Happy happy Thursday! Are y'all excited the week is almost over? I know I am! Today, I am sharing another pumpkin recipe {because OBVIOUSLY I don't already have enough. nope.}, but this recipe is a dinner instead of dessert! I know the beloved pumpkin is most often seen in breads and muffins and lattes, but it actually works fantastically in soup and pasta sauces and all sorts of savory dishes. The recipe I'm sharing today was inspired by this amaaazing soup I found at my local H-E-B. I usually stay away from prepackaged foods, but this soup really intrigued me! I was looking at the ingredients and saw that it contained cinnamon, nutmeg, and some other spices usually reserved for sweets. It was only a couple of dollars so I told myself, well, might as well try it! Best. Decision. Ever. This stuff is amazing! A little sweet, a little savory, and with a creamy, dreamy finish. This is like autumn in a bowl!
Okay, so I know what you're thinking... "Valentina, seriously, stop putting pumpkin spice in ALL OF THE THINGS," but it's actually been a lot of fun! You never know what's going to taste considerably better with the addition of a little cinnamon. Aaaand now that I said that, all I can imagine is my dad totally cringing because he despises cinnamon. So if you're THAT kind of person, maybe don't add the spice to this recipe? Though, I'm telling you, you'd totally be missing out! Here is the deal: the soup itself, with slow-cooked veggies, savory vegetable broth, and cream, is pretty great all by itself, but the sweet kick of pumpkin spice is what really sets it apart and makes it amazing! Here is my challenge to you... make the soup like a regular person, but then add a little dash of spice on top before serving, and tell me what you think. You might be surprised at just how much you love it!
- 3cups fresh pumpkin, cubed
- 4 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 clove of garlic, smashed
- 1½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
- salt and pepper, as needed
- additional cream and pumpkin seeds, to serve
- In a big pot, heat the olive oil on medium for a couple of minutes.
- Add in the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and pumpkin cubes, and saute for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the onions and celery have softened, add in the vegetable broth, salt, pepper, and spice, and turn the heat down to low. Cover, and let the soup simmer for at least one hour, preferably longer.
- When the vegetables are all cooked through and soft, remove the lid and turn the heat to medium-high to allow some liquid to evaporate.The soup should be thick and not too watery!
- Let the soup cool slightly, then add in the milk and cream, and use an immersion blender to puree everything until smooth. Alternatively, you can puree the soup in a regular stand blender and add the milk and cream in there!
- If you want a smoother texture, I recommend using a strainer to get the pieces of vegetables out! I personally didn't mind the soup the way it was out of the blender.
- Ladle in individual bowls, top with a drizzle of cream and some pumpkin seeds, and serve immediately with bread!
Sharana @ Living The Sweet Life Blog says
There's no such thing as too many pumpkin recipes 🙂 LOVING this soup - yum!