Everyday Gourmet

With the colors of the leaves quickly changing, it’s time to start bringing out my favorite soup recipes.  I love rich, velvety pumpkin bisque, but I was looking to make a soup that was a little more filling and to update the flavors.  I decided to add black beans and to play up the natural sweetness of the pumpkin with coconut and curry.  Garnish this soup with a  cool dollop of sour cream and a fresh sprinkling of cilantro and I am in a state of warm coconut pumpkin bliss!

Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup with Black Beans

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 – small yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed (about 1 tablespoon)
• 2 Tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced
• 2 Tbsp red curry paste
• 1 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp Sriracha sauce – (the bottle of red rooster sauce with a green top in the Thai isle)
• 1 – 13.5 ounce can of unsweetened coconut milk (I prefer to use the full fat kind)
• 1 – 15 ounce can of pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling
• 1 – 15 ounce can of black beans, reduced sodium
• Sour cream, cilantro, or toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish

Directions:

Place olive oil in pot over medium high heat.  Add onions, salt, and pepper and cook until onions are translucent.  Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.  Stir in curry paste and cook for another 2 minutes or until color starts to turn a deeper shade of red.  Whisk in chicken stock, coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, Sriracha and pumpkin.  Cook until heated through.  Add black beans and let simmer for 5-10 more minutes.  Garnish with sour cream and cilantro.  Enjoy!