It’s gourd season! Squash, including pumpkins, are ripe and ready for harvest season. Plus, when the weather turns cold here in Portland, my body craves the warming, nourishing goodness of soup.
This year, I’ve been working to remove all processed and added sugar from my diet. While I certainly miss the sweetness of pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread, pumpkin also makes a delicious, savory soup—no sweetener needed!
Pumpkin is also high in fiber, a nutritional benefit for the colder seasons when digestion can slow down. Add fortifying and immune boosting herbs like clove, oregano, and thyme, and you’ve got a satiating pumpkin soup that packs a nutritious punch.
Herbed Pumpkin Soup Recipe
Ingredients
(You can use fresh or dried herbs. Double the amount if using fresh. Always choose certified organic when available.)
- Dried oregano Origanum vulgare: 1 tablespoon
- Dried clove Syzygium aromaticum powder: ½ tablespoon
- Black pepper Piper nigrum: ½ tablespoon
- Dried thyme Thymus vulgaris: ½ tablespoon
- Butter: 4 tablespoons
- Chicken bouillon: 1
- Medium yellow onion: 1
- Medium pumpkin: 2
- Porcini mushroom stock: 4 cups
- Sour cream: 1 cup
- Sea salt to taste
Directions
- Peel and cut pumpkins into cubes. Save the seeds for roasting. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan on medium heat, sauté butter and chopped onion until tender.
- Add mushroom stock, pumpkin, and bouillon. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, allow to simmer halfway covered on medium heat for 20 minutes or until pumpkin is tender.
- Remove from heat and blend using an immersion blender or food processor. (Be careful to not splash yourself—the soup will be HOT!)
- Stir in herbs and spices.
- Let cool for 15 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in sour cream, adding a little bit at a time.
- Add salt to taste.
Mix it up! A few tips:
Roast your pumpkin seeds and sprinkle on top for a yummy, healthy garnish. Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc, which helps support a healthy immune system, and other essential minerals, so you won’t want to leave them out.
If you like a really creamy soup, you can try substituting the sour cream with cream cheese.
You can easily make this a vegan pumpkin soup by simply skipping the bouillon and sour cream, and substituting the butter with extra virgin olive oil. Reduce a little longer to retain a creamy thickness.
You can even play with the flavor by swapping one of the pumpkins for a butternut squash to create a squash medley! Soups can be personalized and perfected to your taste, so don’t be afraid to experiment.
This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent disease. This article has not been reviewed by the FDA. Always consult with your primary care physician or naturopathic doctor before making any significant changes to your health and wellness routine.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a Communications Specialist for American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS), the Institution that publishes this blog. However, all opinions are my own. This blog may contain affiliate links. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Editors Note: This blog post was originally published in November 2015 and has been updated for accuracy. (October 2017)
