Are your taste buds ready for something with incredible depth and rich flavor? Then you have to try this smoked pumpkin soup!
Using the flesh of smoke-roasted pumpkins is a great way to add great flavor to soup. This recipe is simple and delicious, and you’ll have leftovers the next day! Use our method for smoking pumpkins to get started. You will need a large pot or Dutch oven for this recipe.
You might be thinking, smoked pumpkin soup? Yes, I thought the same thing when my wife first suggested it. At the time, we were experimenting with smoking pumpkins and tried to find multiple ways to use them up. She developed this recipe and more. We were pretty surprised by how well it turned out. The smokiness was present, but not overpowering. It was enough to give it some body. Pumpkin soup is not something I’d normally rave about, but prepared this way, I can say that I’m a fan. Depending on our mood, we will top this soup with toasted pumpkin seeds, fresh herbs, cream, parmesan cheese, pomegranate seeds, steamed shrimp, or lump crab meat. Finally, be patient with the process. There are a few steps involved in making this soup, but the results are well worth it.
Smoked Pumpkin Soup Ingredients
- Chicken or vegetable stock
- Smoked pumpkin flesh
- Half and half
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Real maple syrup
- Salt and black pepper
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Herbs (fresh sage or basil)
- Parmesan (for garnish)
How to make it
- Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Bruise (rub together) four of the sage leaves to release essential oils.
- Add sage to the oil and cook for 30 seconds per side to infuse the oil.
- Remove the sage from the pot and discard.
- Reduce heat to medium.
- Add diced onion and cook for 3-5 minutes over medium heat, stirring often. The object is to sweat the onions, not brown them. Reduce heat as needed.
- Add garlic, and cook for 30 seconds or until it becomes fragrant.
- Next, the bulk of the ingredients to the pot: stock, smoked pumpkin flesh, maple syrup, salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes.
- Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add half and half and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the pot from heat and let the soup rest for 5-10 minutes.
Blending and Serving Smoked Pumpkin Soup
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Taste for salt content and adjust as needed.
- Serving: Scoop 2-3 ladles full of soup into a soup bowl. Top with a little olive oil, parmesan, and sage or basil leaves (micro-green of choice).
Storing Leftovers and Reheating
- Allow the smoked pumpkin soup cool completely. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Store soup toppings in a separate containers.
- Reheat on stovetop or microwave.
Smoked Pumpkin Soup Variations
- Vegan: Make a vegan version of this pumpkin soup. Use vegetable stock, a creamy vegan milk alternative (like coconut or cashew milk), and nutritional yeast instead of parmesan. The texture of the soup might not be the same, but it will certainly be delicious!
- Aromatic: Add 1/2 teaspoon curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon for a more aromatic soup.
More pumpkin recipes!
Smoked Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 4 cups smoked pumpkin flesh
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 sage leaves plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon real maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt use more if needed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper flakes optional
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan garnish
- Olive oil for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil in large pot of Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Bruise (rub together) 4 of the sage leaves to release the essential oils. Add them to the pot and cook for 30 seconds per side. This will infuse the oil with a mild sage flavor.Remove sage from the pot and discard. Reduce heat to medium.
- Add diced onion and cook for 3-5 minutes over medium heat, stirring often. The object is to sweat the onions not brown them, so reduce the heat if needed. Add garlic, and cook for an additional 35-45 seconds.
- Next, add stock, smoked pumpkin flesh, maple syrup, salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes to the pot. Let the mixture simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add half and half and and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let stand for 5-7 minutes or so. Use an immersion blender to smooth out the soup. Taste for salt content and add more if needed.
- To serve, place 2-3 ladles full of soup into a soup bowl. Top with a little olive oil, parmesan, and sage leaves (or a fresh herb or micro-green of choice).
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days after preparation.
- This recipe can be made vegan as well. Use vegetable stock, a creamy vegan milk alternative, and nutritional yeast instead of parmesan. The texture of the soup might not be the same, but it will certainly be delicious!
