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I'm crazy about all the season of the year but I believe fall is my favorite! I love the breathtaking foliage displays, the cool crisp days, the long cozy evenings inside AND I wait all year for the fabulous culinary flavors and ingredients the season brings; aromas of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger, crisp sweet/tart apples, luscious succulent pears leaving sweet juice running down your chin .... pumpkins in every size, color and texture, round, oblong and crook necked squashes, crunchy pecans, tart ruby cranberries - oh, I could go on and on......... While I thoroughly enjoy the traditional cakes, cobblers, salads, soups etc. that these ingredients yield themselves so well to, every now and then, I like to discover and invent fun new twists on these quintessential autumn flavors.
This Curried Coconut Pumpkin Soup with Chicken and Jasmine Rice is a delicious, low fat healthy soup that shouts with vibrant fresh flavor. It comes together quickly (utilizing canned pumpkin), can be prepared ahead and simply re-warmed before serving. I like to keep the chicken, rice, fresh herbs and avocado separate; then combine them in the bowl for a lovely presentation. If you're tired of the same ho hum recipes, put a little fall-ish pizazz in your menu planing and give this wonderful soup a try!
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Curried Coconut Pumpkin Soup with Chicken and Jasmine Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup roughly chopped shallots
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger
- 2 stalks lemongrass, tender inner stalks only, coarsely chopped
- ½ teaspoon garlic chili sauce or 1 teaspoon Sriracha, available in the Asian section of most larger grocery stores
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons mild curry powder
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree, not pie filling as this has sugar and spices
- 3 cans light coconut milk, I like the Trader Joe's brand
- 4 tablespoons fish sauce, available in the Asian section of most larger grocery stores
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 6 ounces baby arugula or spinach, long stems removed
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh basil
- 2-3 cups shredded chicken breast, from a rotisserie chicken or leftover roasted chicken, grilled chicken or roasted chicken breasts*
- 1-2 cups cooked jasmine rice
- For the garnish:
- 1 medium avocado, halved, cored, peeled and thinly sliced (keep from browning by sprinkling with a bit of lemon or lime juice)
- 2 green onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add fresh ginger, lemongrass, garlic chili sauce, coriander, cumin, and curry powder and cook another 30 seconds or until aromatic.
- Add chicken broth and canned pumpkin and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Let cool slightly and blend with an immersion blender or in a regular blender until smooth. If using a regular blender, return to pot and turn heat back to medium. Add coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice and brown sugar and return to a low simmer. Add spinach (or arugula) and fresh basil and removed from heat.
- To serve, place approximately ¼-1/3 cup chicken in each of 6 shallow serving bowls. Ladle soup into bowls and place approximately ¼ cup rice in the center. Arrange avocado decoratively on one side of the rice and sprinkle each serving with cilantro and sliced green onions. Serve - and expect rave reviews!
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I was looking for a change of the usual pumpkin soup. I just found it. I tried this recipe with friends and every ones just LOVED IT. The avocado that just melt in the mouth. Just amazing. Thanks for sharing your Recipe
Nathalie
Thanks for your comment Nathalie! We love anything pumpkin here at the Café in the fall.
HI! This looks so good. I am going to try it for a dinner party this weekend! Can you tell me how many the recipe serves? I did not see that named. I will definitely pass along your site when it is a hit!
I may try your jicama salad too! 🙂
Wow, Chris, this sounds and LOOKS soooooooooooooooo delicious! I've not cooked much w/lemongrass and must start experimenting...a perfect way to start w/your pumpkin soup!! Love love it!!
I have made this and it is AH-MAZ-ZING!!! The first time I made it, I used what had, which was a 28-oz can of pumpkin puree and one can of coconut milk. totally reversing the ratio. It was so good this way, I haven't even wanted to try the real way (skipping 2 cans of coconut milk seems like a good thing). I was also having vegetarian friends over (one eats seafood, her daugher does not) so I used vegetable broth instead of chicken, 2 T soy and 1 t mustard instead of fish sauce, and separated out a batch for the non-fish-eater, then threw in a half pound of shrimp for the rest of us. It was a HUGE hit!
THAT looks SO Beautiful! And of course yummy, but just a great sounding bowl of warmth. I can't wait to try this. Thanks so much for posting.
Kathleen
I made this last night. So good!
I love curry dishes......this soup sounds delicious.
Hi Lora, I'm so glad you enjoyed this yummy soup and thank you for your very kind words - like I said yesterday, you are very sweet and have a lovely way with words, Chris
@The Café Sucré FarineI can assure you that a career in the diplomatic corps is not in my future, but it is sweet of you to say. Thank you for the edit. I made the soup before getting back to your edit and added the canned pumpkin hoping I was correct. It was fabulous. You and I seem to approach food in the same way. Of the myriad of blogs I read, it seems I make your recipes most often. Your alchemy is delightful!
Wow this is definitely a twist! I've always thought that avocado in hot stuff was a bit odd but I really should try it. It has been popping up everywhere.
This soup sounds heavenly. I just know I would enjoy a bowl of this soup. Blessings, Catherine xo
Oh my goodness this soup looks sensational! In some ways it reminds me of a mulligatawny soup which I love.
I make soup a lot during the winter months. I'll be sure to try this one.
Hey, hey, hey! Your photographer/editor might go on strike tonight if you hide this soup, yum!
Love ya,
Your photographer, editor, husband!!
Veronica, I'm so sorry your soup turned out so bad - you might need to make this one just to redeem pumpkin soup! I just had it again for lunch and it is wonderful - I'm thinking about hiding what's left and not sharing anymore of it - but don't tell the photographer/editor! 🙂
I've been looking for something to get me out of my cooking slump... I think I've found it! This soup looks so wonderful and has me wanting to go pull ingredients to put it together!
Thanks Richard, that would be fine - looks like modish.co.uk is a fun site!
Love your recipe. Would you mind if I included it with the recipes on mydish.co.uk?. They always love more chicken recipes ! 🙂
OMG! This is outstanding! Totally bookmarked!
I love this time of year too. I also love this soup - it's beautiful and looks so flavorful & delicious.
that looks delicious! not to mention healthy!!
mmmmm....yummy soup! just like you I love anything curry ! 🙂
Thanks a lot for visiting my space and making my day with your beautiful comments!!
Regards,
Manju
http://manjuseatingdelights.blogspot.com
Thai inspired dishes are among my favourite and I really enjoy curry this time of year; wonderful thermogenic properties! So fun that you added the rice right in the soup - great idea. Loving the sweet basil, coconut and avocado here... lovely.
Thai inspired dishes are among my favourite and I really enjoy curry this time of year; wonderful thermogenic properties! So fun that you added the rice right in the soup - great idea. Loving the sweet basil, coconut and avocado here... lovely.
I just made a pumpkin curry soup that was so HORRIBLE that I shudder just to think about it. It was wrong in so many ways I seriously could not eat it-I had to throw it out. I know this recipe would be a winner, though--it looks so lovely and sounds delish!
This looks delicious, love the colors!
Lora, you said that in such a sweet way - I hope you are involved with some type of diplomatic work! 🙂 No, this is what happens when you make up recipes and I totally need extra eyes to check up on me! Thanks so much, I have added the pumpkin to the recipe.
My tastebuds would do the happy dance for sure with this one. So many flavors in one beautiful bowl. Yay Chris!!!!
I can tell you're a nurse by the title. 🙂
I pinned this--plan to try it with all those cans of pumpkin I stockpiled.
This pumpkin soup truly stands out amongst the crowd.
Yummm...This looks like an amazing combination of flavors!
This sounds so good. Your photo is great...like fall in a bowl.
I have read over the recipe several times, and because it is early, I probably am not seeing the amount of pumpkin we are supposed to use. This sounds fabulous and I would love to make it. Am I just missing the pumpkin?