Spicy Thai Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin soup makes a nutritious and satisfying meal. It’s inexpensive to prepare and packed with flavour. This spicy Thai pumpkin soup is made extra special with the addition of red curry paste, aromatics and by finishing it off with fresh lime and a touch of coconut cream.

Some soups take hours of soaking and simmering ingredients to create their rich deep flavour but his one can be ready in just over half an hour if you take the shortcut of using prepared or purchased stock and Thai red curry paste. If you prefer to make those from scratch we have some tips on that too.

I love this for a winter’s lunch or easy supper with crusty bread rolls warm from the oven. It’s very versatile and can easily be dressed up for company or prepared in a hurry as a comfort food if you’re feeling a bit down or think you might be coming down with a cold.

While chicken soup is a more traditional choice when you are feeling a bit under the weather, pumpkin soup is an excellent alternative. Mum would make it for us to cure all kinds of ill’s and I’m sure that explains why I still find it so comforting today.

A bowl of basic pumpkin soup is always good but this spicy version takes it up a notch. Teaming the vegetables with a kick of chilli and garlic make this spicy Thai pumpkin soup a winner for flavour and it’s a great immunity booster too.

There’s a lot to love about pumpkin

Not only is pumpkin a versatile and delicious vegetable but it provides a good range of nutrients and other benefits as part of a balanced diet.

These are just a few reasons to consider adding more pumpkin to your diet.

1. It’s high in fibre which is linked to positive weight management, gut health and heart health
2. It includes 3 types of antioxidants; alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin. These help to protect the body’s cells from damage by free radicals
3. It contains beta-carotene which your body turns into an abundance of vitamin A. Vitamin A strengthens your immune system helping it fight infections, promotes healthy skin and it also supports eye health as we age.
4. It’s also packed with vitamin C further helping the immune system by increasing the production of white blood cells
5. And as a final bonus, it’s low in calories being comprised of up to 94% water depending on the variety you choose.

You’ll find a wide range of pumpkins that can be grown successfully in Australia and are available through our markets or grown from seed in your home garden. Most of these will work well in this soup, my regular choices are Kent (also called Japs), the Queensland Blue or even the Butternut which I believe is technically a squash but cuts and cooks like a pumpkin despite its unusual hourglass shape.

Spicy Thai Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Spicy Thai Pumpkin Soup

Yield: 6 cups

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

A spicy pumpkin soup bursting with flavour from the chilli, garlic and Thai curry aromatics

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Ingredients

• 1.25 kg pumpkin (around 1/3 of a medium pumpkin such as a Kent or Jap)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1-litre vegetable stock
• 3 fresh Kaffir lime leaves (optional)
• 2 Tablespoons Thai red curry paste

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan or stockpot on the stovetop.
2. Add the chopped onion and finely chopped or crushed garlic to the pan and fry off gently until softened.
3. Add the Thai red curry paste and allow to cook for around 2 minutes, this allows the aromatics to release their oils and flavours to meld together.
4. Now add the chopped pumpkin, 5-8 cm cubes will cook quickly and evenly but don't fuss getting them exactly right, they just need to be roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
5. Add the stock and the kaffir lime leaves if you are using them.
6. Cover and bring the pot to a gentle simmer and allow it to cook for around 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is very soft. You want to be able to mash it easily against the side of the pot.
7. Remove from heat and blend until smooth with a stick blender.
8. Serve hot. I like to dress it with a drizzle of coconut cream and a scattering of pumpkin seeds (pepitas) and fried shallots. Finely chopped green onions or coriander if you like it also work well.

Notes

• The soup is delicious made with a rich vegetable stock but we also enjoy it with a low sodium chicken stock. Whether you make your own or use a pre-made alternative to speed up the process the recipe will work well.

• Thai red curry paste is a mix of ... make your own or use a packaged alternative, there are some excellent options available.

• The kaffir lime leaves in the soup during cooking are optional. They do add to the flavour and aroma but if you don't have easy access to them you can easily leave them out. A squeeze of lime juice at serving time is a good alternative that will brighten the Thai spice flavours and really make them pop.

• If you don't have a stick blender you can blend it in a food processor or blender. If you are doing that you'll need to allow it to cool first or it can explode giving a nasty burn. Just add the amount you want to serve back to the pan and heat it when you are done.

• This recipe keeps in the fridge for several days and can be frozen. Allow it to defrost in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop for best results but a microwave will work if that is what you have available.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1 cup
Amount Per ServingCalories 113Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 0mgSodium 590mgCarbohydrates 17gFiber 3gSugar 7gProtein 3g

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