Quick Curried Pumpkin Soup (Paleo, Gluten-free, Vegan)

I'm on a really big soup kick right now.  It's so comforting to sit down with a bowl of soup on a chilly fall day, especially a soup that's both kinds of hot: warm and a little spicy.  The only problem with soup is that it sometimes takes a while to make.  Not this one, though.  You can have this soup on the table in less than 15 minutes!  It's a deliciously creamy, warmly spiced fall soup that has a depth of flavor not usually achieved in super fast recipes.  If you have a well-stocked pantry, you can whip up this soup at a moment's notice.  It's great for lunch when paired with a big salad, and would also make a great Thanksgiving starter!

I used homemade chicken stock made from a rotisserie chicken for this soup.  It was my first time making chicken stock, and I'm so glad I took the time to do it!  It made the whole house smell wonderful, and I felt like I was being really frugal.  I froze some of the stock in an ice cube tray, so now I have a bag of homemade stock cubes to use to make sauces and other recipes.  This recipe will also work with store-bought stock, though--the real flavor star here is the curry paste.

To make the soup vegan or vegetarian, just omit the fish sauce or use a splash of coconut aminos instead.  The soup will still be nice and flavorful with just the curry paste, stock, and pumpkin.  You can even omit the sunbutter or almond butter if you're out, but it adds a nice richness to the soup.

Ingredients (makes 4-6 servings):

2-3 tablespoons yellow (karee) or red curry paste*
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons sunbutter or almond butter
1 cup coconut milk
Fish sauce or coconut aminos to taste (optional)
Salt to taste

Pepitas or crushed nuts for serving, optional

*If you follow a special diet, read the ingredients on your curry paste carefully.  Some brands sneak in wheat or soy products, and some brands are not vegetarian because they include fish sauce or shrimp paste.  The Mae Ploy yellow curry paste I link to above and Thai Kitchen red curry paste are safe bets for most special diets.

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together the curry paste, pumpkin, stock, and sunbutter or almond butter.  Since curry pastes vary in spiciness, you may want to start with less and add more later.  I used three tablespoons and my soup was pretty spicy.

When the mixture is warm and smooth, whisk in the coconut milk and continue to cook until heated through.  Taste and adjust seasonings by adding fish sauce, coconut aminos, salt, and/or more curry paste as desired.  I used about 1 teaspoon of fish sauce and a tiny bit of salt.  If you're not using fish sauce, you may need more salt.  Serve hot, sprinkled with pepitas or crushed nuts if you like.

Leftover soup will keep in the fridge for two or three days.  Mine tasted even more flavorful when I heated some up the second day.

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