Pumpkin soup with orange and roasted seeds is a genuine pumpkin soup. While pumpkin soups allow for many variations, such as adding carrot, tomato, red pepper, lentils etc, this recipe is made up of pumpkin and onion primarily. But this voluntary limitation in ingredients is more than compensated by extracting lots of flavor from these. We first oven-roast pumpkin and onions with a good splash of olive oil, until we see browned and even blackened parts. Then we simmer these in the presence of briefly in a (preferably) home-made vegetable broth. Also the seeds get a roasting treatment, turning these into a delicious crispy snack that we decorate the soup with.
The art of making pumpkin soup with orange and roasted seeds
The roasting of the pumpkin seeds is best done with seeds specially harvested to use in bread and soups. These dry seeds are briefly mixed with a sweet liquor (e.g. maple syrup or a honey/water mixture) and then roasted.
For the roasting of the pumpkin the pumpkin is peeled and the seeds removed and discarded. The slice in inch sized parts. Onions are also cut up in 1/2-1 inch size parts. Roast them on an oven tray with a large surface for exposure (single layer) sprinkled with olive oil.
You can compromise to use vegetable broth cubes to make the broth. But better take the extra time to make a good vegetable broth from fresh vegetables. It is rewarding! Or use a previously frozen vegetable broth.
The creamy soup, can handle cream to make it even softer, but often I use just a splash of milk just before serving. The creaminess of the soup allows for it. This will also allow for using oat- or soy- milk to be used, such as to keep dairy out of the dish.
You will surprise your guests with the rather fail safe recipe with a deep taste.
Special equipment
oven or grill oven
Pumpkin soup with orange and roasted seeds
Ingredients
Ingredients for the soup
- 2.7 lbs (1.2 kg) pumpkin
- 12 oz (350 g) onions
- 1 quart (1 L) vegetable broth
- 2 oz (56 g) olive oil
- 1 tsp grated orange peel
- 1 oz (2 tbsp) harissa sauce
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- splash of milk (can be replaced by oat or soy milk)
Ingredients for the roasted pumpkin seeds
- 2.7 oz (80 g) pumpkin seeds
- 1 tsp honey (alternatively use 2 tsp maple syrup and no water)
- 1 tsp water
- 1/4 tsp (asian) chili pepper slices
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
How to make the soup
- Peel the pumpkin and cut it in halves. remove the seeds with a spoon
- Cut the pumpkin fruit in 1 inch pieces. Roughly 2 lb 3 oz of pumpkin remains
- Set the oven temperature to 430 F (220 C)
- Peel the onions and cut them in 1 inch sized pieces
- Place the pumpkin pieces, the onion pieces and the olive oil in a large bowl. Add pepper and 3/4 tsp salt. Mix well
- Place all this on a baking/grill plate
- Put this in the oven and roast for 25 min, until fragrant and partially caramelized
- Remove the plate from the oven and let cool down a bit
- Pour the vegetable broth, the harissa, the grated orange peel, 1/2 tsp salt and some ground pepper in a pan. Add the roasted pumkin and onion pieces and heat on high fire until the boiling point. Then put on medium low and simmer for 5 more minutes
- Take the pan off the fire and let cool down a bit. Then use the immersion blender and make a very smooth soup
- I prefer to make this soup a day in advance
- When filling plates or bowls, add a splash of milk and cover with some of the the roasted pumpkin seeds (see below). You can also decorate with Vietnamese mint or coriander leaves.
Roasting the pumpkin seeds
- put the oven at 340 F (170 C)
- In a bowl, mix the honey/water or maple syrup with the pumpkin seeds, the salt and the chili slices using a fork or spoon
- Spread the mixture on a baking plate (you can use baking paper underneath)
- Place in the hot oven for 15 min and remove. the seeds should be colored brown and be fragrant, but not black
- Let the seeds cool down and when completely cooled, break them into individual seeds again. Store cool in a small bowl until use.
Notes
Food allergy & intolerance information: none
Remarks
- Try to take the effort to make your harissa sauce at home. Freezing it in small portions can be handy.
- After grating the orange peel, you can still enjoy the orange either press for juice or to eat. In other words, we use virtually the netire orange this way!
