Pumpkin Sesame Gochujang Soup

Pumpkin Sesame Gochujang Soup: A Flavorful Twist on Comfort Food

When the leaves start to change color and the air turns crisp, there’s nothing quite as comforting as a warm bowl of soup. Elevate your fall soup game with this scrumptious Pumpkin Sesame Gochujang Soup. This unique soup brings together a delightful fusion of flavors and textures. Undoubtedly, this is one of the best soups I have ever made.

The Ingredients:

At the heart of this soup is oven-roasted pumpkin, which adds a rich and creamy base.  Roasting enhances the pumpkin’s natural sweetness. This provides a perfect contrast to the spiciness that comes later.

This luscious soup also features sweet onions sautéed in toasted sesame oil, creating a fragrant and savory foundation.

The star of the show is undoubtedly the gochujang paste, a Korean chili paste known for its bold and fiery kick. Gochujang introduces a unique depth of flavor to the soup. It blends the smokiness of roasted pumpkin and the nuttiness of sesame oil with its spicy and slightly sweet profile. The result is a harmonious balance of heat and sweetness that sets this soup apart.

Adding to the medley of flavors is tahini, a creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds. Tahini brings a velvety texture to the soup. In addition, it adds a subtle nutty undertone. This perfectly complements the roasted pumpkin and toasted sesame oil. Also, tahini helps mellow out the heat from the gochujang.

To finish, Pumpkin Sesame Gochujang Soup is garnished with a generous sprinkle of toasted black and white sesame seeds. These tiny, crunchy seeds provide a pretty visual. Additionally, they help enhance the overall sesame flavor profile of the dish.

A delicious way to welcome the Fall season:

In addition to its exceptional taste, this soup offers a nutritional boost. Pumpkin is rich in vitamins and antioxidants, while sesame seeds are a good source of healthy fats and protein. The combination of these ingredients makes for a nourishing and satisfying meal.

Pumpkin Sesame Gochujang Soup is the perfect way to welcome the fall season.  This dish offers an innovative blend of flavors that makes you crave a second bowl. Consequently, this soup is a must-add to your autumn culinary repertoire.

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Pumpkin Sesame Gochujang Soup

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword fall recipes, gochujang, pumpkin soup, tahini

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 6

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 pie pumpkins
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 large sweet onion chopped into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons gogujiang paste
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 cup light cream
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or baking paper.

3. Place the pumpkins in the oven and bake for 30 -40 min until you can easily run a fork through them.

4. Let cool, peel & de-seed

5. Peel and dice the onion

6. Heat the same oil and fry the onion until transparent.

7. Stir in the pumpkin. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally breaking up any big pieces of pumpkin.

8. Add the vegetable broth and cream  Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a boil.

9. Stir in the gochujiang and tahini.

10. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

11. Toast the sesame seed in a naked frying pan and set aside.

12. Use a stick blender to puree the soup.

13. Cook for another 5 minutes.

14. Season with salt and pepper.

15. Transfer the soup to bowls, garnish with the toasted sesame seeds and serve.

Like this Pumpkin Sesame Gochujang Soup? Check out these recipes:

Curry Pumpkin Fries with Black Sesame Garlic Sauce

Tahini Harissa Rugelah

Toasted Sesami Poppy Seed Coriander cookies