Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Sinodun Hill, Fresh Thyme and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

There are few things more welcome on a chilly autumn afternoon than a bowl of homemade pumpkin soup. Roasting the pumpkin first brings out its natural sweetness, giving the finished soup a rich, mellow flavour and beautiful golden colour.

We like to finish ours with pieces of soft goat's cheese, allowing them to gently soften into the warm soup. A scattering of toasted pumpkin seeds adds a satisfying crunch, while fresh thyme brings a lovely fragrant, earthy note.

It's a simple, comforting recipe and a delicious way to make the most of the pumpkins and squash that have been decorating your home throughout autumn.

Choosing your cheese

For this recipe, we recommend a soft, unashed, mousse-like goat's cheese with a delicate acidity and a fresh, citrusy character.

The gentle tang of goat's milk provides a lovely contrast to the sweetness of roasted pumpkin, while the light, creamy texture allows the cheese to soften beautifully against the warmth of the soup. Look for a cheese with a natural, wrinkled rind and a centre that's soft enough to scoop with a spoon.

Paxton's top pick: Sinodun Hill

Made by Fraser Norton and Rachel Yarrow on their farm in Carmarthenshire, Sinodun Hill is a delicate, pyramid-shaped goat's cheese with a beautiful ivory-coloured, wrinkled rind.

Made using a slow, traditional process, it develops a remarkably smooth, mousse-like texture and a fresh citrus flavour, with gentle notes of almond as it matures.

The lightness of Sinodun Hill makes it a wonderful finishing cheese for soup. Rather than disappearing entirely into the liquid, it softens into little pockets of creamy richness, adding freshness and complexity to every spoonful.

Ingredients

Serves 4 | Preparation: 15 minutes | Cooking: 40–45 minutes

• 900g prepared pumpkin or winter squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks

• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into wedges

• 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 700–800ml vegetable stock

• 100g soft, mousse-like goat's cheese, such as Sinodun Hill

• 5–6 sprigs fresh thyme, plus extra to garnish

• 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

• A small pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Roast the pumpkin. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan. Arrange the pumpkin, onion and garlic cloves on a large baking tray. Add the thyme sprigs, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss everything together and roast for 30–35 minutes, turning halfway through, until the pumpkin is tender and beginning to caramelise at the edges.

2. Prepare the soup. Remove the woody thyme stalks and transfer the roasted pumpkin and onion to a large saucepan. Squeeze the softened garlic from its skins and add to the pan, along with any roasted thyme leaves and the nutmeg.

3. Add the stock. Pour in 700ml of the vegetable stock and bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes, allowing the flavours to come together.

4. Blend until smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and blend using a stick blender, or carefully transfer the mixture to a jug blender in batches. Blend until beautifully smooth, adding more vegetable stock as needed to achieve your preferred consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

5. Toast the seeds. While the soup is simmering, place the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Toast for 2–3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from the heat and set aside.

6. Finish with cheese. Ladle the hot soup into warmed bowls. Break the goat's cheese into generous, uneven pieces and arrange over the surface. Scatter with toasted pumpkin seeds and fresh thyme leaves, finishing with a little freshly ground black pepper.

Serve immediately, allowing the Sinodun Hill to soften gently into the soup.

Making the most of your pumpkin

If you're preparing a whole pumpkin, there's no need to throw away the seeds. Separate them from the stringy flesh, rinse thoroughly and pat dry before spreading them on a baking tray.

Toss with a little olive oil and salt, then roast at 160°C fan for approximately 15–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp. Unlike the hulled green seeds commonly sold in shops, seeds taken straight from a pumpkin retain their outer shells, so they may need a little longer to roast.

They're delicious scattered over soup, and any extras can be kept in an airtight container for snacking.

Leftover roasted pumpkin can also be frozen in portions, ready for another batch of soup whenever the mood strikes.