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lemongrass pumpkin soup in bowl topped with coconut milk, cilantro, and pumpkin seeds
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5 from 1 vote

Lemongrass Pumpkin Soup

Luscious and creamy Lemongrass Pumpkin Soup pairs roasted pumpkin with Vietnamese flavors to create your next favorite pumpkin soup.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 4
Author: Sammy

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lb pumpkin or winter squash or 2 cans of pumpkin puree
  • 3 tbsp canola divided
  • 2 shallots or 1 onion, peeled and chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 1 inch piece of ginger peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 lemongrass stalks bruised (see notes below)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ⅛ tsp cardamon optional but really great
  • 4 c vegetable broth
  • ½ can full-fat coconut milk (about 1 c) reserve a couple of tsp for toppings if desired
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp sriracha plus more to taste

Toppings

  • fresh cilantro or Thai basil
  • reserved coconut milk
  • sriracha
  • pepitas

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425℉. Halve and seed pumpkin. Coat in 1 tbsp oil and place on baking sheet cut-side down. Roast until flesh very soft, 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven. Once cool enough to handle, scoop out pumpkin flesh and measure out 4 c, set aside.
  • In large pot heat remain oil over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally until translucent, 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and lemongrass. Sauté another 2 minutes until fragrant.
  • Add turmeric, cinnamon, cardamon, and salt. Stir and cook for 30 seconds. Add broth and pumpkin flesh. Simmer uncovered 15-20 minutes.
  • Turn off heat and blend soup until smooth with an immersion blender. Stir in coconut milk, soy sauce, lime juice, and sriracha. Pumpkins vary in water content, so if your soup is too thick, add water a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
  • Adjust seasoning to taste and laddle into bowls. Top with chopped cilantro, pumpkin seeds, and more sriracha.

Notes

To prep: Trim off the woody green top and the tough base. Remove any loose outer layers. Whack the stalk a couple of times with a heavy saucepan or mallet to break up some of the fibers.
If you can’t buy fresh, lemongrass paste is a better substitution option than dried.