As soon as autumn arrives, this Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Leek and Potato is a family favorite. Growing up in North America, when you say pumpkin, I don't automatically think of a savory pumpkin or squash soup. I automatically think of sweet pumpkin desserts, like Pumpkin Pie or Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese. When pumpkin season comes around, people go crazy for all types of pumpkin recipes!
Is Pumpkin Sweet or Savory?
Moving to Australia, it seems that they view pumpkin as more of a savory dish, not a sweet dish. Popular recipes here are Pumpkin Soup (an Aussie winter staple), savory Pumpkin Scones, savory Pumpkin and Vegetable pie. There is not a sweet pumpkin pie in site anywhere (except for at Costco). Australian Campbell's Soup even makes canned pumpkin soup you buy in the grocery store. Australians love their pumpkin soup! In my view, Americans consider pumpkin more of a sweet dish. There are no shortage of sweet pumpkin desserts! There is even a Pumpkin Pie milkshake!
So now I get to enjoy the best of both pumpkin worlds, savory and sweet. Pumpkin soup is also quite popular in the USA, especially around Thanksgiving. My wife, Rita, has been experimenting with her pumpkin soup recipe for over 20 years, and this delicious and easy recipe is the result. I just love the smooth and silky pumpkin puree and leek with a hint of spices, in a delicious chicken stock. You can make this recipe a vegetarian pumpkin soup, just use homemade Vegetable Stock.
How to Make Pumpkin Soup
The hardest part of making a creamy Pumpkin Soup is peeling the pumpkin. Be careful not to cut your fingers when slicing the skin away from the pumpkin. If you buy a 2kg pumpkin (about 4.5 pounds), by the time you peel and de-seed it, you should have the right amount for this recipe. You can use most pumpkins or squash, except for spaghetti squash.
Leek adds a gently onion-y flavor to the soup. If you don't have leek, you can substitute with an onion instead. The potato is thrown into this soup as a thickener. When you puree the soup, it adds a nice consistency. If you like it thicker, add an extra potato or two.
It's quicker to use store-bought stock, however, it's worth to take the time for the flavor and nutrients from homemade chicken stock. I find that making broth using an Instant Pot makes the most flavorful soup. Check out my Instant Pot Broth Recipe. Remember to plan ahead and make the stock the night before.
Like all my soup recipes, it's a full stock pot, I'm not going to go through all this work and not have any leftovers! But if it's too much Creamy Pumpkin Soup for you, feel free to half the recipe. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Leek and Potato
Ingredients
- 1 pumpkin or butternut squash about 1.5kg (3lbs) peeled and diced
- 1 large leek sliced
- 2 large potatoes peeled and diced
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable stock
- 3 ½ cups milk
- 4 tablespoons butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a stockpot, sauté sliced leek in butter. Once opaque, add cumin and stir throughout.
- Add the diced pumpkin and diced potato and mix with the leeks.
- Add the soup stock and milk to the pumpkin mixture and bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium/low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Pumpkin and potatoes must be soft enough for a fork to easily pierce.
- Remove soup from the heat and add nutmeg.
- Using a stick blender/immersion blender, blend the soup mix until desired consistency achieved.
- Taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a crusty loaf of bread.
©PetersFoodAdventures.com
