Pumpkin Soup

My theory on appetizers is one of two things. They are either designed to hold you over until the main meal arrives or they are an exploratory point for the meal. In the case of this Pumpkin Soup it may be both. Let’s be honest everyone is gathered really early for the holiday meal & they all are just awaiting the go ahead to start eating. That’s where you can give them a small little taste to whet their appetite for what’s to come. In this case, a simple fall pumpkin soup but with a twist.

The twist is the added flavors, which may not be something everyone has been introduced to. Harissa is a blend of smoked hot chili peppers, garlic & assorted spices. It brings a rich, warm taste to a dish. Then you add a sage pesto which ties it back in with that traditional Thanksgiving herb.

I’ve found that a great way to get people to try something new is to do it in a small bite. It’s less intimidating & I find more often than not they willing try it out. So introduce your friends & family to something familiar, but slightly twisted.

Here are some other great ideas for appetizers…

Roasted Broccoli & Kale Ricotta Toast

Marinated Tofu Feta Bites

Smoky Butternut Squash Soup

Tomato White Bean Soup

Print Recipe

Pumpkin Soup

A sophisticated yet simple soup perfect to start a holiday gathering.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer

Keyword: appetizer, pumpkin, soup, thanksgiving

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup pureed pumpkin see notes
• 2/3 cup vegetable stock
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped see notes
• 1/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
• 1/2 tsp harissa powder plus additional to garnish
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1-2 tbsp vegan feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Sage Pesto

• 2-3 sage leaves
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• salt & pepper

Instructions

• Dice the shallot & garlic. In a medium saucepan over medium heat add oil, then the shallot & garlic cooking for 1 minute. Add the harissa & cumin. Cook for an additional minute stirring well.
• Add the pumpkin puree & vegetable stock to the pan. Stir well to incorporate all the ingredients. Add the non-dairy milk. Bring to a gentle boil then reduce heat to low & simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Transfer the soup to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree.
• Make the sage pesto by blending all the ingredients together in either a very small food processor/blender or by hand with a mortar & pestle.
• Pour the soup into small single serving containers. Top with a small dollop of sage pesto, a crumble of feta & a sprinkle of harissa powder.°

Notes

If you want to make this completely by scratch you can roast a small sugar pumpkin in the oven for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees.  Add to the soup per the directions and then it will get pureed in the process.  However canned pumpkin works perfectly well (it’s what I used).

Roasted garlic brings out just a bit more flavor.  I always keep it on hand so you will see it in a lot of recipes.  If you don’t feel like roasting, don’t.  Chopped garlic works just fine.

If you do not have harissa powder you can substitute with smoked paprika.

The recipe is designed to be a soup shooter so if you have shot glasses to serve in that works best but a small container will work, you may just need spoons as ell depending on the size.

Enjoy!!!