Coconut, pumpkin and kumara soup
"My love for pumpkin soup started at my mother’s house where pumpkin soup, cheesy bread and sour cream was a favourite winter dish. I love cooking a big batch for the family, freezing it and eating it for lunch or dinner. This is a light creamy pumpkin soup recipe with all the best bits of the classic and contemporary recipes."
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
- 1 small onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 pumpkin
- 1 peeled kumara
- 1 peeled potato
- 2 rashers of streaky bacon
- 1 small knob of butter
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 400ml tin of coconut cream
- Oil
- Salt and pepper
Cookware: Oven tray, large saucepan or stock pot, stick blender or food processor
Method
- Heat oven to 180°C.
- Roughly chop vegetables and bacon into small cubes.
- Place pumpkin and kūmara onto an ovenproof dish in a single layer, cover with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for half an hour.
- Remove pumpkin from oven and cool slightly on bench.
- Melt butter with curry powder in the bottom of a sauce pan, add sliced onion and garlic and brown onion mixture until soft.
- Add bacon and cook for a minute.
- Put the rest of the vegetables in the saucepan and cook for another minute.
- Add chicken stock, bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer until all vegetables are soft enough to puree.
- Use a blender stick to puree the soup as best you can, thin with coconut cream. Season to taste.
Serving suggestion
Serve with a dollop of sour cream and cheesy toast soldiers.
Recipe notes
Pumpkin – Pumpkin soup is best made with good, old fashioned varieties like butternut pumpkins, crown pumpkins or buttercup squash. However, any pumpkin you have available should work – the taste of your pumpkin puree will just be slightly different.
Roasting - Roasting the pumpkin and sweet potato adds great flavour, but you can also add chopped pumpkin straight to the pot with the stock and cook until soft.
Coconut cream – If you don’t have any coconut cream on hand, you can substitute it for coconut milk (from a can, not a bottle). The consistency of the soup will be thinner.
Spice – For extra flavour and heat, try adding in a dash of extra curry powder, some finely sliced red chilli or a few chilli flakes. You could also try our Thai pumpkin soup for a slight variation on the traditional pumpkin soup theme – this version uses thai red curry paste for an extra kick.
Garnishes and sides – Before roasting, scoop the pumpkin seeds out from the pumpkin and spread out on a separate baking tray. Toss with a tablespoon of curry paste or curry powder and roast for 10 minutes. Sprinkle a few seeds over your soup for a crispy topping.
For a great accompanying dish, we love this Tomato and Fresh Herb Focaccia or Alice Ardnell’s Basic Bread recipe. Of course, if you are pushed for time, a New World bakery bread is another delicious option.
FAQ
What cut of pumpkin is best for Coconut Pumpkin Soup?
See Recipe Notes – Pumpkin above.
How long does Thai pumpkin soup last?
Like most soups, this is even better made the day before. Just reheat before serving. It is best consumed within 5 days if stored in the refrigerator.
Can I serve this recipe to vegans?
Yes! To make it vegan friendly, ensure that you use vegetable stock rather than chicken stock and exclude bacon.
Can I coconut cream for coconut milk?
Yes. See Recipe Notes – Coconut Cream above.