Creamy Pumpkin Superfood Soup (vegan, gf, nf, df)
Dreaming of cozying up with a warm, comforting bowl of soup? This recipe is a winner for flavor and for health benefits! It’s pretty darn simple, too.
This recipe calls for winter squash (known to most as “pumpkin” – not the Halloween variety here). You want to look for acorn or kabocha winter varieties.
Pumpkin is also a huge source of vitamins (check out that color!), minerals, and fiber. For an added superfood benefit, Maca root powder takes this soup up a notch. Maca is being touted for its ability to support balanced hormones and provide a natural energy/endurance boost.
This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, and grain-free. It keeps well as leftovers or in the freezer for later.
Roasting the pumpkin is the preferred method of cooking as it tends to release the natural sweetness, but steaming is a great time-saving option.
Here’s the simple 4 serving recipe:
Ingredients:
1-2 Tbsp olive/coconut oil
1 small onion chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 bunch of fresh thyme (optional but adds lots of flavor)
1 small chili pepper (optional)
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
3 cups cooked pumpkin (steamed or roasted)
2 tsp Maca powder (optional)
1 tsp ground cinnamon (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
Instructions:
Heat oil in a large pot. Add in onion, garlic, & chili pepper and saute on medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Add in fresh thyme and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil.
Remove from heat & cool slightly to prepare for blending (you don’t want it steaming hot in the blender – that’s dangerous!).
In a blender, gradually add in pumpkin and broth, blending on low until smooth. Add maca powder and cinnamon, blend again.
To achieve desired consistency, add in water as needed, up to 1 cup.
Return blended soup to pot.
Heat on low until desired temperature for serving (a few minutes).
Top with ground black pepper and serve!
This is delicious paired with toasted bread and a salad of your choice. I love arugula/rocket with a squeeze of fresh lemon, salt & pepper, and olive oil. Or pair with superfood seeded crackers!
Store leftovers in glass jar in the fridge for up to 3 days or freezer for up to 1 month.
Enjoy!