Pumpkin Soup
Vegetarian Pumpkin Soup with Fennel and Pesto
This delicious vegetarian pumpkin soup combines the aniseed flavor of fennel and the soft, juicy flavor of pumpkin. The onion and garlic add a classic taste and the pesto topping suits the vegetable rich flavor just perfectly.
Whether you are a vegetarian or you just enjoy eating vegetables, you will find this vegetarian pumpkin soup to be satisfying and delicious. Fennel has quite a strong flavor, which contrasts very nicely with the sweet pumpkin taste. If you are not a lover of fennel, you can use celery instead or something like potato, rutabaga, or carrot for a milder flavor.
Add more oil to the pesto before using it. The oil helps to make it runny so you can swirl it through the soup. You might even like to add some pumpkin seed oil to the basil, if you have it, for a nutty and rich flavor. Pumpkin seed oil goes well with many of our recipes for creamy pumpkin soups and you could even use some to top a canned pumpkin soup recipe, to give it an elegant finish.
Pesto Topped Vegetarian Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients -
1 ½ lbs pumpkin, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons basil pesto
¾ cup milk
3 ½ cups vegetable broth
1 lb fennel, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 ½ tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine a tablespoon of the olive oil and all the pumpkin in a baking dish. Add some salt and pepper and roast it for 15 minutes.
Heat another tablespoon of the oil in a pan, add the garlic and onion, and cook for a couple of minutes until soft.
Add the roasted pumpkin, fennel and broth, cover the pan and simmer it for 15 minutes or until everything is tender.
Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Add the milk and gently reheat the soup.
Combine the remaining olive oil with the pesto and serve it on top of the soup, as a garnish.
(Serves 4)
