Recipe: Pumpkin Leek Soup With Smoked Paprika

Warm up with this nutrient-dense soup, loaded with essential vitamins and minerals. Smoked paprika gives this dish a kick, but standard paprika tastes great too.

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 pounds sugar pumpkin or kabocha squash
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 leeks (white and light green part), sliced into thin half moons and rinsed
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for serving
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400 F. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Place the cut sides down on a sheet pan and roast until tender, 50 to 60 minutes.
2. Scoop out the flesh (about 3 cups) and set aside. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
3. Add the leeks and celery, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Add 5 cups of water, the roasted pumpkin, thyme, salt, paprika, cayenne and black pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Use a regular or handheld blender to puree the soup until smooth.
7. If the soup is too thick, add more water as necessary and heat until warm. Serve topped with the extra thyme leaves and a sprinkle of paprika.

Ingredient health benefits

• Pumpkin. Maybe you’ve waited all year to use this superfood in a recipe, or maybe you’ve simply decided you want to make a dish that screamed, “Fall is here!” Either way, pumpkin has plenty of perks to pamper your palate. Vitamin A, zeaxanthin and lutein help keep your eyes and vision in top shape. Your heart and gut will also appreciate the potassium and fiber. Anti-inflammatory antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, iron and carotenoids strengthen your immunity and fight harmful, subatomic particles called free radicals. And don’t toss the seeds when you’re done prepping! They’re loaded with magnesium and zinc, minerals that also help to fortify your immune cells. Rinse off your seeds, let them dry, throw some spices on them and put them in the oven for tasty soup garnish or a delicious snack for later.
• Extra virgin olive oil. What’s not to love about an ingredient you can pour in a pan? Extra virgin olive oil is full of heart-healthy unsaturated fats that raise your “good” (HDL) cholesterol and lower your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol, as well as polyphenols that reduce inflammation. There are fat-soluble vitamins, too — like vitamin D and vitamin E, which support many aspects of your overall health from your bones to your immune system. Natural properties in olive oil may also help decrease your cancer risk as a regular feature of your everyday meals.
• Celery. It doesn’t look all that impressive, but celery is more than a common soup ingredient. It’s packed with flavonoids, potassium, vitamin C and beneficial natural compounds. These nutrients help lower your blood pressure, promote your immune system and reduce unwanted inflammation. Celery is also a source of bone-building vitamin K, as well as vitamin B9 (folate) to help support many other vital aspects of your well-being. And because this stalky vegetable is mostly water, it’s a food that hydrates you while you munch on it.
• Garlic. A vampire-free lifestyle isn’t the only benefit that garlic can provide. It may also boost your immunity as part of a nutritious meal or snack, and it might help your body keep your blood pressure in an optimal range. Certain compounds may even kill off bad bacteria that can hang around in your food like Salmonella. It’s so nutritious that it’s one of those superfoods you’ve likely never heard of.

Nutrition information (per serving)

Servings = 6

Calories: 230
Total fat: 5 g
Saturated fat: 1 g
Protein: 4 g
Carbohydrate: 47 g
Dietary fiber: 8 g
Sugar: 9 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 270 mg

— Recipe developed by cookbook author Sara Quessenberry for Cleveland Clinic Wellness.