Recipe Beginnings
This pumpkin soup was introduced to us in Germany by Gunhild! She invited us over to her house and served it to us. We were hooked from the first spoonful! Over time I’ve made adjustments like increasing the liquid, topping with pepitas, and using butternut squash instead of pumpkin. We got the pepita idea from visiting the Ludwigsburg Kürbisausstellung (the Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival or Exhibition). They serve pumpkin soup there with pepitas on top. See photos below of pumpkins in Germany! The artful photos are from our visit to the Ludwigsburg Kürbisausstellung 2014.
More info about the recipe adjustments: The original recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups broth. I increase the liquid to a quart because I usually have more than 1 kg of pumpkin or squash in my soup. I find that I need the extra liquid to get the correct consistency. The original recipe from Gunhild calls for a Roter Hokkaido (a reddish-orange thin-skinned pumpkin from the Northern Japanese island of Hokkaido; see photo above) which is easy to purchase at grocery stores in the south of Germany. I haven’t been able to find Roter Hokkaido pumpkins in the states, so we use butternut squash now.
Nutrition
This soup is absolutely packed with nutrition. Listing all of the ingredients in this soup individually along with the health benefits would make a lengthy post! I’ll mention onions because they are a personal favorite, plus a section about vegetables in general. Just look at all the benefits listed below (click the links for more info):
Onions: “Onions are low in calories yet add abundant flavor to a wide variety of foods. With only 30 calories per serving, onions are sodium, fat, and cholesterol free, and provide dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, and other key nutrients. Higher intakes of fruits and vegetables have been associated with a variety of health benefits. Research shows that onions may help guard against many chronic diseases. That’s probably because onions contain generous amounts of a flavonoid called quercetin. Other sources are tea and apples, but research shows that absorption of quercetin from onions is twice that from tea and more than three times that from apples. Studies have shown that quercetin protects against cataracts, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. In addition, onions contain a variety of other naturally occurring chemicals known as organosulfur compounds that have been linked to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels.”
Vegetables in general: “Eating vegetables provides health benefits. People who eat more vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases, such as heart disease, including heart attack and stroke and certain types of cancers. Eating foods such as vegetables that are lower in calories instead of higher-calorie food may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake. Vegetables provide nutrients vital for health and maintenance of your body, such as vitamins A and C, fiber, folate, and potassium.”
Enjoy this delicious and nutritious soup!
Kürbissuppe — Pumpkin Soup (or Butternut Squash Soup)
Equipment
- Immersion blender (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 kg roter Hokkaido, a pumpkin available in Germany, cut into 2-3-inch chunks (I use one whole butternut squash regardless of size, peeled and de-seeded)
- 2 potatoes (I use peeled Russet or unpeeled gold potatoes)
- 3 apples, cut into 1-inch pieces (I leave the peels on)
- 1-inch piece ginger, peeled
- 4 cups vegetable or beef broth (I use 4 teaspoons beef bouillon powder and 4 cups water)
- 1 cup cream (omit to be considered anti-inflammatory)
- pepper, salt, nutmeg, yellow mustard to taste (I prefer to grate whole nutmeg, but ground nutmeg is fine)
- Kürbiskernöl (pumpkin seed oil) to garnish
- Pepitas, optional garnish
Instructions
- Saute onion in olive oil in a stock pot until tender.
- Add remaining vegetables, apple, and ginger, and broth and cook on medium-high heat until tender, about 20 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender or upright blender to puree all ingredients.
- Add cream if desired, and the pepper, salt, nutmeg, and mustard. Taste, and add more seasonings if needed.