The Best Creamy Pumpkin Soup (with a Secret Popcorn Trick!)
A creative and unique recipe for a creamy pumpkin soup that is thickened with popcorn. This savory soup features a flavor base of sautéed leeks, garlic, and fresh ginger, seasoned with curry powder. Plain popped popcorn is simmered in a mixture of chicken stock, pumpkin puree, and heavy cream until it dissolves and creates a thick, creamy consistency. The soup is then pureed until smooth with a blender and finished with a bright splash of lime juice. It’s served garnished with the remaining popcorn.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium leeks (white and light green parts), thinly sliced and well rinsed
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 2 1/2 cups plain popped popcorn
- 1 quart (4 cups) chicken stock
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook for about 5 minutes, until wilted.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and curry powder. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add 2 cups of the popcorn and toss to coat in the butter and aromatics.
- Pour in the chicken stock, pumpkin puree, and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Cook for about 15 minutes, until the leeks are very tender and the popcorn has mostly dissolved.
- Using a hand blender or in batches in a countertop blender, puree the soup until smooth.
- Stir in the lime juice and season with salt to taste. If the soup is too thick, you can thin it with up to 1/2 cup of water.
- Serve the soup in individual bowls, garnished with the remaining 1/2 cup of popcorn.
Notes
- This recipe uses plain, unbuttered, unsalted popcorn as a unique and effective gluten-free thickening agent.
- It is important to rinse sliced leeks well to remove any grit that can be trapped between their layers.
- An immersion (hand) blender is a convenient tool for pureeing the soup directly in the pot. Be careful when blending hot liquids in a countertop blender.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the chicken stock with vegetable stock.
Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/pumpkin-soup/