Recipe: Cream of Pumpkin Soup

If you’re in the mood for a cozy dish this fall season, look no further than this silky, slightly sweet cream of pumpkin soup. This Blue Zones Kitchen meal is based on a recipe from Okinawa featuring kabocha, or Japanese pumpkin—but an easy substitute is acorn or butternut squash. An immersion blender or food processor makes this easy to whip up in 20 minutes, and you can make this even faster with canned pumpkin puree, which is usually a blend of pumpkin and orange squash.

Total Cook Time: 20 minutes
Makes two servings

Ingredients:
½ pound acorn or butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into large chunks
¼ cup chopped leeks (or onion)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1¾ cups unsweetened soy milk
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon dried turmeric
1 teaspoon salt, plus more if needed

Directions:

1. Place a steamer tray into a pot with about two inches of water. Bring water to a boil and steam squash until soft, about 15 minutes.
2. In a soup pot, stir-fry leeks in vegetable oil until soft but not browned, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add soy milk, steamed squash and spices and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Blend all together with an immersion blender or in a food processor (in batches, if necessary) until smooth. Add salt to taste.