Velvety Pumpkin and Carrot Soup

With pleasure! The pumpkin and carrot velouté is a warm and comforting dish, perfect for colder days. Here is the recipe with an Italian touch.

Ingredients

• 500 g pumpkin
• 200 g carrots
• 1 onion
• 1 liter vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Nutmeg (optional)
• Grated Parmesan for serving (optional)
• A little liquid cream or Greek yogurt for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. Clean the pumpkin, removing the seeds and skin, and cut it into cubes.
2. Clean the carrots and slice them into rounds.
3. Peel and finely slice the onion.
4. In a large pot, heat a drizzle of oil and sauté the onion until it becomes translucent.
5. Add the pumpkin cubes and carrot rounds. Let them flavor for a few minutes.
6. Cover the vegetables with the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let cook until the pumpkin and carrots are soft, about 20-30 minutes.
7. Blend the vegetables with an immersion blender until you obtain a velvety consistency.
8. Adjust with salt and pepper and, if desired, add a sprinkle of nutmeg.
9. Serve the velouté hot, adding a drizzle of raw oil and, if you like, a spoonful of liquid cream or Greek yogurt and grated Parmesan.

The velouté can be enriched with toasted bread croutons, toasted pumpkin seeds or chopped fresh aromatic herbs.

Trivia

The origins of this cream are very ancient and are linked to the peasant tradition of preparing hearty dishes with available vegetables. The pumpkin and carrot velouté, in particular, is appreciated for its sweet and delicate flavor and its nutritional properties, such as the richness in beta-carotene, vitamins and minerals.