🎃 Creamy Pumpkin & Leek Soup with Cheese Swirl
Sweet roasted squash and tender potatoes blend with leeks, garlic, and warm spices, finished with a swirl of cream cheese or its plant-based twin.
📝 Ingredients (serves 3–4)
500 g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and chopped
200 g potato, peeled and diced
1 medium leek (white part only), sliced
1 onion (100 g), chopped
2 garlic cloves (8 g), sliced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (30 ml)
15 g salted butter (1 tbsp)
1 tsp sweet paprika (3 g)
½ tsp ground cumin (1.5 g)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 L water or vegetable broth
For the cream cheese swirl:
2 tbsp cream cheese (or plant-based alternative)
2 tbsp hot soup to dilute
🍳 Instructions
1. Sauté the base vegetables
In a large pot, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat.
Add garlic and let it sizzle for a few seconds to infuse the fat.
Add onion, leek, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes until soft.
2. Add vegetables and spices
Stir in pumpkin, potato, paprika, cumin, and black pepper.
Cook for 2–3 minutes to lightly toast the spices.
3. Add liquid and simmer
Pour in the water or broth.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 20–25 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender.
4. Blend the soup
Once cooked, blend until smooth using a handheld blender, countertop blender, or food mill.
For a chunkier texture, mash with a potato masher or pass through a food mill instead of blending.
5. Adjust consistency
If the soup is too thick, add more hot water or broth.
Taste and correct seasoning.
6. Make the cheese swirl
In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese with a few spoonfuls of the hot soup until smooth.
Use a spoon to drizzle or swirl over each serving.
🌀 How to make a swirl using a plastic bag and toothpick
Place the diluted cream cheese mixture into a small plastic bag (or piping bag).
Snip a very small hole in one corner of the bag, just enough to draw thin lines.
Pipe circles, spirals, or dots over the surface of the soup.
Then, using a toothpick or skewer, gently drag through the lines to create a marbled or feathered pattern.
Serve immediately while the swirl holds its shape.🌿 Kuisit Tip
Use roasted pumpkin for deeper flavor, or keep it simple by simmering everything together. For a vegan version, use a plant-based cream cheese or simply swirl in coconut cream or oat-based alternatives, the warmth of the soup will bring it all together.