Art of Natural Living

Savory Pumpkin Leek Soup (Baked in a Pumpkin)

By Inger Nov 13, 2012 Cheese, Cooking & Recipes, Fall, Favorite Fall Foods, Pumpkin, Soup 25 Comments
PinYummly

Whew, last week was wild!  But not so wild I didn’t have time to try a new recipe for Pumpkin Soup… baked right in a pumpkin!  Now most of the pumpkin soups that I’ve had have been curried or sweetened but this one was very different–a bit like a savory French Onion Soup with pumpkin added.  Mmmm!

Pumpkin Leek Soup Baked in a Pumpkin

Pumpkin Leek Soup Baked in a Pumpkin

But first back to my week.  I spent the first three days in Boston on a college visit trip with my middle daughter.  It was fun but exhausting; Boston is beautiful but it sure has a lot of stairs!  My big takeaway was the resolve to get a small camera that will go in my purse, so I never miss another shot (and so my readers don’t miss a trip post )!

Following my return I had exactly 1 1/2 days to clean the house and prepare for a luncheon with a couple of girlfriends.   I had picked up a case of pie pumpkins on sale from my buying club so I was itching to try one of those really cute dishes-in-a-pumpkin.

Case of Pie Pumpkins

My Case of Pie Pumpkins

I found a recipe online that sounded good and decided to do a test run the night before.  Call me paranoid, but I had visions of broth spilling out all over the oven  (along with any number of other possible disasters).  I didn’t spend years as an IT director without developing a keen ability to anticipate disaster in any activity!

Well it turns out that my concerns were well-founded.  Despite care in preparing the pumpkin, I did have a fair amount of leakage.  And even if nothing had escaped, there still wasn’t enough broth.  So I retrenched.

Pumpkin soup number  two involved filling everyone’s soup bowl half full with chicken broth and then bringing the pumpkin brimming with leeks, herbs, bread and cheese (and just a little broth) to the table.   Table-side, I scooped out the filling along with big shavings of orange pumpkin flesh and added this to each broth-filled soup bowl.  Victory!

Pumpkin Leek Soup at Table

Pumpkin Leek Soup at Table

Savory Pumpkin Leek Soup (at least partly) Baked in a Pumpkin

Makes about 8 servings

Ingredients

  • Medium Pie Pumpkin (or a small regular pumpkin if you can’t get a pie pumpkin)
  • 3 large leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced in thin rounds
  • 2 T butter
  • 1/2 t dried sage
  • 1/2 t dried thyme
  • 1/4 t ground black pepper
  • 2-3 thick slices of flavorful bread (I used rosemary, olive oil), toasted and cut in 1/2 inch cubes
  • 2 c grated gruyere cheese
  • 5-6 c chicken broth

Directions

1.  Cut a round out of the stem end of the pumpkin, remove and set aside.  Scoop seeds and stingy flesh from pumpkin (like you do to carve one) and discard (or compost strings and save seeds for roasting)

Cut Top From Pumpkin

Cut Top From Pumpkin

Remove Pumpkin Seeds

Remove Pumpkin Seeds

2.  Sautee leeks in butter until just beginning to caramelize.  Add herbs.

Sautee Leeks

Sautee Leeks

3.  Layer pumpkin with leeks, then bread cubes, then grated cheese in multiple layers until near the pumpkin is nearly full.  Pour in enough broth to reach the top (shouldn’t be a lot).

Pour Broth into Pumpkin

Pour Broth into Pumpkin

4.  Replace top, place in deep baking dish (to catch leakage) and bake at 350 for about 1 1/2 hours until pumpkin is slightly tender but still holds its shape.

Soup in a Pumpkin Oven Ready

Soup in a Pumpkin Oven Ready

5.  Heat remaining broth.  Fill a soup bowl halfway with broth.  Scoop out pumpkin filling mixture with some pumpkin flesh (taking care to leave the shell intact), adding it to broth.  Serve.

Soup Baked in Pumpkin--Done!

Soup Baked in Pumpkin–Done!

Pumpkin Leet Soup Served

Pumpkin Leek Soup Served

Once I had the technique down, the recipe was very easy and clearly a winner–both of my lunch guests had seconds!  The leftovers went to  my sister and my “you know I don’t like pumpkin, Mom” daughter who gobbled it down, declaring “it doesn’t taste like pumpkin!”

A creative meal for guests and a kid-pleasing serving of veggies –hooray!

Tagged on:

25 thoughts on “Savory Pumpkin Leek Soup (Baked in a Pumpkin)”

    1. Inger Wilkerson

      Alas, that’s the sad side of seasonality 🙁 But there is always next year! I have a whole lineup of things on Pinterest waiting for the right season to roll around again!

      Reply ↓

  4. Pingback: All Natural Pumpkin Spice Latte (50% of Vitamin A!) « Art of Natural Living

    1. Inger Wilkerson

      Thanks Beth. When my oldest did college visits I was working so much I didn’t get to visit any (actually bought her aunt a plane ticket for one trip) so it was really nice to be able to do this.

      Reply ↓
    1. Inger Wilkerson

      Thanks Freeda. Since I am notoriously non-crafty (despite a number of sad attempts) I am always pleasantly surprised when even the visual pulls together in a recipe!

      Reply ↓
  11. grace

    nothing can come close to topping this as far as presentation goes. what an excellent use for those little pumpkins!

    Reply ↓
    1. Inger Wilkerson

      Thanks Grace. I also have some pretty small pie pumpkins and am debating if something in individual pumpkins might be fun too. My sister just gave me a recipe that is stuffed with apples and cranberry!

      Reply ↓
  12. fitinthemidwest

    I love French onion soup and all things pumpkin, so this sounds like the perfect soup recipe for me to try!

    Glad you enjoyed Boston! Isn’t it such a beautiful city that is just overflowing with wonderful history?

    Reply ↓
    1. Inger Wilkerson

      I was pleasantly surprised when I tried this soup. Although I like many types of pumpkin (or squash) soups, it was fun to find that was one more unique.

      We had such a nice time in Boston and, speaking of history, got in a Freedom Trail tour (though we froze our fingers off). I wouldn’t be at all unhappy if she ends up in school there!

      Reply ↓

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

css.php