Pumpkin is a winter squash but it contains less sugar than most winter squashes, making it ideal for the GAPS Introduction Diet. Pumpkins are also very easily grown so if you’re a beginner gardener looking for an easy first crop or if you only have a small amount of growing space available.
While other winter squashes like butternut squash can be tolerated by people on the GAPS Introduction Diet, it’s best to do pumpkin because it’s milder and with less sugar.
Pumpkin puree is very easy to freeze in individual portions. You can also sprout the pumpkin seeds. Both mean you can enjoy your own homegrown produce throughout the winter! Once you have the puree for this pumpkin soup recipe, you can also use it to make a pumpkin pie or use it to make GAPS Pancakes.
I usually eat a small bowl of pureed soup alongside a much larger bowl of another soup. It’s a great way to have a multi course meal on the GAPS Intro Diet.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Soup:
2-3 Small Pumpkins
4 cups of Chicken Stock
¼ of a White Onion
1 inch of Fresh Ginger
1 tsp Salt
2 Bay Leaves
1 Cinnamon Stick
Directions for Pumpkin Soup:
Preheat the oven to 400.
Cut each pumpkin in half. Remove the seeds and set aside to make sprouted pumpkin seeds.
Set each pumpkin open face side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the pumpkins in the oven.
Roast the pumpkins for about 45 minutes in the oven until the tops are soft.
Remove them from the oven and flip the pumpkins over so they cool faster.
Using a fork, carefully remove the pumpkin flesh from the skin and add to a bowl. If it’s not well cooked, it won’t remove from the skin easily.
Warm chicken stock on the stove.
Add 3 cups of pumpkin to the warmed stock. Immersion blend until well pureed. Pureeing the pumpkin on it’s own will allow the flavors of the other ingredients to meld better.
Chop onions into bite size pieces so they cook quickly. Add to the pureed mixture.
Slice ginger and add to the pureed mixture. Add the salt and mix well.
Add bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Simmer for 20 minutes. Be sure to stir as the pumpkin and liquid will separate and the pumpkin will stick to the bottom of the pan.
Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick from the mixture. Immersion blend everything again.
Enjoy! I topped mine with a dollop of creme fraiche but this is optional. Leave it off if you are not tolerating dairy.
GAPS Legal Pumpkin Soup
ingredients:
- 2-3 Small Pumpkins
- 4 cups of Chicken Stock
- ¼ of a White Onion
- 1 inch of Fresh Ginger
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
instructions:
How to cook GAPS Legal Pumpkin Soup
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Cut each pumpkin in half. Remove the seeds and set aside to make sprouted pumpkin seeds.
- Set each pumpkin open face side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the pumpkins in the oven.
- Roast the pumpkins for about 45 minutes in the oven until the tops are soft.
- Remove them from the oven and flip the pumpkins over so they cool faster.
- Using a fork, carefully remove the pumpkin flesh from the skin and add to a bowl. If it’s not well cooked, it won’t remove from the skin easily.
- Warm chicken stock on the stove.
- Add 3 cups of pumpkin to the warmed stock. Immersion blend until well pureed. Pureeing the pumpkin on it’s own will allow the flavors of the other ingredients to meld better.
- Chop onions into bite size pieces so they cook quickly. Add to the pureed mixture.
- Slice ginger and add to the pureed mixture. Add the salt and mix well.
- Add bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Simmer for 20 minutes. Be sure to stir as the pumpkin and liquid will separate and the pumpkin will stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick from the mixture. Immersion blend everything again.
- Enjoy! I topped mine with a dollop of creme fraiche but this is optional. Leave it off if you are not tolerating dairy.