A Cosy Winter Pumpkin Soup with Pecan Crunch

For the soup

1 kg pumpkin, chopped (Jap or Butternut)

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 brown onion, diced

1 tin butter beans, drained

1 L vegetable stock

1 head of garlic, sliced in half

3 tbsp olive oil, divided

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp paprika

For the pumpkin & hot honey pecan crumble 

1/2 cup of chopped pumpkin

1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp olive oil

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1 tbsp pepitas

1-2 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C fanforced.
  
• Spread the chopped pumpkin and carrot on a lined baking tray and drizzle with 1-2 tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle over the cumin, coriander, and paprika and mix with your hands to combine. Place the 2 halves of the garlic bulb cut-side up, to expose the cloves and drizzle with a little olive oil.
  
• Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
  
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a pot over medium heat and add the chopped onions, cooking gently until soft and golden (approximately 5 minutes).
  
• Add the roasted vegetables, butter beans, and stock and then season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer to warm the beans and help the flavours come together. 

Prepare the garnish

Spread chopped pumpkin on a small roasting tray leaving one-third of the tray empty. Drizzle the pumpkin with 1 tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes, or until it starts to brown. 

Remove from the oven and add the pecans, pepitas, chilli flakes, salt and pepper, 1 tsp olive oil, and honey to the empty part of the tray. Return to the oven for 5-8 minutes until golden and crispy. Toss only the nut mixture halfway through cooking, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Use an immersion blender to blend the mixture into a smooth and silky soup. If using a regular blender, allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before blending.

Top your soup with the roasted pumpkin and hot honey pecan crumble, Greek yoghurt, and finish with a few coriander leaves.

Enjoy!