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Roasted Garlic Sage Pesto Pumpkin Soup with Spicy Fried Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

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4.4 from 136 reviews

This Roasted Garlic Sage Pesto Pumpkin Soup with Spicy Fried Pumpkin Seeds is a comforting and flavorful fall dish. Roasting the pumpkin and garlic enhances their natural sweetness while the sage pesto adds a fresh herbal note. Topped with crispy, chipotle-spiced pumpkin seeds, this creamy soup combines savory, spicy, and slightly sweet flavors for a warming and satisfying meal.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Soup

  • 1 large sugar or pie pumpkin, cut in half with seeds removed and reserved (plus 4 small ones if making pumpkin bowls)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 small shallots, chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Sage Pesto

  • 1 head garlic (roasted; or substitute 1 clove raw garlic)
  • 1 cup fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup fresh sage
  • 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (or substitute feta or parmesan)
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

Fried Pumpkin Seeds

  • Reserved pumpkin seeds from the roasted pumpkin
  • 1 tbsp coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • Olive oil for frying

Instructions

  1. Roast Pumpkin and Garlic: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the pumpkin in half or into fourths and remove seeds, saving seeds for frying. Rub pumpkin flesh with 1 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Chop the top off the garlic head to expose cloves, peel excess skin, drizzle about 1 tsp olive oil over garlic, then cover with foil. Place pumpkin and garlic on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes, until pumpkin is fork-tender and garlic golden and soft. Remove and let cool 5 minutes. Squeeze roasted garlic cloves from skin into a bowl and mash with a fork.
  2. Prepare Pumpkin Puree: Add roasted pumpkin flesh into a food processor along with 1 cup chicken broth, blend until completely smooth. If you don’t have a processor, mash very well by hand.
  3. Sauté Shallots and Herbs: Heat a large pot over medium heat, add butter and chopped shallots. Sauté for about 5 minutes until soft. Add chopped thyme and cook an additional 30 seconds to release flavors.
  4. Simmer Soup: Pour pumpkin puree into the pot along with remaining 3 cups chicken broth, coconut milk, water, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, maple syrup, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir well and bring to a low simmer. Let simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes to blend flavors.
  5. Make Sage Pesto: In a food processor, combine roasted garlic, fresh parsley, fresh sage, and pistachios. Pulse until finely chopped. While pulsing, slowly drizzle in olive oil until combined. Add crumbled blue cheese and pepper, pulse a few more times to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Prepare Fried Pumpkin Seeds: Toss reserved pumpkin seeds with coconut milk and flour in a bowl until evenly coated. In a small bowl, mix chipotle chili powder, brown sugar, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add coated pumpkin seeds. Stir continuously until seeds expand and become browned, being careful not to burn. Remove seeds to paper towel to drain. Toss hot seeds with chili powder mixture and salt to taste. Adjust seasoning if needed.
  7. Assemble and Serve: Ladle soup into bowls or into roasted small pumpkin bowls if prepared. Top each serving with a dollop of sage pesto and a sprinkle of spicy fried pumpkin seeds. Optionally, drizzle a little coconut milk over the top. Serve immediately and enjoy warm.
  8. Optional Pumpkin Bowls: Remove tops of small pumpkins and scoop out seeds. Rub inside with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20-30 minutes until just soft to touch but still holding shape. Use these as edible soup vessels for an impressive presentation.

Notes

  • Adjust cayenne pepper and chili powder to control soup and seed spiciness.
  • Roasting the garlic whole softens its flavor and adds a caramelized sweetness.
  • Blue cheese adds tang to the pesto, but feta or parmesan are great alternatives.
  • Use fresh herbs for best flavor in the pesto.
  • Leftover fried pumpkin seeds make a great snack or salad topping.
  • The recipe can be adapted to vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth for chicken broth.
  • Make sure to stir the pumpkin seeds continuously while frying to avoid burning.
  • If you don’t want to make pumpkin bowls, regular soup bowls work perfectly.

Find it online: https://yummelle.com/roasted-garlic-sage-pesto-pumpkin-soup-with-spicy-fried-pumpkin-seeds-recipe/