It’s autumn and pumpkin season and what better to do than make soup! Except for roasting, curries, mac and “cheese” and the list can go on and on actually. Pumpkin really is very versatile and I must say frankly delicious. I sort of forget that in the summer and am pleasantly surprised every autumn.

Anywho! Here comes a pretty simple recipe for roasted pumpkin soup. Probably the easiest way to make pumpkin soup as you roast the pumpkin without peeling it. This definitely saves a lot of time, if you haven’t tried this method you’re in for a treat.

What is probably the most genius thing in this recipe though is the crispy breadcrumb topping. I cannot take any credit for this idea as I saw it in some Italian recipes and couldn’t wait to share it with you after trying it. It’s such a great way to use up stale bread and reinvent them as an enhancer of pretty much anything you sprinkle them over. In this recipe I flavour them with rosemary and garlic but sage would be lovely too. Feel free to freestyle with whatever herbs you have got on hand.

Enjoy!

Malin x

Roasted Pumpkin Soup witch Crispy Rosemary Breadcrumbs

Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS:

1,25 kg pumpkin, hokkaido or butternut squash

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and black pepper, to taste

A pinch of aleppo pepper or red chili flakes

1 large brown onion

5 garlic cloves

1 vegetable stock cube

A pinch of ground nutmeg

3 cups water

0,25 cup vegan cooking cream for topping, optional

Bread crumb topping:

1 sprig of fresh rosemary or 4-5 fresh sage leaves

1 tbsp vegan butter or olive oil

1 garlic clove

0,75 cup fresh bread crumbs, gluten free if required

Salt and black pepper, to taste

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C.

Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds using a spoon. Place the two pumpkin halves, cut side up, on a lined oven tray and drizzle with half a tablespoon of olive oil each. Spread the oil over the cut side using your hands to coat the flesh evenly. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper as well as pepper flakes.

Turn the pumpkin over so that the cut side faces down and roast in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the flesh is soft and slightly browned.

While the pumpkin roasts chop the onion as well as peel and slice the garlic. Sauté the two in a little oil over medium low heat until softened and translucent. Remove from the heat and transfer the onion and garlic into the jug of a high speed blender*.

Once the pumpkin is softened remove it from the oven and use a spoon to scoop out the soft flesh and transfer into the blender jug as well. Also add the water and stock cube to the blender jug and season with salt and black pepper.

Blend the soup on high until silky smooth making sure to leave a little gap in the lid while doing so. If you don’t leave a lid there is a risk that the soup will “explode” as the heat is trapped in the blender. Once smooth transfer to a pot and heat over medium heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.

While the soup heats up make the breadcrumb topping. Firstly remove the rosemary leaves from the sprig and chop them finely. Melt the vegan butter in a skillet over medium heat and sauté rosemary for a couple of minutes, until fragrant. Peel an press the garlic clove into the pan with the rosemary and sauté for another minute, until fragrant. Toss in the breadcrumbs and season with salt and black pepper, mix well. Then let them toast in the pan until nice and crispy, this will only take a couple of minutes, making sure to move them around as they toast.

Serve the soup in deep bowls and drizzle in some vegan cooking cream if you wish. Top with the crispy breadcrumbs and if you have some fresh rosemary left you can decorate with some of the leaves off a sprig if you wish.

*If you don’t have a high speed blender you can use an immersion blender. Simply sauté the onion and garlic in a large pot and then add the remaining soup ingredients to the same pot and blend with the stick blender.

breadcrumbs breadcrumb topping. autumn pumpkin roasted soup warmer warming winter