Roasted Hokkaido Pumpkin Soup
It is fall and this soup is perfect for the cool October nights in your cozy home. It is very easy to make and it always comes out perfect.
When I first started cooking, Hokkaido soup was actually the very first pumpkin soup I tried to make. I hadn’t heard much about butternut squash soup back then, and without knowing a lot about pumpkin varieties, I just picked up the Hokkaido pumpkin from the store shelves.
The first time I made this, I prepared it for my dad, who has always loved pumpkin soups. After that first taste, he enjoyed it so much that it quickly became a special request whenever he came over. In fact, just yesterday, before his visit, he called to ask if I could make it for him again.
I know butternut squash soup is popular and I still haven’t tried making it myself, but I’m excited to experiment with it soon and hopefully share the recipe here for all of you! For now, though, this Hokkaido soup is a cozy, nostalgic favorite that brings back great memories each time I make it.
Ingredients you will need for this recipe
Hokkaido Pumpkin: In this recipe, we are using 2kg Hokkaido pumpkins, about two medium, sized pumpkins.
Onion: Onion gets roasted as well, which adds a delicious flavor to the soup.
Garlic: Roasted garlic is the best thing in the world, it enriches the soup.
Vegetable stock: Instead of water, I like using vegetable stock, which adds an extra flavor as well. Be careful, since the vegetable stocks are usually already salty, so when seasoning the soup, make sure to add the salt gradually. You can always add more at the end after you taste it.
Olive oil: Olive oil gets drizzled on the vegetables before roasting, and will also be used to toast the seeds.
Spices: For spices, I used ginger, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Ultimately, I wish I used a bit of chili for some heat.
Parsley: I decorated the soup with chopped up parsley.
Seeds: Seeds get toasted in olive oil and the soup gets topped with them.
Heavy cream: Drizzle some heavy cream on top of the soup, it adds a delicious touch to it.
Step by step directions with pictures
1. While you prepare the veggies, preheat the oven to 200C (fan).
2. Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds; chop off the top part of a whole garlic bulb; and peel the onion, cutting it in half as well.
3. Lay out all the vegetable on a baking tray, drizzle with olive and oil season with pepper, nutmeg, salt and ginger.
4. Roast for about 30 minutes in the preheated oven at 200C.
5. Once ready, take the vegetables out the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes.
6. Once cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh of the Hokkaido pumpkins. (I know the flesh is also edible, but for some reason I always peel it off)
7. Add the pumpkin flesh to a medium sized saucepan, along with the onion and the inside of the roasted garlic.
8. Pour in the vegetable stock and let it come to a simmer for about 8 minutes.
9. Once ready, use an immersion blender or a regular blender to blend the soup together.
10. If the soup seems too thick, add more vegetable stock or water. Make sure to taste test and add more salt if needed,
11. For the topping, toast the seeds in olive oil over high heat for about a minute. Be careful they can very easily burn.
12. Top the soup with the toasted seeds, the chopped parsley and the heavy cream.
Roasted Hokkaido Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
- 2kg Hokkaido pumpkins (2 medium sized pumpkins)
- 1 large onion
- 1 garlic bulb
- 600g-700g vegetable stock
- olive oil
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Parsley, chopped up
- A mixture of different seeds, toasted in olive oil
- Heavy cream
Instructions
- While you prepare the veggies, preheat the oven to 200C (fan).
- Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds; chop off the top part of a whole garlic bulb; and peel the onion, cutting it in half as well.
- Lay out all the vegetable on a baking tray, drizzle with olive and oil season with pepper, nutmeg, salt and ginger.
- Roast for about 30 minutes in the preheated oven at 200C.
- Once ready, take the vegetables out the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes.
- Once cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh of the Hokkaido pumpkins. (I know the flesh is also edible, but for some reason I always peel it off)
- Add the pumpkin flesh to a medium sized saucepan, along with the onion and the inside of the roasted garlic.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and let it come to a simmer for about 8 minutes.
- Once ready, use an immersion blender or a regular blender to blend the soup together.
- If the soup seems too thick, add more vegetable stock or water. Make sure to taste test and add more salt if needed,
- For the topping, toast the seeds in olive oil over high heat for about a minute. Be careful they can very easily burn.
- Top the soup with the toasted seeds, the chopped parsley and the heavy cream.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
258Fat
6 gSat. Fat
2 gCarbs
53 gFiber
10 gNet Carbs
43 gSugar
17 gProtein
6 gSodium
802 mgCholesterol
4 mg
