Description
This Roasted Garlic Sage Pesto Pumpkin Soup is a comforting and flavorful fall recipe featuring roasted pumpkin pureed with fragrant herbs, creamy coconut milk, and a spicy kick of cayenne. Topped with a vibrant sage pesto and crispy chipotle-spiced pumpkin seeds, it’s perfect served in cozy pumpkin bowls for a stunning presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Soup Ingredients
- 1 large sugar or pie pumpkin, cut in half with seeds removed and reserved (plus 4 small ones if making pumpkin bowls)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 small shallots, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Sage Pesto
- 1 head garlic (cloves roasted) or 1 raw garlic clove as substitute
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup fresh sage
- 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (optional; substitute feta or parmesan if preferred)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Fried Pumpkin Seeds
- Reserved pumpkin seeds from the pumpkin
- 1 tablespoon coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
- Olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Roast Pumpkin and Garlic: Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut pumpkin in half or quarters and remove seeds (reserve seeds). Coat the pumpkin with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Chop top off garlic head and peel off excess skin, drizzle about 1 teaspoon olive oil on garlic cloves, cover with foil. Roast pumpkin and garlic on a baking sheet for 45 minutes, until pumpkin is tender and garlic is golden and soft. Cool for 5 minutes, then squeeze softened garlic from skin into a small bowl and mash.
- Puree Pumpkin: Remove pumpkin flesh and add to a food processor with 1 cup chicken broth. Puree until smooth.
- Sauté Shallots and Herbs: In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter and sauté chopped shallots until soft, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and cook for 30 seconds.
- Cook Soup: Add pumpkin puree, remaining chicken broth, coconut milk, water, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, maple syrup, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes to meld flavors.
- Make Sage Pesto: In a food processor, pulse roasted garlic, parsley, sage, and pistachios until finely chopped. Stream olive oil while pulsing until combined. Add blue cheese and pulse again. Season with salt and pepper.
- Prepare Fried Pumpkin Seeds: Toss reserved pumpkin seeds with coconut milk and flour. Mix chipotle chili powder, pepper, and brown sugar in a small bowl. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry pumpkin seeds, stirring constantly until they brown and expand. Drain on paper towel and toss with chili powder mixture and salt. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Assemble Soup Bowls: Ladle the hot soup into bowls or roasted pumpkin bowls if using. Top each serving with a generous dollop of sage pesto, sprinkle of fried pumpkin seeds, and optional coconut milk drizzle.
- Make Roasted Pumpkin Soup Bowls (Optional): Remove tops from small pumpkins and scoop out seeds. Rub inside with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake at 400°F on a baking sheet for 20-30 minutes, until pumpkin is soft to the touch but holds shape.
Notes
- Adjust cayenne pepper to control soup spiciness.
- Use raw garlic in pesto if you prefer sharper garlic flavor.
- Substitute blue cheese with feta or parmesan if blue cheese is not preferred.
- Be careful when frying pumpkin seeds as they can burn quickly; stir constantly.
- For a vegan version, substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth and omit butter or use vegan butter.
- Pumpkin bowls add a festive touch but are optional.
- Stored in an airtight container, soup will keep in refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Pumpkin seeds can be stored separately in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Roasting, Sautéing, Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Keywords: roasted pumpkin soup, sage pesto, pumpkin seeds, fall soup, coconut milk soup, spicy pumpkin soup, creamy pumpkin soup
