- Prep time
- 15
- Cook time
- 35
- Skill level
- Low
- Serves
- 4
Of all the soups, pumpkin can often be the least exciting.
When I think about pumpkin soup, countless images of buffets past spring to mind, generic kettle warmers filled with bland, watered-down orange liquid masquerading as soup.
The problem with pumpkin soup is that it can taste and feel one-dimensional — on the one hand, it can be too runny and tasteless, while on the flipside, it can be overly thick and cloying.
With pumpkin soup, it's all about finding balance, that exact juncture where sweet falls in love with salty, and then dances with spice.
This recipe strives to achieve this exact balance. Butternut is my pumpkin of choice for soups (and salads) as they are naturally sweeter, with a fine grain, and possess a silky texture that's quite irresistible.
The pronounced sweetness of butternut also pairs perfectly with salty ingredients.
This butternut soup recipe seeks to quash the memory of all the insipid pumpkin soups you have ever encountered. The flavours are purposefully big and potent, with ginger, turmeric, coriander and Thai red curry paste.
I've also injected an extra touch of indulgence and creaminess with the addition of coconut milk.
Don't skip the roasted curry cashews as they add another layer of flavour and crunch — in fact, I encourage you to make a double or triple batch as you'll want to snack on these all day long.
To make this soup vegan, check the ingredients of the Thai red curry paste and choose one that doesn't include shrimp paste.
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Ingredients
Method
- 1.In a large pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil, add the shallots and saute on low heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for another 30-60 seconds. Add the red curry paste, along with the spices and cook, stirring for 1 minute or so, until everything smells fragrant.
- 2.Add the butternut pumpkin and stir to coat in the spices. Next, add the vegetable stock and increase the heat to medium. Allow to simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes, until the pumpkin is completely soft and falling apart. Check occasionally and lower the heat if needed. Stir in most of the coconut milk, reserving about 2 tablespoons to drizzle over the top for serving. Taste and season well with sea salt and black pepper.
- 3.While the soup is cooking, prepare your cashews. Preheat oven to 160°C and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Combine the cashews with the red curry paste, curry powder and coconut. Stir to combine, lay out on the baking sheet and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Roast for 15 minutes, until nuts are golden. Allow to cool completely.
- 4.Using a handheld stick blender, blender or food processor, puree the soup until very smooth. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the roasted cashews, coriander leaves, chopped spring onions and a drizzle of the reserved coconut milk. Serve immediately.
