I'm putting pumpkin in everything while I can since it's 'seasonable' for the next couple of months. I love fall for many reasons, but pumpkin has to be pretty close to the top of the list! In my opinion, there just isn't too much that you can't put pumpkin in; drinks, desserts, entrees... You name it, and I've probably already thought of a way to put pumpkin in it, if I haven't already put pumpkin in it before - that is!

This pumpkin soup is pretty great. I'd compare the consistency of it to a creamy tomato soup. In fact, it's color and texture are pretty much the same too but a lot more soft and calm with it's flavors since tomato soup has the zing of acidity.

I topped mine off with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and some shelled pumpkin seeds to add just a bit of color and crunch. But, neither are really needed... just suggested.

I also used two different colors of peppers, but any 'sweet' (red, orange or yellow) pepper would work, whether it's two red or a yellow and an orange or... whichever combination you decide go with! You'll want to be mindful of your jalapeño. Mine wasn't very hot and pretty much went undetected, but jalapeños can be sneaky and completely vary in heat in my experience.

This soup does thicken the longer it sits, so you'll want to serve it hot and right away. If you've got leftovers that are thicker than you'd like, just add a little more broth/stock when reheating and it'll thin back out into more of a 'soup'.

I served mine with a small baby spinach side salad and called it a day. This was a really quick, easy, and great tasting weeknight soup that would only have been better if it were a little cooler out here in Texas.

Can you tell I'm ready for another cold front?

Pumpkin & Black Bean Soup
TheSkinnyFork.com

The Skinny:
Servings: 4 • Size: About 1 1/4 C. Soup • Calories: 142.9 • Fat: 1.8 g • Carb: 31.5 g • Fiber: 8.6 g • Protein: 7.8 g • Sugar: 8 g • Sodium: 293.4 mg

Ingredients:
1 Red Bell Pepper (About 1 1/2 C.), Seeded & Chopped
1 Yellow Bell Pepper (About 1 1/2 C.), Seeded & Chopped
1 Small Onion (About 1 C.), Diced
1 Jalapeño, Seeded & Diced
2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
2 C. Reduced Sodium Vegetable or Chicken Stock
1 (14.5 Oz.) Can Not Salt Added Black Beans, Drained & Rinsed
1 (14.5 Oz.) Can pumpkin Puree (Not pie filling!)
1 Tsp. Ground Cumin
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Optional Garnishes:
Pumpkin Seeds
Parmesan, Grated

Directions:

Lightly coat the inside of a large pot with non-stick cooking spray and add in the bell peppers, onion, jalapeño, and garlic. Sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables start to soften and become fragrant.

Add in the remaining ingredients (except for the pumpkin seeds) and increase the heat to medium-high to bring the mixture to a boil.

Once it all comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by about half.

Use an emersion blender or transfer to a regular blender to blend down into a 'creamy' soup.

If using a standard blender, be sure to leave the little steam vent open on the lid so you don't have hot soup all over your kitchen!

Season to taste with salt and pepper!

Serve right away with a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds and parmesan cheese if desired.

Enjoy!