Pumpkin Soup with Mushrooms

Adding winter squashes to our menu is a great idea. No, I don’t mean sweet desserts, which we enjoy around Thanksgiving. Pumpkin pie anyone? Yes, with lots of whipped cream, please:).

No, I’m thinking about making delicious roasted/baked pumpkin soup today. Although my version doesn’t include any sweet components, the soup is still tasty and comforting. Try it, you’ll love it as much as I do. With homemade croutons and buttery sauteed mushrooms it’s a hearty meal. I also had leftover pork ribs which I cut into little bits and offered just in case someone would want an extra flavor kick. 

Don’t skip croutons. Creamy soups are great, but adding crunchy texture is a perfect combination.  

Ingredients / 4-6 servings

1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter
1 4-pound pie pumpkin
1 large onion, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, pressed
Salt and Pepper, nutmeg
6-8 medium mushrooms, sliced
4 cups any kind of broth, I used my homemade turkey
¼ – ⅓ cup heavy cream
Pork bits, optional

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Halve the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. I roasted the seeds immediately for a quick yummy and healthy snack!

• Slice each pumpkin half into quarters. Brush 1 tbsp oil over the pumpkin’s flesh and place it cut-side down onto the baking sheet. Roast/bake for 35 minutes or longer, until the flesh is easily pierced with a knife. Set it aside to cool down.

• Meanwhile, saute onion and garlic using 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter. It’s all about stirring. Don’t burn the onion. It must be just translucent. It’ll take about 10 minutes to finish. Add some salt and pepper during the process.

• Scrape the pumpkin’s flesh into the pot with onion. Add the broth and cook on low for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle some nutmeg, if you desire.

• While the soup is simmering, sauté the mushrooms using the rest of the butter or even more:). You want them to be nicely brown and flavorful, so keep stirring and don’t add any salt at the beginning. Salt draws out moisture from ingredients. If you’re drawing out moisture from your mushrooms, you’re ultimately going to steam them. We don’t want it to happen.

• Add cream and taste the soup. Adjust salt and pepper. The finale includes an immersion blender, or stand blender if you want the creamiest result. Serve every portion of the soup with mushrooms, croutons and extra proteins like cooked pork or bacon for example.

Delicious Croutons Recipe

Ingredients:

3-4 cups cubed bread
5 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried sage
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp salt

• Mix butter, Parmesan cheese, sage, thyme, garlic powder, and salt together and add to the bread cubes. Using a wooden spatula, turn everything to coat the bread. Spread coated bread cubes onto a baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit in a preheated oven until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Make the croutons in advance if necessary, but cool them completely before storing in an airtight container.