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Pumpkin soup served in small white pumpkins
Olga Kindel

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Served in Mini Pumpkins

A velvety roasted butternut squash and vegetable soup with onion, carrots, peppers, garlic, and herbs, served inside tender miniature white pumpkins. A beautiful autumn or Thanksgiving appetizer.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Soups
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3-4 small edible white pumpkins for serving
  • 1 medium butternut squash about 2 lb / 900 g, halved and seeded
  • 1 medium onion about 5 oz / 140 g, halved
  • 3 small carrots about 6 oz / 170 g, roughly chopped
  • 2 bell peppers about 10 oz / 280 g, seeded
  • 1 whole head garlic halved crosswise
  • 10 cherry tomatoes about 5 oz / 140 g
  • 3 tbsp olive oil 45 ml, divided
  • 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1/2 tsp curry powder optional
  • 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup 60 ml heavy cream, optional
  • 2 tbsp 20 g toasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish
  • 2 oz 55 g soft goat cheese, crumbled, optional
  • Fresh basil leaves for garnish
  • 1 cup vegetable broth plus up to 1 cup more as needed (240–480 ml total)

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two baking trays with parchment paper. Slice the tops off 3 to 4 small edible white pumpkins to make lids. Scoop out the seeds and stringy fibers, brush the insides with about 1 tablespoon olive oil, and place on one tray.
    Hands preparing a small white pumpkin by cutting off the top for a soup bowl
  2. Halve the butternut squash and remove the seeds. Leave the skin on for roasting.
    Hands scraping seeds from a small white pumpkin to prepare an edible soup bowl
  3. Arrange the squash cut-side up with the onion, carrots, bell peppers, halved garlic head, and cherry tomatoes on the other tray. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and optional curry powder, and add rosemary and thyme.
    Halved butternut squash with bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes and onion arranged for roasting
  4. Roast the vegetables at 350°F (180°C) for about 30 to 40 minutes, until lightly caramelized and the squash is fork-tender. Turn peppers or carrots if needed. Roast the mini pumpkins for about 30 to 60 minutes, depending on size, until tender but sturdy enough to serve as bowls.
    Thin rings of red onion arranged on a wooden board
  5. Let the vegetables cool slightly. Scoop the squash from its skin, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins, and discard inedible skins and woody herb stems. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender or deep pot.
    Roasted butternut squash flesh being scooped from its skin into a cooking pot
  6. Add 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable broth to the roasted vegetables. Reserve up to 1 more cup (240 ml) to adjust the consistency.
    Vegetable broth being poured into a pot of roasted squash and vegetables
  7. Blend carefully until smooth, adding the reserved broth gradually as needed. Stir in cream if using, taste, and adjust salt and pepper. Reheat gently if necessary.
    Orange butternut squash soup being blended until smooth with an immersion blender
  8. Place each warm mini pumpkin on a plate and ladle in the hot soup.
    Spoon scooping the soft flesh from a roasted mini pumpkin
  9. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds, crumbled goat cheese if desired, and fresh basil. Serve right away.
    Roasted white mini pumpkins filled with orange squash soup and topped with cheese and seeds