Curry Pumpkin Soup - Simply Recipes

How to Pick the Best Pumpkin for Cooking

When autumn leaves start changing color, a plethora of pumpkins start appearing in the produce section and our farmers markets. But what's the best type of pumpkin for cooking? You'll want to use sugar pumpkins (sometimes also called pie or sweet pumpkins), which are small and round. You can also substitute kobocha pumpkins, Long Island cheese pumpkins or even butternut squash for this recipe.

Look for unblemished gourds that are heavy for their size. The stem should be withered and intact (it shows that it aged on the vine), and the skin should be free of bruises and hard all around.

Whole pumpkins can be stored in a cool dry place for weeks, until ready to cook.

How to Choose Fresh Ginger

We may sometimes call ginger a root, but it is actually a rhizome. It's sold by a pound in the produce section usually near garlic and onions. Look for ginger with firm, thin skin. It should not look dried out or fibrous, and should not have any soft spots. When you bring it up to your nose, it should smell spicy.

How to Cook Pumpkin: Our Tips and Tricks!

• Be sure to line your pan with aluminum foil or parchment before baking your pumpkins for easy clean up.
• Save the seeds to make roasted pumpkin seeds!
• Pierce the pumpkin with a fork to check for done-ness. A fork should easily go through the soft, cooked flesh.
• Cool the pumpkin completely before scooping out the flesh.
• Freeze in one- or two-cup portions in freezer-safe ziptiop bags for easy use later.
• Have too much pumpkin left? Try another one of our pumpkin recipes!

Swaps and Substitutions

• If you don't have any fresh ginger on hand, you can use dried ginger powder instead.
• For ease, use canned pumpkin instead of fresh. Just be sure you're using 100% pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie pumpkin, which is pre-seasoned.
• This recipe will work with other autumn squashes, like butternut squash or even kobocha squash puree.
• If you don't like curry powder or any of the other spices, feel free to replace with other spices you like, or just leave out.
• For a dairy-free option, replace the heavy cream and yogurt with coconut cream (which is thicker than coconut milk, but coconut milk will also work just fine).
• For a vegetarian recipe, use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

How to Store and Reheat Pumpkin Soup

It's best to store this soup after puréeing, before adding the heavy cream. Stop at that point, and cool the soup to room temperature. You can then store the soup for three to five days in the refrigerator or for about three months in the freezer.

Best to defrost the pumpkin soup in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. But if you didn't plan ahead, you can defrost the soup in the microwave in two-minute bursts. Break up the soup into slush and making sure it's liquid enough. Then, reheat the soup by warming it gently in a heavy bottomed pot over low heat, stirring occasionally until it's piping hot. Stir in heavy cream at the end, just before serving.

More Fall-Inspired Soups and Stews to Try!

• Creamy Pumpkin Soup With Smoked Paprika
• Potato Leek Soup
• Creamy Kabocha Squash Stew
• Pressure Cooker Butternut Squash Soup
• Creamy Sweet Potato Soup
• Slow Cooker Butternut Squash and Sausage Soup

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes