Waste Not, Want Not: Pumpkin Soup
"Waste not, want not"...this is a saying that my mom tried repeatedly to get across to me and my siblings when I was young. And even though I'm sure I secretly rolled my eyes at her then, I have to admit now that she was right (are you reading Mom? If so I hope those words made your day). Especially with the way the economy is these days it feels especially wise to make the most of what you have.
So when I mixed up a batch of Pumpkin Whoopie Pies over the weekend (more on that soon) and ended up with an extra half a can of pumpkin puree I decided that I just had to put it to good use. Queue my first ever batch of pumpkin soup (not actually the one in the photos...these snaps are from my second batch that I made last night). The end results were both savory and a little bit sweet...yummy! I do have to admit to feeling a tad bit shy about sharing my recipe, for fear that my taste buds are horribly askew and you all find it utterly revolting (okay, you probably won't...but maybe you can understand my nerves just a tiny bit). Anyhow, with that disclaimer of sorts out of the way, I give you:
Here is a printable version of the recipe (download will begin immediately) or just follow along below:
Pumpkin Soup — Yields 4 small or 2 hearty servings
- ½ yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 stalks celery, finely chopped with leaves removed
- 4 medium carrots, sliced into thin medallions
- ½ large bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 fresh garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 2 cups veggie broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 bay leaf, whole
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
Add olive oil and 1 teaspoon of butter to a medium saucepan and heat on medium high heat. Stir in onion, celery, carrots, bell pepper and garlic and sauté until vegetables have softened, about 15 minutes. Stir regularly. Once vegetables are soft, mix in pumpkin puree, broth, water, bay leaf and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to light boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for around 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat. Remove and discard bay leaf.
Use a handheld immersion blender or countertop blender and blend until smooth, adding in 1 teaspoon of butter while blending. If you will be using a countertop blender, allow soup to cool to a reasonable temperature before blending. Once smooth return soup to pot and pour in heavy cream. Stir gently with a whisk until combined. Heat if necessary and serve with a swirl of cream and sprinkle of nutmeg.
Feel free to add in more or less of whatever you have on hand. Waste not, want not...and enjoy! xo Ez
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| by Ez Tuesday, September 27, 2011 
Reader Comments (21)
Looks verrry yummy!! I bet it tastes awesome too Ez! Will be making this for sure...
Beautiful pics too :)
You are always making me so happy with your blog posts!!!
I can't believe it's Fall already! This soup sounds so warming and cozy.
Please, no shyness, Ez! This sounds amazing and looks so, so beautiful! I'll definitely be trying this.
This recipe sounds delicious! I will definitely be giving a try soon. Perfect meal for a cool fall night! :)
Your kitchen must have smelled AMAZING!
This sounds great. I'll be making it next time I pick up a butternut squash (which, as you probably know, substitutes perfectly for pumpkin).
I just discovered your blog and am loving it. :)
Sounds Yum-o! Husband just bought two punkins to try some new recipes. I have two recipes that we LOVE using punkin puree or butternut squash as a substitute. Both are Rachel Ray : "Gingerbread Waffles" and "Penne with sausage and Pumpkin". You wont regret trying either one I promise you!!
I will start by saying that your recipe sound delish!
However, I thought I had misread this post- canned pumpkin puree?!? Wow, that is something that doesn't exist in Australia. It never fails to amaze me how Americans can pervert food. Whats wrong with cooking your own fresh pumpkin- it doesn't take very long, and you don't loose the nurtients or flavour in the process. Admittedly, I have seen tubes of avacado sold here in Aus, which is an equally preverse food product, so people in glass houses.....
That looks and sounds lovely!!
Nothing about this recipe gives me the impression that your taste buds are askew. This sounds scrumptious! I can't wait to try it out! xo, Jolie
I LOVE pumpkin soup. I usually add a dash of cinnamon to mine. You're getting me in the mood to make some!
Thanks for your sweet comments everyone! I hope you'll report back to me on your results and how you liked the recipe, if you end up making the soup. :-)
S - I can definitely understand where you are coming from. But I'm assuming that rather than taint the natural goodness of pumpkin, it is canned so that it can be enjoyed in recipes year round. Since it is such a seasonal food, not many would have the chance to enjoy it without that process. It seems much the same as canning fruits or berries during the summer so that they can be enjoyed in the colder months.
Making pumpkin soup from scratch with my mom is one of my greatest childhood memories. I was so amazed that a pumpkin would yield tasty seeds AND soup! It wasn't until I got older that I found out it was two different kinds of pumpkins ;)
This is such perfect timing as I have a pumpkin that is just longing to be eaten and I wanted a decent recipe!
Thanks so much!
Oooh this looks so very good! I am so excited for fall and all things pumpkin. Ez, you always have the best posts. Also, what is the font you used for "Pumpkin Soup" up there? So much eye candy all around. I am in the best mood now :)
Thanks so much Sara, Tra, and Amanda!
Amanda - the 'Pumpkin Soup' lettering is something that I make with my new calligraphy set. :-)
Wow. Delish!!
This looks so tasty and makes me look forward to autumn, definitely one to add to my 'must try' list!
This looks so good Ez! I will put this on my list of recipes to try this season. My favorite way to use up extra pumpkin is to put it into waffle or pancake batter. Yum!
This soup is delish!!! Just made it tonight (discovered on Pinterest and so glad I did)! I didn't have bell pepper or celery on hand, but I added canned corn for more texture - yummyyyy. Thanks for sharing!