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Home » Plant-Based Recipes » Anti-inflammatory Thai Pumpkin Soup

Anti-inflammatory Thai Pumpkin Soup

Published: May 29, 2017 · Modified: Aug 4, 2019 by Lauren Glucina • Naturopath, Nutritionist

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A luscious anti-inflammatory Thai Pumpkin Soup with turmeric, ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime, chilli, cumin, coriander, coconut milk, and roasted pumpkin. Naturally gluten free and plant-based.

Bowl of bright orange Thai Pumpkin soup with a swirl of coconut yoghurt and toasted pumpkin seeds on top

Pumpkin soup is certainly a classic – but the addition of these flavoursome herbs and spices take it from comfort food to a bowl of therapeutic goodness. The key spices used are turmeric and ginger for their warming and anti-inflammatory properties.

Turmeric, the Golden Root, a personal favourite for its natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds. Thought to have a tonic effect on the whole body according to Ayurvedic traditions, there is ample literature to support its positive effect on the cardiovascular, digestive and respiratory systems.

It is also antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic and neuroprotective. The antioxidant effect of turmeric has been shown to be 10 times more potent than vitamin C.

Fat and black pepper will aid in the absorption of turmeric – as it has a notoriously poor bioavailability.

In herbal terms, turmeric is described as having the following actions; anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet (reduces platelet aggregation), antioxidant, hypolipidemic (lipid-lowering), choleretic (promotes the producton of bile in the liver), antimicrobial, carminative (relieves gastrointestinal gas), and depurative (improves detoxification and aids elimination, helping to clear build-up of metabolic wastes under the skin).

Interestingly, when considering turmeric from an energetic point of view – it is warming, bitter and astringent. Bitter foods, herbs and spices are fantastic digestive remedies – they stimulate the secretion of gastric acids needed to break down food.

This means turmeric has a net drying effect on the body – as ultimately these secretions are leaving the organs. Constitutionally, this may mean turmeric may aggravate someone who is already quite dry in nature.

Speckled ceramic plate filled with a rainbow of aromatic spices used in anti-inflammatory soup - chilli, turmeric, ginger, lemongrassClose up of finely sliced aromatic herbs and spices with anti-inflammatory properties

Ginger is another well known anti-inflammatory agent. As a circulatory stimulant, it also helps push blood flow to the periphery, aiding cold hands and feet. On that note, being prone to cold mits myself, iron, iodine and magnesium deficiencies can all contribute to cold hands and feet, as can suboptimal thyroid function. 

Pumpkin has a sweet but slightly cooling nature, and provides the precursor to vitamin A (a key nutrient in skin and immune health) in the form of beta-carotene. The natural fats in the coconut milk will facilitate the absorption of beta-carotene.

[bctt tweet="Luscious anti-inflammatory Thai Pumpkin Soup with turmeric, ginger, lemongrass, chilli, lime!" username="laurenglucina"]

Two bowls of Anti-inflammatory Thai Pumpkin Soup surrounded by fresh ingredients - sliced turmeric, coriander leaves, sliced chilli and lime wedges

Lemongrass contains essential oils that have been shown to exert potent anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal effects [1]. It is particularly effective against candida in its vapour phase [2]. As these oils are volatile, they will have evaporated off by the time you enjoy the soup, however you may be inspired now to use some of the essential oil in a diffuser! Tip - if you have leftover lemongrass you can freeze it for later use.

Cumin, like ginger, is another pungent – meaning it will help promote circulation and increase metabolic rate. It also has carminative actions, helping relieve intestinal gas.

Coriander seeds have traditionally been used to treat indigestion. The essential oil content has anti-spasmodic and carminative effects on the gastrointestinal tract. Modern literature has found the seeds decrease blood sugar and reduce insulin resistance [3].

This is Thai Pumpkin Soup is an incredibly easy recipe to prepare, and smells so fragrant as it simmers away on the stove. I like mine served with fresh herbs, toasted pumpkin seeds, a dollop of coconut yoghurt and a drizzle of fresh lime. Enjoy!

Close up of a bowl of Thai Pumpkin Soup decorated with coconut swirls, chilli, fresh cilantro leaves and lime wedge

More nutritious soup recipes

  • Lemon White Bean Kale Soup
  • Creamy Celeriac soup with Broccoli and Fennel
  • Easy Lemony Turkish Lentil Soup
  • Wild Watercress Soup

If you make and enjoy this recipe, please leave a rating below. And better yet – leave me a comment to tell me how you got on, or just say hi – I LOVE hearing from you. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest to see more of my everyday recipes and wellness tips.

If you’d like to chat with me about essential oils, or book in a class, you can do that here. If you’re after a Naturopathic consult, read more here.

📖Recipe

Anti-inflammatory Thai Pumpkin Soup with Turmeric

Anti-inflammatory Thai Pumpkin Soup

Naturopath Lauren Glucina
A luscious anti-inflammatory Thai Pumpkin Soup with turmeric, ginger, lemongrass, chilli, spices, coconut milk, and roasted pumpkin. Naturally gluten free and plant-based.
Serves 2.
4.88 from 8 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 35 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Gluten free, Healthy, Vegan
Servings 2
Calories 349 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 600 g pumpkin
  • 3 cups vegetable stock or water
  • ½ cup coconut milk I chose an organic, full fat, canned
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil to roast and fry with (approx)
  • 1 heaped tablespoon lemongrass white part only, chopped fine
  • 2 kaffir lime leaves shredded
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1 inch red chilli de-seeded, sliced thin
  • 1 inch fresh ginger peeled and minced
  • 1 inch turmeric peeled and sliced
  • 1 shallot diced
  • 4 cloves garlic sliced
  • Few good grinds of black pepper
  • Fresh coriander lime wedges to serve

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat oven at 180˚C (350˚F) forced fan, line a tray with baking paper.
  • Peel and chop pumpkin, toss with coconut oil and roast till golden.
  • Heat coconut oil in a large pot (medium heat), then fry shallots till golden, add cumin and coriander seeds and cook for a bit longer till fragrant.
  • Add lemongrass, ginger, garlic, turmeric, chilli and kaffir leaves, cook another minute – but don’t burn!
  • Add roasted pumpkin and stock, cover and bring to a boil, then let simmer for ten minutes. Add coconut milk, then turn up the heat and let it bubble away uncovered till it reduces down slightly for about 5-10 minutes.
  • Once cooked, remove from heat and let cook a little, then blend till smooth and serve with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime.

Notes

You can add some other vegetables to the mix if you find pumpkin too sweet on its own, I often use a few potatoes and a zucchini.
The thickness of the soup will vary depending on how dry/watery the pumpkin is.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 349kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 11gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 17gSodium: 225mgFiber: 3gSugar: 11gCalcium: 130mgIron: 5.8mg
Keyword Thai Pumpkin Soup
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Nutrition Facts
Anti-inflammatory Thai Pumpkin Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 349 Calories from Fat 189
% Daily Value*
Fat 21g32%
Saturated Fat 17g106%
Sodium 225mg10%
Carbohydrates 35g12%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 11g22%
Calcium 130mg13%
Iron 5.8mg32%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

Thai Pumpkin Soup – an anti-inflammatory soup packed with turmeric, ginger, chilli, lemongrass and lime. #thaipumpkinsoup #thaipumpkinsouprecipe #spicythaipumpkinsoup #thaipumpkinsoupcoconutmilk #thaipumpkinsoupvegan #antiinflammatorysoup #antiinflammatorysouprecipes #antiinflammatorysoupturmeric #AscensionKitchen // Pin to your own inspiration board! //

Thai Pumpkin Soup – an anti-inflammatory soup packed with turmeric, ginger, chilli, lemongrass and lime. #thaipumpkinsoup #thaipumpkinsouprecipe #spicythaipumpkinsoup #thaipumpkinsoupcoconutmilk #thaipumpkinsoupvegan #antiinflammatorysoup #antiinflammatorysouprecipes #antiinflammatorysoupturmeric #AscensionKitchen // Pin to your own inspiration board! //

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About the Author

I’m Lauren, practising Naturopath, Medical Herbalist, Nutritionist, and essential oils educator in Auckland, New Zealand. I’m incredibly passionate about food as medicine, and helping connect people with the healing power of Nature.

BNatMed, AdDip NutMed, BCS, Certified FitGenes Practitioner.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lisa Fabry

    May 29, 2017 at 3:49 pm

    Lauren this is delicious! I made it just as you said, roasting the pumpkin first adds a whole new depth of flavour. Just one addition that I think made it even better - coconut 'bacon' sprinkles (I coated some coconut flakes in a little tamari, maple syrup and a couple of drops of liquid smoke and roasted them for 8 minutes until nice and brown). This is just perfect for a foggy wet day in the Adelaide Hills! Thank you for your inbox inspiration 🙂 https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/781cb677be63198e1cfbee535fef7eba43403b6df0ec1d913fdedd5d5f897a22.jpg

    Reply
    • Ascension Kitchen

      May 29, 2017 at 4:59 pm

      Wow that was speedy! It looks amazing - I LOVE the sound of the coconut bacon - so genius. Thanks for sharing Lisa x

      Reply
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I'm Lauren Glucina, a New Zealand based Naturopath, Medical Herbalist and Nutritionist. My main goal is to empower you to connect with the healing power of Nature. I've been sharing plant-based recipes, natural remedies and health articles here since 2012.

If you're here, you're not here by mistake. You're ready to put your physical, emotional and spiritual health first. Welcome!

BNatMed, AdDip NutMed, BCS.

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