Roast Pumpkin & Thyme Soup w/ Crispy Chickpeas
A very simple pumpkin soup made snazzy with pesto and crispy chickpeas. Because we all need a bit of snazz.
Ingredients
Approx. 2kg pumpkin peeled and diced
1 brown onion diced into large chunks
2 celery sticks cut into large chunks
4 garlic cloves, skins on
Big handful of fresh thyme
1+ litres stock (we used 2 tsp urban forager chicken stock)
+
3 cups / 2 x cans cooked chickpeas
Pesto (see recipe below or use pre-made)
Method
Preheat oven to 200˚C
Chuck the veggies and herbs on an oven tray, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Keep some of the thyme under the pumpkin so it doesn’t get too crispy. Roast until soft and beginning to char on edges, about 35 minutes.
Make the crispy chickpeas at the same time; drain and wash the chickpeas then pat dry with paper towel. Toss the chickpeas on a baking tray with a generous drizzle of olive and oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the tray in the oven above the pumpkin tray and roast for about 35 minutes, shaking the tray regularly, until golden and crunchy. Let cool.
When the veggies are done, remove and let cool for a bit. Pick the thyme leaves off and keep them for the soup, discarding the woody parts. Peel the garlic and discard the skins.
Either combine all ingredients (except chickpeas) in a pot and blend with a stick blender until smooth, or transfer in batches with cold stock to blender and blitz until smooth, then pour into a pot.
Bring soup to a simmer for about 10-15 minutes to heat through, then serve with a dollop of pesto, a big handful of chickpeas and a drizzle of olive oil. Buttery toast is a must.
*Either make the pesto or buy a pre-made one if cbf. Roasting the chickpeas makes them extra delicious but you can always just roll with them straight out of the can if you’re short on time/cbf.
Early Autumn Pesto
Big handful fresh basil leaves
Big handful parsley
Small handful fresh marjoram or oregano
Small handful fresh thyme
(alternatively just use a mix of whatever fresh herbs you have, about 30g / 3 big handfuls)
1-2 x clove garlic peeled
Juice of half a small lemon
½ cup walnuts
½ cup olive oil
S&P
Method
Lightly toast the walnuts in a small frypan until beginning to brown, then set aside to cool.
Once cool, chuck everything except the olive oil in a food processor until blitzed together, then while the food processor is on, pour the olive oil in to combine. Season to taste.