Spicy pumpkin soup! with southwestern flavors of chipotle, cumin, oregano and served with pepitas, crema fresca and coriander.
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This year, on Halloween, in my typical do-it-at-the-last-minute approach, I set out to find a carved pumpkin mid-afternoon, only to find that all the local stores were completely sold out.
It wasn’t even orange, but a horribly un-Halloween gray color. My attempts to carve it were ridiculous. The meat was at least 3 inches thick.
I finally managed to carve something resembling a face but it was so pathetic I tossed the whole thing in the oven and baked at 350 for a couple of hours. (I think it’s almost impossible to overcook a pumpkin.)
Obviously, this pumpkin was meant to be eaten, not trick-or-treating.
What to do with 8 cups of cooked pumpkin?
Cook pumpkin soup, of course!
While we already have several pumpkin soup recipes on the site, we were missing one with a more Southwestern flair. I am amazed at how this soup turned out. It’s smoky and flavorful from the chipotle chilies, cumin and oregano.
With the pumpkin puree and broth alone, the soup is so creamy that no additional cream or milk is needed, although some crema fresca or sour cream is a comforting addition as a garnish to offset the chipotle’s heat.
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The addition of roasted, peeled pumpkin seeds, called pepitas in Mexican cuisine, will bring a smile to your face as you eat the soup. Their crispness contrasts cheerfully with the smoothness of the soup.
Chipotle Squash Soup
If chipotle doses are not available in Adobo, you can use chipotle powder, starting with a teaspoon and increasing to taste. If chipotle powder isn’t available, use 1/2 teaspoon regular chili powder, to taste, and a pinch of liquid smoke.
Note that fresh squashes vary in their moisture content, so you may need to add more liquid, either water or stock, to achieve the consistency you want, depending on how thick or thin you want your soup.
ingredients
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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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1 medium yellow onion, chopped
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3 garlic cloves, chopped
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1 teaspoon ground cumin
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1-2 chipotle peppers (canned in Adobo, 1 for mild, 2 for hot), chopped
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8 cups chopped, cooked squash* (1 7-8 pounds of cooked squash makes 8 cups of cooked squash or 3 15-ounce cans of canned mashed squash)
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4 to 6 cups chicken broth, depending on how thick you want it and how thick your pumpkin puree is (use vegetable broth for vegetarian or vegan options, may submerge some of the broth)
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1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
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2 teaspoons salt, more to taste
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2 tablespoons lime juice
- Garnishes:
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Roasted, peeled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
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coriander
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Dilute crème fresca, crème fraîche or sour cream with a little water to make it runny
- *To prepare fresh squash, use a well-cooked squash (e.g. sugar squash, fairy squash, Hubbard or kabocha squash), cut the seeds in half and place the squash cut-side down on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet . Bake at 350°F for about an hour or until tender. Scoop out the flesh of the squash or cut off the skin. Let cool down. Freeze for long-term storage.
method
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Sauté onions, garlic, cumin, chipotle:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan (8 litres) over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, cumin and chipotle and cook 1 more minute.
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Add pumpkin, broth, oregano, salt, then simmer:
Add the squash, chicken broth, oregano, and salt. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.
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Roast pumpkin seeds:
If you’re working with raw pumpkin seeds, now would be a good time to toast them. (If your pumpkin seeds are already toasted, skip this step.) Simply spread them out in an even layer in a skillet over medium-high heat. While roasting, stir with a wooden spoon until the pumpkin seeds are fragrant and lightly browned. Put in a bowl.
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Puree soup:
Take the soup off the stove. Working in batches of 2 cups at a time, puree the soup in batches, holding the lid of your blender while pureeing and starting on a slow speed. Pour the pureed soup back into the pot.
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Add lime juice and more spices:
Add lime juice. Adjust the seasonings to taste, adding more salt, cumin, oregano, or chipotle to taste. If soup is too thick, add more broth or water to desired consistency.
Serve with roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), crema fresca and chopped coriander.
