What Is Smoked Paprika?
Like chipotle, smoked paprika can add a delightful smoky dimension to food. It’s make from peppers that have been dried, smoked over a wood fire, and ground into a powder. It’s not spicy, but adds a smoky depth to any recipe in which its used. Smoked paprika is perfect with this rich and creamy pumpkin soup. This spice has gained popularity in recent years, so you should be able to find it in the spice aisle of most grocery stores or online.
Whole Pumpkin or Canned Pumpkin?
This soup can be made with either a whole pumpkin that you prepare yourself or with canned pumpkin. Don’t be intimidated by roasting your own pumpkin! It’s easy and the flavor is more interesting than canned pumpkin purée. Look for sugar pumpkins or Japanese kabocha pumpkins to roast. The kind of pumpkins sold at most grocery stores for carving into jack o’lanterns are not meant for cooking, so read the labels carefully. To roast it, all you have to do is cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds (which you can turn into a tasty snack), and then roast the halves until they’re soft all the way through. Scoop out the flesh from the skins and you’re ready to make soup.
How to Thin (or Thicken) Your Soup
After making this soup, if you’d like it to be a little thinner, just stir in some extra broth or water. Taste to check the seasonings again, and add more salt if needed. On the other hand, if you’d like a thicker soup, you can either add more pumpkin purée if you have it, or add a cup of two of puréed cooked white beans. You can also add a few slices of fresh bread, let them soak in the broth, and then purée them into the soup. Again, check the seasonings before serving.
Can This Pumpkin Soup Be Made Ahead?
This soup can be made the day before serving. Reheat gently over low heat until steaming. Pumpkin soup also makes great leftovers and can be kept refrigerated for about a week.
Can This Soup Be Frozen?
Want to make a big batch for the freezer? This pumpkin soup freezes beautifully, even with the milk and cream. Just transfer it to freezer containers (or use freezer bags, like this), and freeze for up to three months. To reheat, you can either let it thaw in the fridge over night or pop the frozen soup right into a sauce pan. Either way, reheat over low heat until steaming. If it seems to separate, just purée it again in the blender until smooth.
What to Serve With Pumpkin Soup
Serve this soup with crusty garlic bread or soft garlic knots on the side. If you’d like some more greens with your meals, a hearty salad like this Kale Caesar Salad would be terrific.
More Fall Soups With Winter Squash
Curried Squash and Pear Soup Pumpkin Chili Pressure Cooker Butternut Squash Soup Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup White Bean Soup with Ham, Pumpkin, and Chard
Cool, remove the peel, scoop out the flesh. You’ll need 6 cups roasted pumpkin for this recipe; freeze whatever you don’t use for future use. Add the garlic and cook a minute more. Add smoked paprika, ground cumin, and cayenne and stir for a minute more. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the apples are cooked through. If you want extra smooth soup, pass the purée through a food mill, after it’s been through the blender. Taste and add additional salt or other seasonings if needed. (Since I use unsalted homemade stock, I add about 2 teaspoons of salt to this soup.) This soup can be made a day ahead. Leftovers will keep refrigerated for about a week, or frozen for up to three months.
