Bowls of roasted pumpkin and red lentil soup topped with toasted pumpkin seeds and fresh coriander

Recipe

Roasted Pumpkin, Red Lentil & Ginger Soup

Name: Roasted Pumpkin, Red Lentil & Ginger Soup
Cook time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 800 g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cubed; 180 g dry red lentils, rinsed; 120 g carrots, chopped; 1 medium onion, diced; 2 garlic cloves; 20 g fresh ginger, grated; ¾ tsp ground turmeric; ¾ tsp ground cumin; ½ tsp ground coriander; 750 ml vegetable stock, approximately; 160 ml coconut milk; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; Juice of ½ lemon; 40 g pumpkin seeds, to finish; Sea salt, black pepper and fresh coriander, to taste

A beautifully warming, velvety autumn soup, naturally sweet from roasted pumpkin, with gentle spice from ginger and turmeric. Red lentils add plant protein, fibre and a lovely creamy texture.

The first cool evenings in Andalusia mean this soup in our kitchen. It's one of those simple bowls I come back to every autumn, at home and on retreats.

Roasting 30–40 minutes · Simmering 20–25 minutes

Vegan · Gluten-free (with gluten-free stock) · Plant protein from red lentils

Ingredients

What you need

You will need a roasting tray, a large pot and a blender.

800 g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cubed
180 g dry red lentils, rinsed
120 g carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
20 g fresh ginger, grated
¾ tsp ground turmeric
¾ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
750 ml vegetable stock, approximately
160 ml coconut milk
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
40 g pumpkin seeds, to finish
Sea salt, black pepper and fresh coriander, to taste

Method

How to make it

1
Roast the vegetables. Toss pumpkin and carrots with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 200°C for 30–40 minutes until tender and lightly caramelised.
2
Build the flavour. Gently sauté onions in olive oil for 8 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin and coriander, cooking for another minute.
3
Cook the lentils. Add rinsed lentils and vegetable stock. Simmer gently for 20–25 minutes until completely soft.
4
Toast the seeds. While the soup simmers, toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan, with no oil, until lightly golden.
5
Blend. Add the roasted vegetables and most of the coconut milk, keeping a little back for the swirl. Blend until smooth and velvety, adding extra stock or water to reach your preferred consistency.
6
Finish. Add lemon juice and adjust the seasoning. Serve with a swirl of the remaining coconut milk, the toasted pumpkin seeds and fresh coriander.

Kitchen notes

Good to know

Your stock matters. Use a good-quality vegetable stock, or homemade if you have it, as it carries much of the flavour. If you need the soup gluten-free, check the label, and note that many stocks also contain celery.
More protein. As written, this provides roughly 14–17 g protein per generous bowl, depending on the exact ingredients and serving size. For a more protein-rich bowl, add a handful more red lentils. Blending in silken tofu (120 g for 4 servings, 300 g for 10) gives an especially silky finish and a little extra protein.
To serve. Beautiful with homemade seeded sourdough.

Made it? I would love to see.

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