3 variations on the classic pumpkin soup

It’s easy to get stuck in a cooking rut when our favourite comfort foods are just too delicious to tweak. But sometimes you need to breathe new life into your favourite recipes to appreciate them again.

When the leaves start falling and the temperature drops suddenly, wrapping your hands around a hot bowl of pumpkin soup is one of the best things in the world. But while we’re big fans of the classic pumpkin soup recipe we’ve come to love, sometimes we like to kick things into a different gear and take our old favourites in a new direction.

Using our own Pumpkin Soup recipe as a base, here are three ways to tickle your tastebuds in exciting new ways this winter:

Spice up your life

Add some extra flavour to your pumpkin soup with a hit of some complimentary spices. Chilli, paprika and turmeric can add some heat and depth to the flavour of your pumpkin. You can also add a teaspoon of curry powder to the mix to take your tastebuds on an oriental excursion. Worried the heat will be too much? Remember that you’ll be adding cream to this recipe which should help to mellow it out, but if in doubt start small and build it up next time.

It’s crunch time

One quality of restaurant dining that we’d love to see more of in our home cooking is a mixture of textures. While the silky smooth texture of our pumpkin soup is divine, sometimes you just want a little crunch. Sprinkle over some pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas), or try toasted almonds or pistachios. A scattering of dukkah or even some maple-toasted croutons can also be delicious in place of our tasty basil drizzle.

Meat us in the middle

Carnivores rejoice! There’s a way to add a little bit of meatiness to your bowl of pumpkin soup. Try frying diced bacon or chopped chorizo until nice and crispy and sprinkle over the top of your finished soup. Part of your meats can also be added before you blitz your soup so the flavour travels through the whole recipe.