Pumpkin Soup – Easy and Delicious

Yummy Pumpkin Soup

I’ve been making and enjoying this pumpkin soup for years.  It is such an easy and quick recipe to make that you can make it Thanksgiving Day to serve as a starter…or make it any day to enjoy a nice, warm winter soup.  While I’ve been making the soup for years there are only 2 people in the family who enjoy the soup.

My daughter, who is vegetarian, came home from college this week for Thanksgiving break.  When she’s home she doesn’t want to eat pasta, which her is mainstay at the school’s cafeteria, she wants something much more interesting to eat.  She is a good cook herself and can easily make nutritious vegetarian food but I enjoy cooking for her because it gives me a chance try interesting recipes and be creative.

Now on the other side of the family, my husband doesn’t like most food that is “orange” in color….except oranges, carrots, and cantaloupe.  I think what he really doesn’t like is all of the winter squash available this time of year.  Many years ago I learned not to make only a pumpkin pie for dessert on Thanksgiving Day…his pie of choice is chocolate pecan (although now we have Tiramisu for Thanksgiving dessert which everyone likes).  I never make sweet potatoes for him to eat.  Instead I sneak sweet potatoes into the house and secretly bake them when he isn’t around, eating them for lunch or if he isn’t home for dinner.

The other night my husband wasn’t going to be home for dinner and I excitedly bought a sweet potato at the store for my dinner.  Just as the sun was going down I put the large sweet potato in the oven to slowly roast.  As the potato was showing nice browning of the skin and a few drops of caramelized sweetness starting to peak out of the skin the phone rang.  My husband asked if I had eaten dinner yet, his business meeting was canceled and he was on his way home.  He asked what was planned for dinner and I sheepishly told him roasted sweet potatoes.  Not excited about the evening menu he asked if there were any “regular” white potatoes to roast, and there were.  He decided instead of stopping for fast food dinner at home could be saved with the addition of a regular Idaho baking potato and a stop at the store to buy some meat.  He was glad there would be no orange food for him for dinner…and I have to say I was very glad he bought great rib eye steaks that he grilled.

Now, back to the soup.  As you can probably tell my daughter and I are the pumpkin soup eaters.  To my surprise, my husband took a spoon and sampled the soup….and liked it.  But given his track record on orange food I didn’t offer him a bowl and he didn’t protest not being offered any.  My daughter and I  been enjoying the soup especially since the weather has turned cold.

So here is the easy recipe.  Let me know how you enjoy it.

Pumpkin Soup

• 3 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock if making vegetarian
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1  15 ounce can of pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or can substitute chili powder or curry powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Plain Greek Style Yogurt or sour cream for garnish
• Salt and pepper to taste

Bring the stock to a boil in a heavy pan.  Stir in the half and half, bring liquid back to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.  Whisk in the pumpkin, honey, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, and nutmeg.  Simmer the soup until it thickens slightly, about 15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream.  Serve and enjoy.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  ENJOY!