Pumpkin & Wild Rice Soup

Happy first day of Autumn! I'm continuing the Pumpkin Soup Sunday Series over on my Instagram and today's soup is a DELICIOUS Pumpkin & Wild Rice Soup.

Here are a few tips when making this soup:

WHAT PUMPKIN TO USE

Use a sugar pumpkin or baking pumpkin. The larger carving pumpkins don't have as much flavor and they are way too big.. you'll have a ton of pumpkin left over.

WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER

If you have a vegetable chopper, use that for the Pumpkin. You'll get even, bite-sized pieces of pumpkin. Also, having a good, sharp knife is advisable for making the pumpkin cutting easier.

Check out the Food Chopper I use HERE.

The Dalstrong knife I use that is like cutting butter is HERE.

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

3 Carrots, peeled and diced

3 Stalks of Celery, sliced

1 Md. Onion, diced

2 Cloves of Garlic, minced

1 Sugar Pumpkin, peeled, gutted, and chopped (about 2 Cups)

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Thyme

2 Bay Leaves

1 Cup of Wild Rice, rinsed

6 Cups of Vegetable Broth, I use Better than Bullion

1 Can of White Beans, drained

1/2 Cup of Half & Half

GROCERY LIST HERE

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prep all your ingredients as instructed above. Soak the Wild Rice in water while you cook the vegetables.

2. In a Dutch Oven, add in your Olive Oil on Medium High heat. Add in the Onion, Carrots, and Celery. Cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

3. Stir in the Garlic, Spices, and Wild Rice (drain from the water it's soaking in prior). Stir well. Add in the Vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 30 minutes.

4. Next, add in the White Beans and Half & Half. Stir well, cover the pot and cook for another 10 minutes.

Serve hot and garnish with croutons, roasted pumpkin seeds, or enjoy with a piece of warm bread.

The soup will thicken once stored in the fridge due to the rice. Add some more vegetable broth when reheating.