Sure, let’s make this recipe more conversational and easy to follow:
Hey there! Today, we’re making a creamy pumpkin soup topped with sweet and savory walnut crispies. Here’s what you’ll need:
For the soup:
- 1 small pumpkin or butternut squash
- 1 head of garlic
- A few sprigs of rosemary or thyme (I’m a fan of thyme)
- Olive oil
- 3-4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth (depends on your pumpkin size and how thin you want the soup)
- 1 cup of half and half or cream (optional)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt
For the walnut crispies:
- 1 cup of chopped walnuts
- 1 tablespoon of melted butter
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt (more to taste)
- Black pepper to taste
- Shredded Gruyere and kale chips for topping
Now, let’s get cooking!
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Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cut your pumpkin or squash in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Score the surface with a knife to let all the flavors seep in while it roasts. Place it on a sheet pan.
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Peel off most of the papery stuff from the garlic, cut it in half, and rub it all over the pumpkin or squash. Tuck some thyme and garlic into each cavity, drizzle with olive oil and some salt, and roast for about 45 minutes.
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While that’s roasting, mix your butter, brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. When the oven timer goes off, add the walnuts to the pan and toast them with the squash for another 8-10 minutes.
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Toss the toasted walnuts with the butter and brown sugar mixture right on the sheet pan. Scoop out the pumpkin or squash flesh into a blender, add 3-4 of the roasted garlic cloves, and about 1 cup of broth. Puree until it’s super smooth, adding more broth as you go to get the consistency you want.
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Transfer your pureed soup to a saucepan, season with salt, add half and half, and adjust it to your liking.
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Serve your silky, mellow soup topped with the brown sugar walnut crispies, grated Gruyere cheese, chopped apples, thyme, or whatever you like. Enjoy!
Just a note: pumpkins can vary in size. I used a small sugar pumpkin that’s about the same size as an average butternut squash. Happy cooking!
