Pumpkin & Cardamom Soup

I was feeling a little left out after seeing the Northern Hemisphere sharing delicious pumpkin-infused creations all over my Instagram; it seemed to bombard my feed.

Giving in to FOMO, I’m now in Boston enjoying a pumpkin spiced latte, followed by a trip to Wholefoods so I can pick up some squash. Once at the apartment, a slow roast of the squash needs to happen, and in no time I have my Pumpkin & Cardamon Soup.

Just kidding, unfortunately!

Thankfully we have plenty of pumpkins here in Australia and I can make this gorgeous soup.

If you recreate this recipe, don't forget to snap a pic and share it with me on Instagram, I love seeing your recreations!

Find the recipe video here.

​Ingredients
1x 2kg butternut pumpkin 
2 tbsp olive oil 
A knob of butter (vegan butter if you wish)
1 medium onion, diced
2 - 4 cloves garlic, crushed 
½ tsp ground cardamom
250ml to 500ml vegetable stock
Salt & pepper to taste

Toppings
Fresh dill, roughly chopped
Pumpkin Seeds
Olive Oil

Method
Preheat the oven to 180°c fan and line a large tray with baking paper. 

Take your pumpkin and carefully slice it in half lengthways using a knife.
Scoop out the seeds, then place flat side down on the tray. 
Using a knife, prick the pumpkin a dozen or so times on each half. 
Bake the pumpkin for 1½ - 2 hours, or until soft to touch. 

While the pumpkin is baking, add the olive oil and knob of butter into a large pot; set heat to medium. 
Once at temperature, add the diced onions and season with salt; sauté, stirring throughout until translucent, about 5 minutes or so. 

In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the garlic and sauté, before adding the ground cardamom to toast until fragrant. 

Once the pumpkin is cooked, allow the pumpkin to slightly cool before scooping out the flesh.
Add the flesh into a blender along with the cardamom onions. 
Pour in the vegetable stock and season with salt and pepper; blend until smooth.

(You can also blend everything in the pot using a stick blender.)

Once smooth, transfer to the large pot you used to fry the onions; gently heat the soup until hot. 

Serve the soup between bowls and garnish with fresh dill, pumpkin seeds, a drizzle of olive oil and another crack of black pepper. 

Allow any leftovers to cool completely, before pouring into airtight containers.
The soup will last in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Serves 4