gluten free

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup

An easy weeknight dinner recipe for creamy pumpkin soup, where the slow cooker does most of the work. This pumpkin soup is healthy, vegan and gluten free. Stove top version included.

I first made this recipe of pumpkin soup for a styling project. Before that, I had never used pumpkin in a soup. I had made sweet breads out of pumpkin- check out the vegan pumpkin bread recipe in the blog archives. I had also made kaddu/pumpkin halwa, pumpkin donut muffins, pumpkin pasta and pumpkin swirl cheesecake. But pumpkin soup. Nope. Never. And then I made it for the styling project. And then I made it again. And again. And again.

You guessed it. This soup is a staple in the house now. I made it once when we had people over- and everyone loved it. I also made it for my father-in-law when he was visiting and he too loved it and commented that he never knew a soup out of pumpkin could taste this good. And why not- its creamy thanks to the pumpkin and cashews, the flavors are plenty- the sesame oil drizzle is Ah-mazing! And you do not feel that guilty when you go for seconds of this pumpkin soup.

Pumpkin is considered a nutrient dense food, and is low in calories and is being packed with nutrients. Pumpkin is a good source of potassium, vitamin C and E, fiber and antioxidants, which have been linked to heart health benefits. Its nutrients and antioxidants may boost your immune system, protect your eyesight, lower your risk of certain cancers and promote heart and skin health. source here

Pumpkin, once sliced and cut, can be easily roasted, puréed into soup or baked into pies. You can use the seeds too– and they are highly nutritious.

I have made the pumpkin soup in a slow cooker, and on the stove top by roasting the pumpkins first to maximize flavor. I think both of the ways work, and its just a matter of convenience and available equipments. I am listing all the different methods, along with the variations that you can use. See what works for you with what you have at the moment. Either ways save this recipe to try later.

I have used the yellow pumpkin/kaddu that is available easily locally in India, any eating pumpkin would do, so would butternut squash.

In case you get to try this easy pumpkin soup recipe, do tag me with your pictures on instagram, facebook or comment here.

Stay safe, stay home, stay healthy.

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup

Recipe Type: Dinner, Soup

Author: Shumaila

Serves: serves 6-8

An easy weeknight dinner recipe for creamy pumpkin soup, where the slow cooker does most of the work. This pumpkin soup is healthy, vegan and gluten free. Stove top version included.

Ingredients

800 grams pumpkin, skin peeled, seeds removed and cubed (for stove top version cut the pumpkin in half, remove seeds and follow steps for stove top version)
600 ml stock (use vegetable or chicken stock as per your preference)
1 tsp garlic powder
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp onion flakes
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 cup cashews
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup coconut milk
1-2 tbsp sesame oil

Instructions

Peel the skin off the pumpkin and remove the seeds. You can clean the seeds, roast them and eat them too.
Chop the peeled pumpkin into rough chunks, add to the crockpot.
Pour in the stock, garlic, cashews, turmeric powder, onion flakes, garlic powder nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Let cook on low for 6 hours. Allow to cool.
Using a food processor/mixer or stick blender, process until smooth.
Stir in the coconut milk and 1 tbsp sesame oil and heat again. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot topped with a drizzle of sesame oil and seeds.

Variations:

You can add bacon bits on top.
You can add 1-2 tbsp of chopped sage in the soup.
A dollop of goat cheese as a topping goes really well with the soup.

Stove top version:

Heat the oven to 400°F/200 C.
Cut the pumpkin in half. Scoop out the seeds and place on a sheet. Bake for 1 to 1.5 hours. You might need to cover the top with a foil in case the top is burning.
When the pumpkin is cooked and cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop out the flesh..
In a large sauce pan or dutch oven, add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil and heat on medium heat. Add 1 finely chopped onion and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook another minute.
Add the pumpkin and stock to the pot, along with
Add pumpkin and broth to the pot, along with turmeric powder, cashews, grated nutmeg, sage (if using) salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered for about 15 minutes.
Blend in a blender or immersion blender and blend the soup until smooth.
Stir in the coconut milk and 1 tbsp sesame oil and heat again. If too thick, add little water. Taste and adjust seasoning.Serve hot topped with a drizzle of sesame oil and seeds.

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