Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Pumpkin soup in the fall is something that never gets old. It's healthy, super creamy, and keeps you cozy. You can use various winter squashes to make this soup but our top two favorite types are sugar pumpkins and kabocha squash, with calabaza and butternut squashes as runner-ups. Some squashes will take longer than others to cook, so be sure to keep the simmer going until the squash is completely softened and fork-tender for the creamiest soup texture. We use a little heavy cream in our version for extra richness, but if you want to skip the dairy, you can totally sub coconut milk. If you want to make it vegetarian, a simple swap for vegetable broth will do the trick. We also keep the seasoning to a minimum in this recipe, but don't let us stop you from adding some of your favorite herbs and spices: pumpkin plays really well with both sweet spices and savory herbs.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 lb. pumpkin (any kind but preferably sugar pie)

4 c. low-sodium chicken broth

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c. heavy cream, plus more for garnish

Directions:

*In a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and cook until golden.

*Meanwhile, halve, peel, and scrape out seeds of the pumpkin. Cut into chunks.

*Add pumpkin chunks and broth to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, uncovered, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until pumpkin is fork-tender, about 30 minutes.

*Remove pot from heat and, using an immersion blender, blend mixture until smooth. (Alternatively, let soup cool, then blend in a blender.) Stir in cream and season to taste.

*To serve, ladle soup into bowls, add a swirl of cream, and garnish with pepper.