Best pumpkin soup

By: Louise Fulton Keats
From: Something for Everyone
Serves: 4-6
Photographer: Ben Dearnley

This is my favourite pumpkin soup recipe – and I’ve made my fair share! When you’re a busy parent it’s a saviour to make a big batch and keep a couple of portions handy in the freezer. With some grilled cheese on toast and a big green salad, it’s a perfect dinner on a busy weeknight.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
1 tablespoon	olive oil
1	brown onion, chopped
2	garlic cloves, chopped
3	bacon rashers, rind removed and diced, (optional; see note)
1/2 teaspoon	ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon	nutmeg, freshly grated
1/2 teaspoon	ground coriander
1.2kg	pumpkin, peeled and roughly chopped
1 litre	reduced-salt chicken stock, (see note)
2 tablespoons	cream, plus extra to serve
2 tablespoons	chives, snipped, (optional), to garnish
or 2 tablespoons	coriander leaves, chopped, (optional), to garnish

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and bacon and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion has softened. Add the spices and cook gently for a further 1 minute.
Add the pumpkin and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and continue simmering for a further 10 minutes, or until the pumpkin is very tender.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow the soup to cool a little before transferring to a food processor (or you can use a stick blender) and process until smooth. Return the soup to the pan and stir through the cream. Stir the soup over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until warmed through.
Divide the soup among serving bowls and garnish with extra cream (or use plain yoghurt) and herbs, if liked.

Baby’s serve

For a younger baby, stir through a little rice cereal or some cooked quinoa to thicken the soup. You may also like to stir through a little yoghurt. An older baby might like to eat as per a younger baby or with toast fingers for dipping.

Toddler’s serve

Serve as is, with toast fingers for dipping and a short-handled spoon. As with baby’s serve, you may like to stir through some cooked quinoa to thicken.

Note

Processed meats, such as bacon, have been linked with a higher cancer risk, so I prefer to use them sparingly. I also use organic whenever available.

Note

When making soups for your children, always use a reduced-salt, preferably home-made, stock. Babies’ developing kidneys, in particular, can’t handle much salt and it can cause them to become dehydrated.