Pumpkin soup with Spanish ham: a smooth base, ham to finish

Pumpkin and potato make the base; the ham goes on when serving. Keeping those parts separate lets you adjust the soup without blending the slices. This proposal for four starters uses no cream and one 80 g pack of ham.

Ingredients and timing for 4 starters

Preparation: about 15 minutes. Cooking: about 30 minutes. Estimated total: 45 minutes.

Approximate timings for this editorial recipe proposal, which has not been kitchen-tested. Adjust cooking to your ingredients and equipment.

• 600 g peeled pumpkin, seeds removed
• 150 g peeled potato
• 100 g peeled onion
• 500 ml water, plus a little more if needed
• 15 ml olive oil
• 80 g sliced dry-cured Spanish ham

Step-by-step method

1. Wash the vegetables before peeling or cutting. Cut the pumpkin and potato into small cubes and chop the onion. Use a clean board and knife.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan and soften the onion over medium-low heat for about 6 minutes, stirring to prevent burning.
3. Add the pumpkin, potato and 500 ml water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 20–25 minutes until the cubes are tender. Check the base and add a little water if it dries before the vegetables are cooked.
4. Remove from the heat. Blend with an immersion blender suitable for this use, following the manufacturer's hot-liquid instructions and avoiding splashes. If your equipment requires cooling first, do so. Adjust the texture by adding water a little at a time.
5. Cut the ham into small strips with clean utensils. Divide the soup between four bowls, add ham on top and serve. Keep the ham as directed on its pack until needed.

Adapt the recipe to your kitchen

Too thick? Add small amounts of water and mix before deciding whether it needs more. Too thin? Before adding the ham, gently reheat and let some water evaporate, stirring. Pumpkins vary in moisture.

Do not blend the ham into the soup: visible pieces help you divide it between the bowls. The amounts are prepared vegetable weights; a whole 600 g pumpkin is not 600 g of ready-to-use flesh. Check the ham label for specific dietary needs: using no cream does not itself guarantee an absence of allergens.

Fruit and vegetable hygiene: FDA guidance.

The selection follows the Jamones Paco Heredia catalogue. Editorial photographs illustrate formats; check the collection for current products and their details.

Choose your ham and plan your purchase

You need 80 g of ham for the four suggested portions. Compare 80 g sliced ham packs and check that the listing is for ham if following these ingredients. The carousel may also include shoulder.

Cebo Iberian ham and 100% Iberian bellota ham are different categories; the recipe does not require the most expensive one. Check the specific product's ingredients and storage instructions. For other formats, explore ham to buy.