Char’s Creamy Pumpkin & White Bean Soup

This soup is hearty, healthy (vegan & gluten free) and of course delicious & doable. Perfect served with a sandwich for a simple and nutritious weeknight supper.

Serve soup straight up – or garnish with: Mint & Sage Gremolata and Seedy Crunch Topping (recipes below).

Note: this soup thickens up quite a bit when refrigerated (tip: it actually tastes better the next day!). Once you reheat it, it will thin out slightly. Personally, I like a thick soup – if you prefer it thinned out a bit more, add a splash of stock, water and/or more coconut milk to soup when reheating.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable or olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tsp (10 mL) ground turmeric
• 1 ½ tsp (7 mL) each of ground cinnamon and ground cardamom
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) chili flakes
• 4 cups (1 L) vegetable stock
• 1 (796 mL) can pure pumpkin puree
• 1 (19 oz/540 mL) can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (400 mL) can full fat coconut milk, well shaken
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) minced ginger root
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 ½ tsp (7 mL) salt
• 3 tbsp (45 mL) Crosby’s Fancy Molasses

Garnishes (optional): Gremolata and Seedy Crunch Topping

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat.
2. Cook onion, stirring, until soft and edges are starting to brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir in spices and slowly pour in stock, while stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan (with a wooden spoon) to release any bits.
4. Add pumpkin and beans. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and stir in coconut milk, ginger, garlic, salt and molasses..
6. Puree soup (ideally use an immersion blender this way you can puree in the same pot = less mess/dishes. If using a stand up blender you will likely have to puree in batches). Reheat soup and serve.
7. Garnish each portion with gremolata and seedy crunch (if using).
8. Makes about 8 cups (2 L).

Delicious & Doable Tips:

~ love heat? Add 1 tbsp (15 mL) of curry powder and up chili flakes to ½ tsp (2 mL).

Sage & Mint Gremolata ~ click here for recipe (scroll to bottom of attached post for recipe. Use ½ cup (125 mL) chopped fresh sage instead of fresh dill

Seedy Crunch Topping ~ click here for recipe (*it’s the candied crunch topping – works as a soup garnish too!!).

Where to Find ‘Delicious & Doable’ Across Ontario

Find ‘Delicious & Doable ~ Recipes For Real and Everyday Life’ on Amazon (click here) or at one of the below retailers across Ontario:

Type Books ~ 883 Queen Street West, Toronto
Lemonberry ~ 2 Orchard Heights Blvd #10, Aurora
Fanfare Books ~ 92 Ontario St, Stratford
Casual Gourmet ~ 1027 King Street West, Hamilton
The Post Office – 18 Front St. N, Thorold
Chef’s Paradise ~ 1314 Bank Street, Ottawa
Gift It Grey ~ 19492 Opeongo Line, Barry’s Bay
Creative Cook ~ 35 Manitoba St, Bracebridge
Muskoka Brewery ~ 1964 Muskoka Beach Rd, Bracebridge
Stephen’s Butcher Shop ~ 8 Harris St, Port Carling
Hilltop Interiors ~ 1150 ON-141, Rosseau
Cedar Canoe Books ~ 72 Main St E, Huntsville
Clark’s On Main ~ 1090 Main Street, Dorset
Bigley’s Cottage Kitchen ~ 39 Bolton St, Bobcaygeon
Farmer’s Daughter – 72 Main St E, Huntsville
Kitchen Bits ~ 1390 Kingsway, Greater Sudbury