulses such as lentils or chickpeas into your soup body and substance. Red lentils are perfect with those curry or Middle Eastern spices and will cook in the same time as the veg. Or add some canned cannellini beans to make the soup mellow and extra-soft

Cook gently for 30 minutes, then stir through diced pumpkin. Cook until soft, add a splash of red wine vinegar season to taste.

Take out a couple of ladles, blend until smooth and stir the puree back through. 

7 – Make it crunchy

Sprinkle over nuts or seeds for the crunchy textural contrast that will keep your soup interesting until the last spoonful. Keep it in the family by using toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or try pretty green pistachios, toasted almond slivers or hazelnuts.

A scattering of dukkah will work well with a Middle Eastern soup or try shredded coconut, toasted to a light tan, with an Asian soup.

 8 – Dress with fresh herbs 

A scattering of herbs at the end will make the soup look and taste fresh. Even better is to put a little in from the start as well.

For Asian soups, try coriander, Thai basil and perhaps even Vietnamese mint,  The subtle anise flavour of tarragon will work well or go for the classic combination of chopped chives with a blob of sour cream.