Nothing says fall quite like fresh pumpkin! Sweet parsnips and a touch of nutmeg round out the seasonal flavors, all roasted together for richness in this gluten-free, vegan soup. Make a batch of this fat-free, easy soup on the weekend and freeze extras. Serve with pumpernickel toast or a wild rice salad for a satisfying, healthy weeknight meal.
Yield: 8 cups
- Gather ingredients. Preheat oven to 425°F.
To roast the vegetables
- Peel the parsnip and cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Cut the pumpkin in half along the equator. Use a big spoon to scoop out the seeds. You can roast the seeds and use as garnish on the soup.
- Sprinkle the nutmeg inside one of the pumpkin halves.
- Place the parsnip in a baking dish. Place the pumpkin, cut-side-down, over the parsnips. Add 2 cups of water to the baking dish. Roast at 425°F for about 60 minutes.
- The pumpkin is ready when it collapses and is soft enough to scoop out the flesh. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
To finish the soup
- When the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scoop out the flesh.
- Place the pumpkin, parsnips, and any liquid from the pan into a blender. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and the salt. Puree until smooth.
- You might need to add another 1/2 cup or so of water to reach a smooth, pourable consistency. Make sure it is hot water, to keep your soup hot.
- Garnish with parsley, pumpkin seeds, or chives and serve.
Chef Katie Simmons' Tips
You can use a variety of fall squash in this recipe. Acorn, Celebration, and Kaboucha would all taste great.
Chef Katie Simmons is a classically trained personal chef in Chicago. Her journey to cooking has been a winding path from Kentucky to backpacking in New Zealand through culinary school at Kendall College and working for Whole Foods Market. Her own frustrations of being an overweight fitness professional finally led her to embrace a plant-based, vegan diet.
