Chipotle Pumpkin Soup with Pepita Garnish

Chipotle Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Pepitas blends roasted pumpkin and smokey chipotle for a delicious and satisfying winter meal.

Pumpkin soups are perfect for fall or any time of year. They are warm and comforting and easy to turn into vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free meals.

We love a southwest twist with our sweet pumpkin flavor. How about chipotle? It is one of my favorite spices - so smoky and flavorful. The chipotle flavor goes perfectly with the sweet creamy pumpkin flavor.

It is very easy to very the flavor of pumpkin soup. If you are not into chipotle, try my pumpkin recipe with roasted mushroom garnish right here on Everyday Southwest.

Roasted pepitas are another garnish that goes well with pumpkin soup.

Ingredients for Chipotle Pumpkin Soup with Pepita Garnish

• Pumpkins- smaller cooking pumpkins like sugar pumpkins give the best flavor. Larger pumpkins are delicious if you roast them to intensify the flavor and puree them well (the smaller ones can be steamed). Hard, Fall squashes are perfect for this recipe as well. Try butternut squash or kabocha.
• Garlic cloves- roast them along with your pumpkn.
• Olive oil - extra virgin olive oil is not necessary, I prefer a milder olive oil or even vegetable oil.
• White or yellow onion, not red onion
• Sage leaves- fresh is best but ground sage will do. Remember that ground sage is much stronger than fresh so add sparingly, if you use it.
• Cilantro- is optional. Not every one likes the flavor.
• Chipotle- Chipotle powder is used in this recipe. My sister prefers it but, I prefer using the Adobo sauce that comes in canned chipotle in adobo. It is less harsh and much better flavor. You can freeze the left over chipotles in adobo individually with a little of the sauce.
• Chicken stock- you can substitute with vegetable stock for a vegan or vegetarian soup.
• Sour cream for garnish
• Pepitas- toss with a little oil and roast them. Season with salt while they are hot.
• Salt and pepper of course.

This version of pumpkin soup makes a fabulous first course for your Thanksgiving meal, so if you don't have leftover Halloween pumpkins on your porch, I suggest you RUN out and get one and get this soup going - it is the best pumpkin soup I've ever eaten! Pumpkins are super healthy and are practically FREE right now - many grocery stores practically give them away after Halloween is over.

Chipotle Pumpkin Soup with Pepita Garnish for a Southwest Thanksgiving Soup

Donna Kelly

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Course Soup

Ingredients

  

• 2 pounds peeled pumpkin cut into large chunks
• 1 bulb garlic
• 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1 large onion diced
• 1 or 2 sage leaves diced
• 2 tablespoons minced cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chipotle chile powder
• 3 ups vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Toss pumpkin in 1 tablespoon of oil and spread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Cut top off of garlic bulb, place bulb in center of a square of aluminum foil and drizzle with a little olive oil. Wrap bulb up, sealing completely. Place wrapped bulb on baking sheet. Bake the pumpkin and garlic for one hour. Remove and let cool. Remove skin from pumpkin pieces.
• Saute the onion in a stockpot in remaining oil until translucent. Add in herbs and chipotle powder and cook another minute. Add in broth and roasted pumpkin. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the cooked bulb and add to pot. Simmer for 20 minutes or so, until slightly reduced.
• Blend with a stick blender or in batches in a blender. (NOTE: At this point, you can strain the soup for a more refined texture, but I like it rustic. Your choice!) Add sour cream, cayenne pepper sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Optional garnishes: pepitas, smoked paprika, sour cream swirl.

Other intriguing pumpkin soups:

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup, Framed Cooks