Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds: Some for roasting some for toasting. I stole that joke from Waiting for Guffman.
In the movie, the line is: “Stools: Some for selling some for keeping.
I’m laughing just thinking about it. I think I’ll attach the video after the jump. I realize stools and Guffman having nothing to do with Roasted Pumpkin Soup. But hey, it’s my blog and you’re stuck with it.
Roasting. Toasting. Now that I stop to think about it, my joke is even funnier than Guffman’s. Tastier too. Selling. Keeping. It doesn’t even rhyme. Who wants to eat a stool anyway? Roasted Pumpkin Soup sounds way more delicious.
Roasting and toasting may rhyme in this Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe, but they’re entirely different cooking processes. The roasting refers to the pumpkin itself. The flesh is roasted in the oven before being pureed into a flavorful autumnal vegetarian broth. The toasting comes with the seeds. These are done on top of the stove. It’s a fun process and will make you feel very seasonal I promise.
I’m being very silly here. But this Roasted Pumpkin Soup is crazy delicious. Don’t let whatever feelings you have for or against Guffman (the movie) sway your opinion about this soup. Because Guffman may make it funny, but roasted and toasted pumpkin makes it one serious bowlful.
Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Come to think of it though, this recipe has more in common with Waiting for Guffman than I first thought. Just like Corky St. Clair, we bloggers take ourselves so damn seriously without any thought for how the outside world sees us. And I mean that in the most loving way. GREG
Kabocha Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Print This Recipe Yield 8Source Adapted from CIA GreystonePublishedThe soup may be made ahead up to one day. Store the completely cooled soup covered in the refrigerator. Gently reheat before serving.
Ingredients
- 1 kabocha pumpkin (or other orange flesh winter squash) about 4 ½ pounds
- 4 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt (plus more for seasoning, as needed)
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 cinnamon sticks (broken into large pieces)
- 2 star anise pods
- ¼ teaspoon anise seeds
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 (2‑inch piece) fresh ginger (roughly chopped)
- 2 medium yellow onions (peeled, halved and thinly sliced)
- 8 cup vegetable stock
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper (plus more for seasoning , as needed)
Directions
Place the oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut the pumpkin in half. Scrape out the seeds and fibers; set them aside. Rub the cut surface of the pumpkin with about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place it, cut side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast the pumpkin in the heated oven until very tender, and beginning to collapse upon itself; about 50 minutes. Set aside to cool somewhat.
Meanwhile, rinse the pumpkin seeds removing as much of the pulp and fibers as possible. Dry well between layers of paper towel. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pumpkin seeds; cook, stirring frequently, until seeds begin to brown and pop, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; cool and drain seeds on paper towels. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. This recipe makes more than you need as garnish for this recipe. The extra seeds may be covered and stored in the refrigerator up to seven days.
Tie the cinnamon sticks, star anise pods, anise seeds, crushed red pepper, bay leaves and ginger into a double layer of cheese cloth or other thin clean cotton cloth to make a sachet. Set aside.
In a large heavy bottomed or cast iron soup pot set over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the onion, and cook, stirring often, until translucent; about 5 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and sachet, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Scrape the cooled squash from the skins, adding it to the pot. Simmer, stirring occasionally 10 more minutes.
Remove the sachet from the soup and season it with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon white pepper. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until very smooth. Season with more salt and white pepper if needed. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Divide the soup into 8 soup bowls. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve immediately.
I was browsing your site to catching up missed posts, and so happy I found kabocha soup, Greg! We (Japanese) consider kabocha as pumpkin. Americans call it Kabocha squash, but the rest of world call Kabocha pumpkin or Japanese pumpkin I think. 🙂 I love kabocha so much and love your soup! I can easily have two bowls of this… 🙂
So comforting! And I love the spices in this soup, especially the very under-utilized star anise 🙂
Such a pretty color and I love the seeds on top.
I’ve been wanting to make a pumpkin soup…looks like I’ve found my recipe. Roasted pumpkin and toasted seeds.…sounds perfect, my friend!
This sounds perfect, I like a pumpkin soup with a little bit of heat to it.
I missed that movie when it came out and totally forgot about it. I should Netflix it — sounds like fun. Oh, and I know how ridiculous we bloggers appear to much of the world. 😉 Which is part of the fun. Anyway, great soup. I made a squash chowder last night for dinner (you’ll see it soon enough). I should try this, too. Thanks.
Only “bastard people” don’t like pumpkin soup!
I’m with Averie. I just learned that Kabocha is commonly called Japanese pumpkin. This would explain why it is one of my favorite squashes. 🙂 I always learn something new on your site. Thank you so much! Making this one.
Warm roasted pumpkin soup on a cold day sounds really good.. It has all the spices i love it 🙂 Glad to follow you
anything roasted & toasted has to be divine.
That looks absolutely delish!! Going to try this very soon…your food photography is superb 🙂
Love the color of that soup. Just gorgeous! I also really like the addition of the star anise. I’ve not seen Guffman before but I recognize that the actors are the same as Best in Show. It’s now a must see for me. Have a great evening!
Greg this is a beautiful soup. Want some now! (it’s chilly here in Toronto!)
Oohhh.…my favorite way to eat pumpkin.…in a soup!
Well, now I want to watch Waiting for Guffman again. 🙂 Somehow I haven’t yet eaten any pumpkin this fall–must fix that very soon!
Warm soup on a cold day, this one looks perfect. Funny clip:)
This SCREAMS fall, I love it !!!
Oh Greg, you always make me laugh! This soup looks lovely. Ginger and pumpkin are fabulous in a soup together and the toasted pumpkin seeds really make this look awesome!
Well I’ve never seen that movie but obviously I need to watch it so I can fully appreciate your reference. Preferably while curled up with a bowl of this soup!
The non-food related stuff is what makes your blog better than the average-it’s more than just a good recipe. It’s interesting.
Plus, every blog could benefit from a good stool joke.
I love that you put cinnamon and cayenne and red pepper flakes in it — nice warming spices for sure! I’ve always heard a Kabocha be called a ‘Kabocha Squash’ and never a ‘Kabocha Pumpkin’. Interesting! I love them — they’re one of my fave squashes. Or pumpkins! Pinned!
Of course all pumpkins are squash, but I always call kabocha ‘pumpkin’ rather than squash because when I first had it in a Japanese restaurant they called it Japanese pumpkin. GREG