The Great Pumpkin Experiment- Wild Rice and Pumpkin Soup, Baked in a Pumpkin

I love pumpkin. I just do. It's a good thing it's good for you! I love pie pumpkin season. I make a bunch of pumpkin puree and put it in my freezer. Today I went to the store with Piglet and we got three pie pumpkins/sugar pumpkins. I made puree with two of them and one of them I made this soup with/in. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but it was GOOD. The pumpkin tasted a little bit like a cross between acorn, butternut and spaghetti squash in this soup. (In other words, it tasted like squash- well it is isn't it???) Both the older girls like, not loved the soup- they did say the pumpkin tasted like spaghetti squash. Pixie girl wasn't as convinced, she actually wasn't hungry because I let her snack before dinner. I had to keep trying to give her bites- three, before she started eating a little. DH, who doesn't LOVE pumpkin like me said the soup was good and that he also liked it.
The presentation is fun but in the end a 4 pound pumpkin is a bit much. It would be great if we were having company. Next time I will cube the pumpkin and saute it in butter with the onions and garlic for this recipe and make it in a pot. A sprig of rosemary would be good in this or to change it up curry powder and coconut milk. I was worried that the rice wouldn't cook so I added a boil time to the recipe posted here, I didn't boil the rice, but I should of it would have cooked faster for me. All in all this was a GREAT pumpkin experiment. This recipe is a keeper and versatile too!
More with pumpkin
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Pumpkin Spice or Chai Spiced Carrots
Pumpkin Pancakes
Pumpkin Pie Shakes 2008
Pumpkin Pie Shakes 2011
Pumpkin Pie Shakes 2012
E book
Pumpkin Syrup and Chai Syrup for lattes and more
Pumpkin Puree Crock Pot
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Pumpkin and Wild Rice Soup
Search Pumpkin in the search box on the left for more!Want even more pumpkin? Search pumpkin in the search bar to your left.

GPAC Wild Rice and Pumpkin Soup

4 pound pie pumpkin
Sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 cloves garlic minced
1 small onion chopped
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup rice- I used wild rice and a short grain rice
3 cups broth or water
1 cup milk
Shredded chicken- optional, I just had some in the fridge.

Notes
- you can use all broth and just serve this with a splash of cream in each bowl, I think I might like that better
- 3 1/2 cups of broth and 1/2 cup coconut milk with curry seasonings would be a good flavor combination
- I served it with Parmesan cheese on top
- make this in a pot, saute the pumpkin, garlic and onions in a pot. Add the broth and seasonings. Bring to a boil, add rice and cook until the rice is tender. Add cream or milk in the end.
-shallots would be a great flavor instead of onions
- leftover rice would be OK to use also
- I knew I wouldn't have enough broth in the pumpkin so I had some warm and ready to add to our bowls.

The humble pie pumpkin... how I love thee, let me count the ways- In- breads, rolls, muffins, cakes, cheesecakes, rolls, pumpkin butter, pies, milk shakes, pumpkin cream cheeses, frosting's, cookies, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, soups, baked, broiled, steamed YUM, YUM, YUM. I puffy heart pumpkin.



Wash the pumpkin, cut off the top and scoop out the insides. Save the seeds for roasting!

Rub the inside with 2 tablespoons of  butter. Salt and pepper the inside.

 Saute the onion, rice, and garlic in the remaining butter. Add the broth and milk. Bring the mixture to a boil for about 5-10 minutes.
And the herbs.

Pour the broth and rice mixture into the pumpkin. Leave room for the rice to fluff up.
If there isn't enough room take some rice and broth out. Cook it in the pot and reserve it for dinner!
If you're using chicken, add it too.

Loosely cover the pumpkin with foil. Place it in a pie dish.
Bake for 2-2 1/2 hours until the pumpkin is tender and the rice is cooked.

All done! When dishing this up scoop out some pumpkin as you serve it!
And see the note about having extra broth on hand...

GPAC Wild Rice and Pumpkin Soup

4 pound pie pumpkin
Sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
4 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic minced
1 small onion chopped
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup rice- I used wild rice and a short grain rice
3 cups broth or water
1 cup milk
Shredded chicken- optional, I just had some in the fridge.

The humble pie pumpkin... how I love thee, let me count the ways- In- breads, rolls, muffins, cakes, cheesecakes, rolls, pumpkin butter, pies, milk shakes, pumpkin cream cheeses, frosting's, cookies, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, soups, baked, broiled, steamed YUM, YUM, YUM. I puffy heart pumpkin.

1. Wash the pumpkin, cut off the top and scoop out the insides. Save the seeds for roasting!
2. Rub the inside with2 tablespoons of butter. Salt and pepper the inside.
3. Saute the onion, rice, and garlic in the remaining butter. Add the broth and milk. Bring the mixture to a boil for about 5-10 minutes.
4. And the herbs.
5. If you're using chicken, add it too.
6. Pour the broth and rice mixture into the pumpkin. Leave room for the rice to fluff up.
7. If there isn't enough room take some rice and broth out.
8. Loosely cover the pumpkin with foil. Place it in a pie dish.
9. Bake for 2-2 1/2 hours until the pumpkin is tender and the rice is cooked.
10. All done! When dishing this up scoop out some pumpkin as you serve it!
11. And see the notes below.

Notes
- you can use all broth and just serve this with a splash of cream in each bowl, I think I might like that better
- 3 1/2 cups of broth and 1/2 cup coconut milk with curry seasonings would be a good flavor combination
- I served it with Parmesan cheese on top
- make this in a pot, saute the pumpkin, garlic and onions in a pot. Add the broth and seasonings. Bring to a boil, add rice and cook until the rice is tender. Add cream or milk in the end.
-shallots would be a great flavor instead of onions
- leftover rice would be OK to use also, it will cut cooking time down
- I knew I wouldn't have enough broth in the pumpkin so I had some warm and ready to add to our bowls.