Pumpkin Season is here! Like so many others, this is my favorite season. I love the sights and smells that fall brings. The cool breeze feels so refreshing after the hot summer.
Going to a pumpkin patch or a fall festival is a great way to spend a fall weekend. It is a great way to also have your child learn different things you can do with pumpkins. From carving out a fun design to scooping out the seeds and roasting them, pumpkins have so much to offer than just a pretty home decoration. You can also make pumpkin soup!
When my kids were little, one of their favorite books to read was called "Pumpkin Soup" written by Helen Cooper. This book is about the friendship between a cat, duck, and squirrel who live in an old white cabin. Every day they make pumpkin soup together in the same exact way, until one day when they decide to switch things up and it gets messy. My children were so fond of reading this book and wondered can we make pumpkin soup. I had never made it before but was so happy to try it. This became one of our family favorites that we look forward to each fall. You can use fresh pumpkins but I use canned pumpkins when I don’t have the time.
I hope you get a chance to read this silly book and make this delicious soup with your children. I serve it with bread and it is the perfect comfort food on a fall day.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons of butter on a non-dairy alternative
2 large onions sliced
2 garlic cloves minced
½ teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
½ teaspoon of nutmeg
½ teaspoon of fresh minced ginger or ground ginger
2 -15 ounce cans of pumpkin puree
2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
3 cups of water
½ cup of heavy cream or 1 cup of canned light coconut milk
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
Optional - roasted pumpkin seeds, cayenne pepper, chili flakes, kale chips
Instructions
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat
Add the sliced onions to the pan, stirring until they become caramelized (around 12-15 minutes)
Add the garlic, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger to the onions. Make sure to stir because the garlic can stick and burn at the bottom of the pan
Add the chicken or vegetable broth to the pot
Add the pumpkin puree
Simmer for around 20 minutes
Turn off the stovetop and use an immersion blender to puree the soup. If you do not have a hand-held blender, you can remove the soup in batches and puree it in a regular blender
Add the cream of your choice (coconut cream or heavy cream) to your soup
I also like to add a little cayenne pepper for spice. This is where you can have fun with the recipe. You can add a little bit to tasting bowls. Add a different topping to each bowl and see which ones you like. Some prefer sweet a little cinnamon on top, others prefer spicy. You can even add roasted pumpkin seeds and place on top for garnish.
Enjoy!