Roasted Pumpkin Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 1 kgroasted pumpkin purée
• a generous splash, plus a drizzle to serveextra virgin olive oil
• 440 gsweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 mediumonion, sliced
• 125 mlfresh orange or clementine juice
• 4–5 small sprigsthyme
• 3–4 leavessage
• 140 g, plus a little extra to servefeta, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoonsmoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoonground allspice
• 1/3 teaspoonground nutmeg
• 375 mlhot water or vegetable or chicken stock

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oil

   Warm a generous splash of olive oil in a medium-sized cooking pot.

2. 2

   Soften the onion

   Cook the sliced onion over moderate heat for 8–10 minutes, until soft and translucent.

3. 3

   Add the herbs

   Stir in the sage leaves and thyme, and cook for 1 minute.

4. 4

   Cook the potato

   Add the cubed sweet potato and cook for 2–3 minutes.

5. 5

   Reduce the juice

   Pour in the orange or clementine juice and cook until it has almost completely evaporated.

6. 6

   Add feta and spices

   Add the crumbled feta, allspice, smoked paprika and nutmeg.

7. 7

   Add the liquid

   Pour in 375 ml hot water or stock.

8. 8

   Simmer the potato

   Cover the pot and simmer over low heat until the sweet potato is cooked.

9. 9

   Stir in pumpkin

   Add the roasted pumpkin purée and 125 ml water. Stir well, then replace the lid.

10. 10

    Simmer the soup

    Cook for a further 10–15 minutes over moderate heat.

11. 11

    Blend and season

    Pulse the soup with an immersion blender, then taste and check whether it needs salt.

12. 12

    Finish and serve

    Serve with a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil, a little extra feta and paprika, if you like.

What is roasted pumpkin and sweet potato soup?

This Greek-inspired soup brings together roasted pumpkin and sweet potato with feta, herbs and warming spices. The vegetables make it thick and gently sweet, while feta and citrus give the flavour a savoury, tangy edge.

Roasting the pumpkin before it goes into the pot gives the purée a concentrated flavour, and cooking the sweet potato in the soup builds its body. The recipe finishes with olive oil and extra feta for contrast.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 190 calories, 7g protein, 31g carbs, 6g fat.

The pumpkin, sweet potato and orange juice contribute most of the carbohydrates, while olive oil and feta provide much of the fat. Feta also contributes protein, alongside smaller amounts from the vegetables. To balance the plate, serve a bowl with a side of vegetables or salad.

The vegetables and feta

Pumpkin purée: use roasted pumpkin purée as specified, rather than raw chunks; it is stirred in after the sweet potato has started cooking.

Sweet potato: cut it into evenly sized cubes so the pieces soften at a similar pace. Feta: crumbling it into the pot lets its salty, tangy flavour mingle with the vegetables.

Build flavour in the pot

Onion: give it the full 8–10 minutes over moderate heat to become soft and translucent without rushing it. Sage and thyme go in next and need just 1 minute to release their aroma.

Citrus: let the orange or clementine juice cook down until almost gone before adding the feta and spices. This keeps the soup from tasting sharply diluted.

Get the texture right

Sweet potato: simmer it covered over low heat until it is cooked through; check a cube with a fork before adding the pumpkin. The recipe gives no fixed time for this stage, so use tenderness as your cue.

Blending: pulse with an immersion blender until the soup reaches your preferred smoothness. Blend carefully in the pot to avoid splashes.

Mind the liquid

The method adds hot water or stock before the first covered simmer, then adds another 125 ml water with the pumpkin purée. Keep to these stages so the soup has time to cook and its consistency stays thick.

Use vegetable or chicken stock if you want more savoury depth, or water for a simpler flavour. Taste after blending and add salt only if needed, since feta can already bring saltiness.

Serving suggestions

Finish each bowl with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a little crumbled feta. A light dusting of paprika is optional, as is the extra feta mentioned for serving.

Serve it as a filling starter or pair it with bread for a more substantial meal. The soup is already thick and starchy, so a simple accompaniment works well.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the sweet potato into similar-sized cubes for more even cooking.
• Keep the onion over moderate heat and cook it until translucent, rather than letting it brown.
• Use hot water or stock as directed to keep the simmering stages steady.
• Check that the sweet potato is tender before adding the pumpkin purée.
• Taste the blended soup before adding salt, as the feta is already salty.
• Add the finishing olive oil and feta just before serving.

Variations

• Choose the citrus: use fresh orange or clementine juice as listed for a gently bright flavour.
• Switch the stock: use vegetable stock or chicken stock in place of water for a more savoury base.
• Adjust the finish: add paprika with the extra feta if you want a more pronounced spiced finish.
• Make it smoother: blend for longer with the immersion blender for a more uniform texture.
• Keep it simple: use water instead of stock to let the pumpkin, sweet potato and herbs lead.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Rushing the onion: it needs 8–10 minutes to soften and turn translucent; lower the heat if it starts browning.
• Adding pumpkin too early: wait until the sweet potato has had its covered simmer, then stir in the purée.
• Skipping the juice reduction: cook it until almost gone before adding the feta and spices.
• Stopping before the potato is tender: test a cube with a fork before moving to the pumpkin stage.
• Salting without tasting: blend first and check the seasoning, since feta adds saltiness.
• Blending carelessly: keep the immersion blender submerged to reduce splashing.

How to store

Cool leftovers and refrigerate them in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; loosen with a little water or stock if the soup has thickened.

Frequently asked questions