Pumpkin Ginger Soup Recipe
Pumpkin Ginger Soup Recipe
Benefits of Pumpkin and Ginger
Hooray for pumpkins! This pumpkin ginger soup recipe not only warms the soul and fills the belly, it is loaded with benefits. According to Livestrong.com, raw pumpkin is nutritionally dense. It contains vitamin A, an antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage as you age. Vitamin A is essential for eye health because it helps you see at night. The vitamin A present in pumpkin can also keep your skin healthy and prevent dryness. Furthermore, vitamin A can naturally boost your immune system, making it key in year-round cold and flu protection, according to the University of Florida (IFAS Extension).
A.M.I. and Legion of Light say that Vitamin A /Beta Carotene, promotes growth and vitality. It maintains healthy functioning of the liver! Wow… all that, in pumpkin!
Ginger is an awesome ingredient of this wonderful soup as well. It promotes healthy digestion and adds a special zing to the warm taste of pumpkin.
Pumpkin Ginger Soup Recipe
This particular recipe has an interesting twist with ginger. You may choose to use a pumpkin spice if you like the traditional flavors, but since it is a savory dish, ginger just works. I like to roast my pumpkin in the oven before I put it in my soup for a couple of reasons. First of all, it gives it a nice crusty edge you can only get from roasting. Secondly, it can cook in your oven/toaster oven while you are doing other things. you can cook or sear it on the stove but then you would have to cut off the skin first. Cooking it in the oven is far easier.
Add cubed kohlrabi, carrots, any substitutions for root vegetables, with onions and garlic to your pot. Allow to cook until softened. Then add your vegetable or chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer a bit more and cool. At this point, add your baked pumpkin. Either transfer all ingredients to a blender (after cooled) or use an immersion blender. Either works great. The Pampered Chef blender works great for this as it can handle the heat. Be careful to not to blend in your blender while it is too hot! You can simmer all of the ingredients after you blend.
After you blend your onions, kohlrabi, broth and pumpkin, you may simmer on low for 10-15 min. Allow to cool slightly. And milk. Warm gently. I would wait to add the milk or cream until the very end. You do not want to heat the milk up to a full boil. The soup is best when creamy and, heating it could make it curdle. Add ginger and lemon. I love to roast the seeds and use it as garnish!
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Stay tuned for my recipe on chicken or beef bone broth. It is coming soon! If I do not have time to make my own broth, I sometimes like to add a teaspoon of the organic version of Better than Bouillon.
Equipment used:
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Canned pumpkin (if not using fresh)
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This particular recipe has an interesting twist with ginger. You may choose to use a pumpkin spice if you like the traditional flavors, but since it is a savory dish, ginger just works.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp of olive oil
1-2 Tbsp of butter
1 large onion
1 clove fresh garlic (optional)
1-1/2 lbs of pumpkin or 1-2 small pie pumpkins (substitution; 1-1/2 cans of pumpkin)
1 -2 kohlrabi, peeled and cubed (can substitute 1/2 head cauliflower or 3 medium sized potatoes)
2-3 carrots
3 c of vegetable or chicken broth
2-1/2 c of milk or cream
1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1" knob of ginger, shredded
Sea salt to taste
Instructions
1. Cut pumpkins in half and place upside down on a baking pan. Bake for 45 min until mostly soft. It will still cook a little in the soup, so it's ok if you aren't sure if it is cooked enough. Allow to cool.
2. Warm a pot to medium high. Saute onion and kohlrabi (or substitutes ), carrot and minced garlic in butter and olive oil until all vegetable are tender.
3. Scoop out pumpkin from baked pan and add to pot along with the vegetables and vegetable or chicken stock.
4. At this point, you can use an immersion blender or place all ingredients in a regular blender.
5. After you blend your onions, kohlrabi, broth and pumpkin, bring to boil, allow to simmer on low for about 10-15 min.
6. Add shredded ginger on the last few minutes of simmering.
7. Allow to cool and add milk. Warm gently and add lemon and seasonings as needed.
Prep time: 30
Cook time: 60
Total time: 90
Servings: 4
Serving size: 2 cups
Meal type: Lunch, Dinner, Sidedish, Appetizer
Special Equipment needed: Blender, oven, pot