October. You are so good to me. Our anniversary and my birthday all in one little cozy month. Naturally, my favorite month. I’m a sucker for the weather, Halloween celebrations and of course, the food. Pumpkin, squash, stews and soups make me so happy this time of year.
Once the temps drastically dropped last week, I took to the kitchen to explore a soup that’s been so hard to recreate since going dairy-free. The all-mighty classic, tomato. I’ve tried, unsuccessfully in the past to get the richness and flavor or creamy tomato soup but adding coconut milk just didn’t cut it for me. I searched my pantry for an alternative. A-ha! Canned pumpkin. An obvious choice after picking up an entire crate at Costco to add some depth and sweetness. Plus, there’s a little booze to give it that extra umph. If you’re wanting a boost of protein, I added andouille sausage to a batch.
- 1 Tablespoon avocado or olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 1 large stalk of celery, diced or ½ cup
- 1 large carrot, diced or ½ cup
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes (I used Muir Glen)
- 1 can pumpkin puree (I used organic)
- ½ cup light coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons bourbon (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1½ Tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Coat a dutch oven or large pot with oil
- Cook garlic, celery, carrots and onion over medium heat for about 10 minutes
- Add tomatoes, pumpkin, coconut milk, bourbon, spices, syrup and lemon juice and bring to a boil
- Bring the temperature to medium-low and let simmer for 10 minutes
- Use an immersion blender to puree to your preference or blend in batches carefully
