Pumpkin soup is a healthy, creamy soup with a hint of tanginess. When we think of soup we think of chunks of vegetables and meat in a broth. This pumpkin soup has lots of creamed pumpkin and a bit of grated carrots topped off with sprinkles of feta cheese and caramelized bacon.
As with any recipe you can always substitute some ingredients to meet your dietary restrictions or to use up what you have in the pantry. I hope you enjoy this pumpkin soup!
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Ingredients:
4 pounds of cooked pumpkin puree
4 cups of chicken broth (You could also substitute beef broth or vegetable broth.)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, grated
3 tablespoons of butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Feta cheese (You could also substitute blue cheese or another cheese.)
Caramelized bacon
Cooking Directions:
Wash pumpkin extremely well with hot water. Cut open pumpkin and remove seeds. Save seeds for a later use. Cut pumpkin into medium size pieces. Place pieces in a large pot with a lid over medium high heat on the stove, or over an outdoor camp fire on a warm day, or inside the house on the woodstove on a cold day. Cook pumpkin until soft.
Remove cooked pumpkin and place on a cutting board. Use a knife to carefully remove the pumpkin rind leaving as much pumpkin as possible intact. Place cooked pumpkin inside of a large bowl or large pot and use a masher or hand held mixer to puree the pumpkin.
To the pumpkin puree add 4 cups chicken broth. You could also substitute beef broth or vegetable broth. Also add 2 cloves minced garlic, ½ an onion finely chopped, 1 grated carrot, 3 tablespoons butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and let the soup cook until all is soft and blended well.
Meanwhile, crumble feta cheese or blue cheese and place in a separate bowl.
Next, prepare caramelized bacon. To caramelize the bacon you will need: 1 pound bacon, 1¼ cups packed brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Lay bacon in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over bacon. Bake bacon at 400 F for about 15 minutes or until crispy. Let bacon cool and place on a cutting board and chop into small pieces. Place bacon in a separate bowl.
When pumpkin soup is ready, ladle the soup into a bowl and sprinkle with feta cheese and caramelized bacon. The pumpkin soup taste especially good with home baked bread!