The aroma of roasted pumpkins and sage smells like everything I love about Thanksgiving – warmth, comfort, family and friends. Totally optional, but I love using a hollowed out pumpkin as a bowl for a gorgeous presentation. I went pumpkin picking a few weeks ago and had so many sugar pumpkins, I knew I was going to use some as bowls. Wouldn’t this be beautiful on your Thanksgiving table! If you want to do this, look for small pumpkins, about 2-1/4 to 2-1/2 lbs, otherwise your bowls will hold too much soup. To make the bowls, I followed this method only I roasted them 15 minutes longer, it will depend on the size of your pumpkin. You can do this a day ahead, then heat in the oven before serving to keep your soup warm. I actually washed mine after using and they still look good.
Variations:
If you can’t find sugar or pumpkin pie pumpkins, you can use butternut squash or acorn squash. This soup can be made ahead and reheated when ready to serve.
IS PUMPKIN SOUP HEALTHY?
Pumpkin is high in vitamins A and C. It’s also a good source of fiber, which helps keep you full longer. Pumpkin is low in calories, with a half-cup serving having only 40 calories. This soup gets its creaminess from light sour cream or yogurt, not heavy cream, which keeps the calorie count down.
WHAT SHOULD I SERVE WITH PUMPKIN SOUP?
You could serve this pumpkin soup with bread, a salad, or half a Turkey Club. I recently had this as a starter to butternut squash risotto for dinner and it was perfect. Or, serve it on its own as a light lunch. The fiber in pumpkin will help fill you up; plus, adding Greek yogurt adds extra protein.
WHAT IS AN IMMERSION BLENDER?
An immersion blender is a handheld blender that is super convenient for pureeing soups. With an immersion blender, you don’t have to transfer the soup from the stove into another appliance to blend it. I use this Cuisinart immersion blender (affil link), which I love. If you don’t have an immersion blender, no worries – you can still make this pumpkin soup! Just transfer the soup in small batches into a blender and blend until smooth.
More Soup Recipes You Might Enjoy:
Lentil Soup Cream of Broccoli Soup Potato Leek Soup Carrot Ginger Soup Creamy Vegetable Soup
