Recipe Share: Bacon Vegetable Pumpkin Soup

This is one of my very favorite soups from my friend Elizabeth's blog. The flavors are so bright and so yummy. You'll be wanting to eat it all winter long. 

Here's the recipe. 

1/2 pound bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
1 red pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
4 small potatoes, peeled and diced small
6 cups chicken stock
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 pound fresh green beans
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt

In a large pot, cook bacon over medium high heat. Remove from pot and drain on paper towels. Set aside (do not drain bacon fat). Add the onion, celery, carrots and red pepper and saute, scrapping the bacon drippings, for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and potato and saute another 2 minutes.

Pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil, then stir in tomato paste and pumpkin puree. Return to a boil and stir in green beans, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until green beans are tender (with a slight bite) and potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Delicious served with shaved Parmesan on top, if you wish.