Pumpkin, Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup
A delicious, warming and soulful soup, especially on a chilly day. A great way to use up leftover pulp from pumpkin carving.
Equipment
- 1 oven
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 large pan
- 1 hand-held blender, or liquidiser
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 large cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 250 g pumpkin or a pumpkin/squash mix (cooked weight)
- 1 large sweet potato diced
- 2 handfuls red lentils
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 900 ml water
- 2 tbsp vegetable bouillon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 190C | 180C fan | gas 5.
- In this recipe, it is best to roast the pumpkin first, to release its sweet flavour. Simply cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds (save for later, see below) then cut again into quarters. Lightly brush with olive oil, place on a baking tray and roast for approximately 30 – 40 minutes, until soft. Remove from the oven and cool.If using the leftover pulp from pumpkin carving, roast it on a baking sheet lined with tin foil and brush with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.250 g pumpkin or a pumpkin/squash mix
- Once cooled, remove the skin and use the flesh only in this recipe.
- While the pumpkin is roasting, put a large pan on a medium heat, add the olive oil and soften the onion until translucent.1 tbsp olive oil, 1 large onion
- Add in the crushed garlic, cumin and turmeric and toss in the onion for a couple of minutes to help release the spice oils.1 large cloves garlic, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp turmeric
- Add the diced sweet potato, lentils, tomato, water, vegetable bouillon, salt and pepper to the pan and bring to the boil. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.1 large sweet potato, 2 handfuls red lentils, 2 tbsp tomato puree, 900 ml water, 2 tbsp vegetable bouillon, Salt and pepper
- Add in the cooked roasted pumpkin flesh and blend the soup with a hand-held blender or liquidiser, until smooth.
Notes
Serve hot with fresh crusty bread, a dollop of natural yoghurt and sprinkling of roasted pumpkin seeds. Delicious & nutritious!
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Rinse the pumpkin seeds, discarding the stringy pumpkin pulp and dry. Sprinkle the seeds with a little olive oil, add your favourite seasoning, then roast flat on a tray at 190C, for about 15 minutes until crunchy but not burnt. These are delicious as a nutritious snack or added to soups and salads.
Rinse the pumpkin seeds, discarding the stringy pumpkin pulp and dry. Sprinkle the seeds with a little olive oil, add your favourite seasoning, then roast flat on a tray at 190C, for about 15 minutes until crunchy but not burnt. These are delicious as a nutritious snack or added to soups and salads.
Did you know?
The list of pumpkin health benefits is long. Potassium works with sodium to help the body’s water balance and in turn, helps mange blood pressure. Pumpkins are full of vitamin A, vital for healthy eyes. Additionally, their high fibre content is excellent for gut health and the digestive system. The addition of sweet potato and lentil gives the soup extra nutrient value as well as an extended depth of texture and flavour.Top Tip!
This soup freezes well, so it’s perfect for batch cookingThis recipe has been lovingly created for Kilduff Farm by Sonia Lee, LeeLifeNutition.
Sonia is a business mentor and accredited coach but also an enthusiastic cook, nutritionally conscious recipe writer and food photographer. She has a Diploma in Culinary Medicine and Applied Nutrition. As a mother of two she is passionate about nutritional content, wellbeing and the intelligent sourcing of ingredients in her cooking. Sonia greatly supports the genuine care and attention that the team at Kilduff Farm invests into their pumpkins and is excited to be working with them to develop and promote their use.