Pumpkin Soup with Smoked Paprika

Makes 8 cups

claudin

Smoked paprika goes fantastic with this rich and creamy pumpkin soup - perfect for a cold night!

ingredients

1 4-5 pound cooking pumpkin to yield 5 cups roasted pumpkin OR 2 (15 ounce) cans of pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp butter
1 medium yellow onion - chopped
2 garlic cloves - minced
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 large tart apple - peeled, cored, chopped
2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 cup water
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 sprig fresh sage or 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
Salt and ground pepper to taste

1
1. To make pumpkin purée, cut a sugar or Kabocha pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff, lie face down on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F until soft, about 45 min to an hour. Cool, scoop out the flesh. Freeze whatever you don’t use for future use.
2
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add smoked paprika, cayenne, and cumin and stir for a minute more.
3
3. Add chopped apple, pumpkin purée. broth, and water. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Season with a little salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the apples are cooked through.
4
4. Working in batches, transfer soup to a blender or a food processor. Cover tightly and blend until smooth. Return the soup to the saucepan.
5
5. With soup on low heat, slowly add the milk, stirring to incorporate. Add salt to taste. Adjust other seasonings to taste.
6
Can make a day ahead.