Easy Eats: Pumpkin soup with crunchy halloumi gnocchi

Sam Parish's take on pumpkin soup is anything but boring, thanks to a crispy, cheesy gnocchi topping. Photo: Sam Parish

Pumpkin soup is a comforting classic, perfect for a cosy night in — but do you find the kids end up eating more buttered bread than the soup itself? This version takes soup up a notch with the genius addition of crispy gnocchi and halloumi. The combination of textures and flavour contrasts makes each bite even better than traditional soup. Plus, you’ll have extra soup to freeze for a quick meal another day.

No shame if you skip making the soup and grab a can instead, then carry on with the crispy gnocchi. Whatever works!

Serves 4 (with leftover soup for the freezer) / Prep time: 15 minutes / Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 1.5kg pumpkin, skin removed, chopped into 3cm pieces
• 1/4 cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 carrot, chopped (optional, but adds good colour and sweetness)
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, bruised
• 2 Tbsp red lentils
• 1 sprig rosemary, leaves picked
• ¼ cup (60ml) olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1.5L (6 cups) chicken stock
• 300ml cream
• 1 Tbsp miso paste

For the crispy gnocchi and halloumi:

• 200g halloumi, chopped into 1cm pieces
• 500g store-bought gnocchi
• 2 Tbsp flaked almonds
• 4 kale leaves, stems removed and torn

Method

Preheat oven to 210°C.

Place the pumpkin, cauliflower, onion, garlic, lentils, rosemary, and 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan and toss to combine. Add the tomato paste and place over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes or until aromatic. Then, add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender and soft.

Use a stick blender to purée the mixture, then add the cream and miso and stir to combine. Season to taste.

Meanwhile, to make the gnocchi en croute, toss the halloumi, gnocchi, kale, almonds, and remaining oil on a baking tray. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the gnocchi is golden and the kale is charred.

Divide the soup between bowls and top with the crispy gnocchi mix. Enjoy!

Photo: Sam Parish

Sam Parish is a Christchurch-based chef, writer and food stylist. Her food philosophy is ‘maximum of flavour, minimum of fuss’ (MOFMOF), which means she’s all about cooking smarter, not harder. She’ll be sharing delicious, fast, family-friendly food ideas every Wednesday (after road-testing them on her own whānau, of course). Sam’s first book, Cook Me is out now.