Chipotle Pumpkin Soup with Apple Relish

The origins of this soup date back two years when I made it for friends over for lunch one Autumn Sunday. I'm not a pumpkin fan, but for reasons I cannot explain now, I was uncharacteristically inspired to make a pumpkin-centric soup. I knew - for my sake - that this soup would need bold flavors to offset the pumpkin. So I used a Mexican flavor profile, confident that smoky chili powder, chipotles in adobo, and perky lime would lift the pumpkin out of its one-dimensional life. Then I flared out the soup with fun additions like chickpeas and an apple relish topping for a fresh and bright crunch factor.

To my surprise, I liked the soup and received enthusiastic compliments from not only our friends, but also their eight-year old son. In the weeks and years that followed, those friends have incorporated this recipe into their regular meal rotation and their son continues to enjoy it. The recipe has remained in our rotation as well with some tweaks made along the way to make it a truly substantial one-pot meal. What you’ll find below is the result of the soup's evolution, which includes red lentils and chickpea pasta, the latter of which cooks directly in the soup the final five minutes. Chickpeas can be used instead of pasta, but be sure to read the headnotes first if you go that route.

Chipotle Pumpkin Soup with Apple Relish

Serves 6
Notes: Recipe calls for two chipotles (from a can of chipotle in adobo). If you're sensitive to spice, adjust accordingly or use only the adobo sauce from the can. Recipe calls for chickpea pasta - I use the Banza brand and like the small elbow shape. To make this a truly minimal meal, I cook the pasta directly in the soup during the final 5 minutes. This results in a substantially thicker soup, especially with leftovers. If you prefer a thinner soup consider cooking the pasta separately and adding to individual bowls before ladling soup over top. Or add one can of drained/rinsed chickpeas in place of the pasta. In either scenario, reduce the amount of water called for in the soup, as instructed in ingredient list below.

• Extra-virgin olive oil or ghee

• 1 small-medium onion, diced

• 2 tsp. chili powder

• 2 chipotles, chopped + 1 Tbsp adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo)

• 1 cup (170 gr) red lentils, rinsed

• 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree

• 1 quart low-sodium vegetable stock

• 4 cups (1 L) water (or 2 cups/ 480 ml, if cooking pasta separately or using chickpeas)

• 1 tsp. salt

• 4 oz chickpea pasta (I like the Banza elbow pasta)

• Juice of 1 lime

• Toppings: Apple Relish (recipe below); hot sauce (such as Tabasco)

1. Add olive oil to a large soup pot over medium heat. Cook onions until beginning to soften (2 minutes). Season with salt and pepper. Stir in chili powder and chopped chipotles and adobo sauce.

2. Add red lentils, pumpkin puree, vegetable stock, water and salt. Raise heat to high, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a strong simmer. Cook 15 minutes.

3. Stir in pasta and cook 5 more minutes (covered), or until pasta is just done, stirring occasionally. (It will continue to cook in the hot soup.)

4. Stir in lime, taste and adjust for seasoning if needed.

5. Ladle into bowls and serve topped with apple relish and if desired, hot sauce.

Apple Relish

• 1 apple, small dice

• 1/2 small red onion, finely diced

• Handful of cilantro, finely chopped

• Lime, to taste

• Salt, to taste

1. Add relish ingredients to a small mixing bowl and stir to combine.