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And just like that, autumn is here and what could be better than a Curried Chickpea and Roasted Pumpkin Soup to warm the cockles. Certainly, not the classic pumpkin soup you may be used to, but if you’re up for putting a twist on a seasonal delight, this recipe is mighty big on flavour and still provides a dose of thick and creamy, pumpkin-ey deliciousness to give you those comforting autumnal fuzzies.
Hey Friends,
It’s been a fair few weeks since I posted a recipe on the site. I’m aware because my last recipe post was a Summertime Tomato Salad (emphasis on ‘summertime‘). And now, what seems like just a few weeks later (albeit closer to six weeks!), I’m back at it. But this time bringing you a cosy, warming, autumnal recipes like this Curried Chickpea and Roasted Pumpkin Soup. Seriously, where’s all that time go?!
I hope you’re all safe and well as we prepare for the final few months of what has been a super crazy year. If you had told me last October what we’d be facing in 2020, I’d never of believed you.
But, I’m genuinely grateful that there’s been one constant in my life… food. Not sure if that’s particularly healthy for me to say being on a weight loss journey, but hey ho, it’s true. Whether you’re like me and enjoy the whole process of chopping, cooking and eating, or you’re more like my husband who is just about the eating, there’s something we can both agree on – there’s something special about sitting down together for a meal.
And it’s meals like these. Ones that on the face of it are so delightfully simple, yet deliver so much colour and flavour that are the most satisfying.
Initially, I wanted to make a butternut squash soup, much like my Roasted Butternut & Carrot Soup with Tummy Soothing Spices, but I was set on making it with Indian spices – when I think about something to warm my tummy, there’s nothing quite like them. But, when I was in the grocery store, I saw an unusual looking pumpkin in the winter squash section that grabbed my attention, and the recipe took a pivot, and Curried Chickpea and Roasted Pumpkin Soup was born.
WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED TO MAKE CURRIED CHICKPEA AND ROASTED PUMPKIN SOUP?
To make this Curried Chickpea and Roasted Pumpkin Soup you will need:
- Chickpeas – from a can, drained and rinsed. Chickpeas deliver protein and fibre and when blended give the soup a remarkably silky smooth texture.
- Pumpkin – peeled and chopped into wedges, ready to roast. Roasting brings out the sweetness as well as making them soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.
- Mango – adds body and natural sweetness to the soup (trust me, it’s delicious!)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – a source of healthy fats.
- Salt – brings out the flavours of each of the individual ingredients.
- White Pepper – you could also use freshly ground black pepper, but I love the white pepper here as it is invisible in the golden soup.
- Mild Curry Powder – a wonderful ingredient that saves time and money by combining all the essential curry flavours for you. Just be sure to check the labels and avoid any mixes that include sugar, salt and anything else that is not a classic Indian spice.
- Ground Turmeric (optional) – curry powder will typically contain turmeric, but I like to add a little extra for a more earthy flavour and a vibrant golden yellow soup.
- Garlic Granules (or powder) – for a garlicky flavour injection without the need to peel and chop!
- Tomato Purée (paste) – added for its intense tomato flavour.
- Vegetable Stock – in this recipe vegetable stock is used for flavour absolutely, but also to thin it out. The chickpeas make the soup very thick.
- Coconut Milk – adds a rich creaminess to the soup. No coconut milk? No problem. Add more vegetable stock to the recipe instead (you’ll need an extra 400ml).
- Lime – adds acidity to balance the flavours of the dish.
- Eggs – soft boiled eggs add a luxurious richness to the soup. To make this roasted pumpkin soup vegan, omit the eggs.
WHAT TYPE OF PUMPKIN SHOULD I USE FOR ROASTED PUMPKIN SOUP?
Any pumpkins that are meant for eating and not carving are ideal for this recipe. The flesh of a pumpkin grown for eating is often tastier and less watery. Typically, the smaller the pumpkin, the sweeter the flesh. Butternut squash or any winter squash are delicious options if you can’t get hold of pumpkin. Although, at this time of year, they should start popping up in most grocery stores.
ROASTED PUMPKIN WEDGES
Before you go thinking this is a typical pumpkin soup recipe with a few Indian spices, it’s probably best to warn you that’s not entirely true. The pumpkin gets sliced into wedges, then is oven-roasted until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The wedges are then submerged until smothered in the delicately spiced golden soup. The combination of smooth chickpea soup and crispy roasted pumpkin wedges is divine.
HOW TO MAKE CURRIED CHICKPEA AND ROASTED PUMPKIN SOUP
Gather and prepare your ingredients. Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 and boil the kettle.
Spread the pumpkin wedges onto a baking tray (sheet) lined with baking paper (parchment) and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking.
After 30-35 minutes your pumpkin should be soft and tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Meanwhile, add the eggs to a small saucepan and carefully pour in the boiling water and boil the eggs for 6 minutes.
Drain the water and submerge the eggs into ice-cold water.
Next up, put the mango chunks into a blender and blitz until smooth.
Now add the chickpeas to the blender (no need to remove the mango) and blitz until the chickpeas are smooth.
In a large saucepan, heat the remaining extra virgin olive oil and add the curry powder and turmeric, stirring continuously for one minute until fragrant. Then, add the tomato purée (paste) and cook for a further one minute.
Empty the blended chickpeas and mango into the saucepan along with the coconut milk, garlic granules, half the vegetable stock and the remaining sea salt. Stir until well combined. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and let simmer. Just before serving squeeze in the lime juice.
For a silky smooth soup, blend for a minute or two. Peel the eggs and slice in half. Pour the soup into bowls, divide the pumpkin wedges equally and top with an egg halve. Serve and enjoy.
I’d love to know how your Curried Chickpea and Roasted Pumpkin Soup turns out. Please get in touch in the comments and let me know. I hope it becomes an autumn favourite for you like it has for me.
Are you tired of all the pumpkin soup recipes? Why not try this Homemade Tomato Soup with Basil instead?
MAKING THIS SOUP IN ADVANCE
When curry spices are present in a recipe, I often find their flavours intensify overnight, making leftovers of this soup taste even better the next day. However, the toppings don’t fare as well. Here are some tips for tackling any potential topping issues:
- Roasted Pumpkin Wedges: Keep the roasted pumpkin wedges separate from the soup if you plan to store the soup for leftovers. Then when it’s time to eat, pop the wedges on a baking tray and reheat in the oven to maintain the crispy exterior. If you store the pumpkin wedges in the soup, you will lose that roasted crispy exterior. It will still taste good, just not roasted, crispy good.
- Eggs: Freshly boiled eggs will provide the best texture, especially if you want a runny yolk. So, boil up a fresh batch as you’re reheating your soup.
Curried Chickpea and Roasted Pumpkin Soup
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4
Description
And just like that, autumn is here and what could be better than a Curried Chickpea and Roasted Pumpkin Soup to warm the cockles. Certainly, not the classic pumpkin soup you may be used to, but if you’re up for putting a twist on a seasonal delight, this recipe is mighty big on flavour and still provides a dose of thick and creamy, pumpkin-ey deliciousness to give you those comforting autumnal fuzzies.
Ingredients
- 600 g Pumpkin (Sliced into wedges (each roughly 1.5cm thick))
- 1½ tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Divided)
- 1 tsp Sea Salt (Divided)
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper (Freshly ground)
- 2 Eggs
- 100 g Mango (Sliced into small chunks)
- 1x 400g Can Chickpeas (Drained and rinsed)
- 2 tbsp Mild Curry Powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 2 tbsp Tomato Purée (paste)
- 1x 400g Can Half Fat Coconut Milk
- ¼ tsp White Pepper
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder (or granules)
- 500 ml Vegetable Stock
- ½ Lime (Squeezed)
Instructions
- Get Prepped: Gather and prepare your ingredients. Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 and boil the kettle.
- Bake: Spread the pumpkin wedges onto a baking tray (sheet) lined with baking paper (parchment) and drizzle with one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Season with ½ teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until tender and crispy on the outside. Turn once halfway through cooking.
- Boil: Meanwhile, add the eggs to a small saucepan, carefully pour in the boiling water from the kettle, being careful not to pour the water directly onto the eggs (as they are more likely to crack), and boil the eggs for 6 minutes. The egg whites should be set and have a runny yolk. For hard-boiled eggs, cook for a total of 9 minutes. Once cooked, submerge the eggs into ice-cold water to prevent them from continuing to cook from residual heat.
- Blend: Next, add the mango chunks to a blender and blitz until smooth. Then, add the chickpeas (no need to remove the mango) and blitz until the chickpeas are smooth.
- Soup: In a large saucepan, heat the remaining extra virgin olive oil over medium heat, and add the curry powder and turmeric, stirring continuously for 1 minute until fragrant. Then, add the tomato purée (paste) and cook for a further one minute. Empty the blended chickpeas and mangos straight into the saucepan along with the coconut milk, remaining sea salt, white pepper, garlic granules, and half of the vegetable stock. Stir until well combined. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer until the pumpkin is nicely roasted. Just before serving squeeze in the lime juice. For a silky smooth soup, pour into a blender and pulse for a minute or two adding more of the vegetable stock if the soup is too thick. However, if you prefer a little texture you can skip a final blend and go straight to pulling the meal together.
- Serve: To serve, start by peeling the eggs and slicing them in half. Pour the soup into bowls, dividing the pumpkin wedges equally between each bowl. Top with egg halves. I love to sprinkle with chopped coriander and sliced chili for extra heat. But, pumpkin seeds would add a great crunch, and dunking a wholemeal roti would be a real treat!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Soup
- Cuisine: American, Indian
Keywords: Autumn Recipes, Fall Recipes, Healthy Soup, Pumpkin Soup
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