VEGAN THAI PUMPKIN SOUP
A pumpkin soup recipe that fled the winter and booked a flight to Thailand instead.
Boasting low effort steps and not many ingredients on the list, this recipe is a holiday for both those cooking and those doing the slurping. The pumpkins and onions are roasted in the oven for hands-off cooking and amplified flavour, then tossed into a pot (skins and all for extra nutrition) with spicy red curry paste (hold the shrimp pls).
All that’s left is another flavour deepening trick (which is adding vegan fish sauce) before coconut milk and lime juice. The moreish, flavoursome pumpkin soup that it produces originally comes from the highlight reel of recipes I used to make for catering gigs when the brief called for healthy, big flavour recipes that can feed a crowd with little effort. Now, it’s your turn to love it at home!
Pumpkin soup with a kick is my thing. My first real job in food was as a kitchen hand on a ship in New Zealand when I was 17, where on pumpkin soup night the chefs would put out the bulk pepper stash in preparation for how much I was going to go through. Fast forward through a lot more kitchen experience and tastes of pumpkin soups from around the world.. now I’ve found my favourite. This recipe surfaced when I was catering for large groups of plant based eaters and is now a favourite amongst past clients, my whole family and is one of the top recipes I come back to over and over.
What makes this Thai style pumpkin soup WAY more exciting than boring old pumpkin soup is that it uses red curry paste (store bought or home made) to introduce loads of flavour to the soup, plus vegan fish sauce for really deep and rich flavour. The pumpkin and onions are baked for hands-off prep and to bring out as much flavour as possible before they mix with liquid. The pumpkin skin & flesh goes in whole to the soup so you get those extra nutrients from the skin. Once blended, it makes no big change to the texture or taste of the soup. Then, before you take it off the stove, mixing in coconut cream that tastes right at home amongst the Thai flavours makes sure there’s enough fat in the soup to carry all the delicious flavour.
Don’t skip fresh lime juice when you serve! Otherwise, toppings and garnishes are up to you. I usually do an extra dollop of coconut cream, fried shallots, fresh coriander, chopped red chillies and water chestnuts for a little crunch.
Vegan Thai Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
- 2 shallots
- 4 spicy birds eye chillies
- 4 large mild red chillies
- 1 lemongrass stalk (white part)
- 2 tablespoons minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- half a rind of a makrut/kefir lime
- 1 bunch coriander's roots, washed
- 2 teaspoons red miso paste
- 2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 3/4 teaspoon pink or white peppercorns
- 2.5kg - 3kg pumpkin
- 2 large onions
- 400ml coconut cream
- red curry paste from above
- 3 tablespoons vegan fish sauce (or light soy sauce)
- coconut or neutral cooking oil
- lime juice
- coriander juice
- extra coconut cream/milk
- water chestnuts
- fried shallots
- fresh chillies
- fresh scallions or chives
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C. Use a spoon to scrape out the pumpkin seeds, then slice the flesh into even wedges a few inches in thickness. Lightly oil the exposed pumpkin flesh and arrange on a baking tray. Halve, peel and lightly oil the onions. Use your hands to break them up slightly and arrange them on top of the pumpkin. Bake for 45-60 minutes until the pumpkin flesh is soft and the onions are cooked.
- To make the red curry paste, chop the shallots, chillies, lemongrass and lime rind. Add them to a tall jar or pyrex measuring cup with the ginger, garlic, coriander roots, miso paste and spices. Use a stick/immersion blender to puree everything into a paste. Alternatively, use a mortar and pestle to crush the spices, then chopped aromatics, then mash in the remaining ingredients until it is a homogenous paste.
- Place a large stockpot with a good splash of coconut or cooking oil over medium - high heat. Add the baked onions and stir for a few minutes to break apart. Add in the red curry paste and stir for 3 to 5 minutes to cook off the flavours. Once nice and fragrant, add the fish sauce. Stir for another minute
- Crank the heat up and add 750ml - 1000ml of water and the cooked pumpkin. Start with 750ml and add a little more water if needed to submerge the pumpkin. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for at least 15 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and add 400ml coconut cream before using a stick/immersion blender to purée until smooth. Serve with an extra swirl of coconut cream, a squeeze of lime and fresh coriander on top. I also like extra chilli, chopped fresh scallion, fried shallots and water chestnuts for extra texture!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
456.21Fat
27.14 gSat. Fat
21.38 gCarbs
54.14 gFiber
8.25 gNet carbs
45.88 gSugar
21.8 gProtein
10.64 gSodium
834.05 mgCholesterol
0 mg
