The Persian Pumpkin Soup that I posted a couple of weeks ago was a hit and frankly I can’t wait to make it again! The soup itself was fabulous, but what made its presentation over the top was the Pumpkin Bowl that it was served in. It’s pretty easy to make a Pumpkin Bowl and it certainly adds a lot to a dish esthetically. The best thing about it is that it can be used as a bowl when serving the soup and then the flesh can be used for other pumpkin recipes! I used a big pumpkin for my soup, but smaller pumpkins can be used as individual serving bowls.

The first step is to find the perfect pumpkin. Look for a pumpkin that is round and when set on a table it is not too tilted to either side. Try finding one that can sit up straight on its own as much as possible. I went through the pumpkin bin at my local store like a crazy woman on a mission until I finally found this one at the bottom of the bin.

If the pumpkin is not naturally straight, then flip it around after it has been deseeded and with a knife slightly cut the bottom to create an even and straight surface.

Now, onto how to create the bowl! The first step is to carefully trace the top of the pumpkin before cutting the cap. Having a guide always helps! Once the top comes off, then remove seeds and fibers. Place pumpkin flesh side up on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Season the inside of the pumpkin with salt.

Bake in 400° oven for 30 to 45 minutes until flesh is tender when tested with a fork. Cooking time is less for smaller pumpkins; you may want to start checking for tenderness at about 20 minutes.

Once the soup is gone, then scoop flesh and use for your next favorite pumpkin recipe!