Easy & Healthy Pumpkin Peanut Soup: A Nutritious Recipe

Pumpkin peanut soup is a simple yet incredibly nutritious dish, suitable for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals. With the sweet flavor of pumpkin combined with the creamy richness of peanuts, this soup is sure to please the whole family. Let’s explore how to cook delicious, wholesome, and easy-to-make pumpkin peanut soup right now.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Peanut Soup (Serves 2)

• Pumpkin: 150 gr (about 1/2 small pumpkin)
• Peanuts: 50 gr
• Green onions: 2 stalks
• Shallots: 1 bulb
• Vegetarian seasoning powder: 1 tablespoon
• Salt/ground pepper: A pinch
• Cooking oil: 1 teaspoon

A bowl of delicious pumpkin peanut soup, garnished with green onions.

How to Choose Fresh Ingredients

How to Choose Fresh and Delicious Pumpkin

• Depending on your preference, you can choose round pumpkin, ‘hồ lô’ (bottle gourd) pumpkin, or ‘mật’ (honey) pumpkin for this soup.
• When buying pumpkin, prioritize those that feel heavy and firm when held, without bruises, cuts, or deep blemishes.
• If you don’t plan to use the pumpkin immediately after purchase, choose those with stems longer than 2cm. These pumpkins tend to last longer without spoiling quickly.
• Avoid buying pumpkins that show signs of being soft, slimy, or have soft and bruised stems.

How to Choose Flavorful Peanuts

• Good peanuts are plump and round, with even-sized kernels, not mixed with shriveled, spoiled, or moldy ones.
• Additionally, good peanuts will have a shiny outer shell. When pressed with your finger, the peanut should feel firm and full.
• Do not choose peanuts that have an unusual smell or abnormal marks on them.

Utensils Needed

• Peeler, knife, pot, mortar, pestle, etc.

How to Prepare Pumpkin Peanut Soup

Prepare the Pumpkin

Upon purchase, peel the pumpkin, wash it thoroughly, and drain. Next, use a knife to cut the pumpkin into bite-sized pieces, approximately 1.5 – 2 finger-lengths long.

Chef's hands peeling and cutting a pumpkin into bite-sized pieces.

Prepare Other Ingredients

Peel the shallots, wash them, and slice them thinly. After removing the roots and damaged leaves from the green onions, wash them and chop them finely. Wash the peanuts once with water, pick out any spoiled kernels, and then use a pestle to lightly crush them.

Chopped green onions, sliced shallots, and crushed peanuts on a cutting board, ready for cooking.

Cook the Soup

Place a pot on the stove, add 1 teaspoon of cooking oil and the thinly sliced shallots, and sauté until fragrant. Add 1 liter of water along with the crushed peanuts. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the water boils, then skim off any foam. Add the pumpkin and simmer for another 8-10 minutes, then season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of vegetarian seasoning powder. Cook for about 2 more minutes until the soup boils again, then taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Ladle the soup into a bowl. Sprinkle with a little ground pepper and chopped green onions for an appetizing finish!

Pumpkin and crushed peanuts simmering in a pot of broth on a stove.

Finished Dish

After cooking, the pumpkin peanut soup will have an enticing aroma from the sautéed shallots. When eaten, you’ll experience the soft, sweet pumpkin combined with the delicious creaminess of the crushed peanuts. To fully enjoy the appealing flavor of this dish, you can serve it with rice. Remember, it’s best enjoyed hot!

A close-up of a steaming bowl of pumpkin peanut soup, garnished with fresh herbs and ready to be served.

Conclusion

Pumpkin peanut soup is a simple yet nutritious dish, suitable for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals. With these detailed and easy-to-follow instructions, you can easily prepare this soup at home. Try it now to experience the delicious and wholesome flavor of pumpkin peanut soup. We wish you success and a delightful meal!

If you want to discover more soup recipes, please refer to how to make pumpkin peanut soup for more options for your family meals.