Rustic Pumpkin Soup with Crispy Chickpeas and Rye Croutons

Ingredients

• 400 g pumpkin (Peeled down to the orange flesh; reserve the seeds)
• 1 bell pepper (Whole)
• 1 carrot (Large, cut into pieces)
• 0.5 onion
• 3 garlic (Cloves)
• 1 chili pepper
• oil (A few sprays for the vegetables; additional sprays for the chickpeas, seeds, and bread)
• salt (As needed)
• pepper (As needed)
• 230 g chickpeas (Drained; the quantity appears in the video together with the package)
• 1 fetta rye bread (Cut into cubes)
• pumpkin seeds (Reserved from the pumpkin; toasted in a pan)
• 300 g fat-free cottage cheese
• nutmeg (A little)
• paprika (A little)
• water (As needed to blend)
• 30 g tomato paste (Optional: the author says it would work well, but did not add it because it had run out)

Steps

1. 1

   Peel the pumpkin with a vegetable peeler, also removing the pale layer beneath the skin until you reach the orange flesh. Cut it in half and weigh out about 400 g; set the seeds aside.

2. 2

   Arrange the pumpkin, whole bell pepper, large carrot cut into pieces, and half an onion on a baking tray. Place the garlic cloves and chili pepper in the pumpkin cavity.

3. 3

   Add a few sprays of oil to the vegetables and season with salt and pepper.

4. 4

   Bake in a convection oven at 180 °C for about 45 minutes. Check halfway through cooking: the onion may be ready sooner, so remove it from the tray when cooked.

5. 5

   Meanwhile, drain and rinse the chickpeas. If you like, remove the skins (the author does this but notes that it is not necessary), then dry them very thoroughly.

6. 6

   Season the chickpeas with a little oil, salt, and pepper. Cook them in an air fryer at 170 °C for 18 minutes, or in the preheated oven.

7. 7

   Cut one slice of rye bread into cubes.

8. 8

   Remove the seeds from the pumpkin and season them with a couple of sprays of oil. Toast them in a pan, then remove them from the pan.

9. 9

   In the same pan, toast the rye bread cubes.

10. 10

    After about 45 minutes, check the pumpkin with a fork: when tender, transfer the vegetables to a pot. Cut the pumpkin into pieces and add the onion, carrot, and the other roasted vegetables.

11. 11

    Clean the bell pepper, removing the skin and seeds, and add it to the pot.

12. 12

    Add the fat-free cottage cheese, a little nutmeg and paprika, then enough water to blend. Tomato paste (30 g) is suggested as a possible addition, but the author did not use it.

13. 13

    Blend everything, keeping the consistency somewhat coarse and rustic rather than making it perfectly smooth.

14. 14

    Divide the soup between two bowls. Top with the rye croutons, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a generous handful of crispy chickpeas.

Notes

Tomato paste was not used; 30 g is a suggested variation. The video gives conflicting nutritional values: the description states 33 g of protein and 22.5 g of fiber per serving, while the spoken values are approximately 523 kcal, 33 g of protein, and 22 g of fiber. The amounts of water, oil, seeds, and seasonings are not specified.

Nutrition per serving

• dinner
• main
• vegetarian
• high-protein
• high-fiber
• meat-free
• oven
• air fryer