Ingredients
- 1 (3-lb.) sugar pumpkin, butternut squash, or kabocha squash
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 large onion)
- 1 1/2 cups chopped celery (about 3 stalks)
- 1/2 cup chopped carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 4 thyme sprigs, plus more for topping
- 1 sage sprig
- 1 oregano sprig
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons sour cream
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- Pumpkin seeds for topping (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut pumpkin into quarters; discard seeds. Place on a baking sheet, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Bake in preheated oven until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool until easy to handle. Remove skin, and discard. Set aside 1 1/2 cups (about 15 ounces) cooked pumpkin; reserve remaining pumpkin for another use.
2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, sage, and oregano; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, 8 to 10 minutes. (Do not brown.) Add salt and turmeric; cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth and 1 1/2 cups cooked pumpkin; bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove and discard herb sprigs.
3. Place half of pumpkin mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure lid on blender, and place a clean towel over opening in lid. Process until mixture is very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining pumpkin mixture.
4. Whisk together sour cream and milk in a small bowl. Divide soup evenly among 6 shallow bowls; drizzle with sour cream mixture, and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, if desired.
