Description
This Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons is a comforting, flavorful fall dish that combines smooth pumpkin puree infused with warming spices and a touch of heat, topped with crispy, cheesy croutons made from buttery grilled cheese sandwiches. Perfect for cozy evenings, this vegetarian soup blends creamy coconut milk and bright lime juice for a balanced and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
Grilled Cheese Croutons
- 4 slices sandwich bread
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until translucent and soft, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Add Spices and Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic, grated ginger, red pepper flakes, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and ground cinnamon. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant, allowing the spices to toast slightly and develop deeper flavors.
- Add Pumpkin and Broth: Pour in the pumpkin puree and vegetable broth, stirring thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Simmer Soup: Let the soup simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to meld the flavors and slightly thicken the base, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking.
- Add Coconut Milk and Simmer: Stir in the full-fat coconut milk and continue simmering for another 5 minutes to incorporate the creaminess and enrich the texture.
- Puree Soup: Use an immersion blender directly in the pot to blend the soup until smooth. Alternatively, transfer the soup in batches to a blender and puree until creamy. Return soup to the pot if needed.
- Season Soup: Season with salt, black pepper, and lime juice to taste. Keep the soup warm on low heat while preparing the croutons.
- Prepare Grilled Cheese Croutons: Butter one side of each bread slice. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Place two slices buttered side down, top each with shredded cheddar cheese, then cover with the remaining two bread slices, buttered side up. Cook for 2–3 minutes per side until the bread is golden and crispy and the cheese is melted.
- Cool and Cube Croutons: Remove the grilled cheese sandwiches from the skillet, let cool slightly, then cut into bite-sized cubes to serve as croutons.
- Serve: Ladle the hot pumpkin soup into bowls and top generously with the grilled cheese croutons. Serve immediately for the best texture contrast and flavor.
Notes
- For extra heat, add a diced jalapeño or a pinch of cayenne pepper with the spices in step 2.
- You can swap coconut milk for heavy cream if you prefer a richer, dairy-based creaminess.
- This soup freezes well without the grilled cheese croutons; add croutons fresh when reheating.
