Autumn is such a lovely season and all those seasonal dishes that could be prepared this time of the year are so full of flavour and still pretty colourful too and this creamy pumpkin soup is one of those.
Oh, yes, another pumpkin soup you may say…
It is not quite the same as you will realise in a moment and I can’t help myself but sharing this absolutely delicious roasted apples and pumpkin soup, an ideal dish for this time of the year, truly autumnal and packed with nutrients and pure goodness.
The difference is…
I’ve added apple to this pumpkin soup for a little hint of fruity sweetness which is absolutely delish. Oh my, if you would have asked me to try this soup a few years back I probably wouldn’t have even considered, very similar story with the broccoli and Stilton soup and again, I’m so, so glad that I did try it!!
This is how I have learned that you must give things a try before refusing and I am telling my kids the same story now and they are an advantage here as they are not fussy eaters now, not at all, on the contrary, they love trying new things and boy, they can be very adventurous for a 10 and a 12-year-old.
Well, with this soup it’s slightly different, the first time I have made this soup, it was a wild try, I just happened to roast some apples (I used to eat as a child) and pumpkin at the same time and then I said to myself, why not…??…yes, I am going to mix the two of them – only to see what’s the outcome. Guess what… deliciousness and love at first taste.
Did you know…?
Pumpkin is one type of squash and squash is considered as being a fruit that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family.
The stem and skin colour is what draws a line and makes the distinction between a pumpkin and a squash. The varieties of squash and pumpkins is determined by the ambient of where they come from.
Why don’t you pick some from the market and experiment cooking with them – they all taste so different in so many ways, sweetness, flavour, nuttiness; the texture is not the same, some are more watery, some quite dense. I just love them because you never know what a sweet gem you can find, they are full of character sometimes with all their different shapes and looks. Gorgeous little things I would say.?
Isn’t it autumn after all about having loads of pumpkin and plenty of apples in our diets?! Oh, yes, it is indeed.
Few tips :
- For the best results taste-wise so that all flavours are enhanced, the vegetables, as well as the apples, must be roasted. The sweetness, nuttiness and the creaminess of the soup will be guaranteed. It will have a completely different aroma if boiled.
- I would say not only roast them but brown them for a full blast of flavours.
- If the stock contains any salt, be cautious with how much more salt you are adding to the soup.
- You could brown or caramelise some extra onion to garnish at the end if fancied.
- I mentioned that the pumpkin can have skin on or removed, this really depends on what type of pumpkin or which squash you decide to use. I generally remove it unless it is organic butternut squash, I find its skin okay to keep as when cooked is pretty soft and as far as I can see it, it’s a good source of extra fibre.
Enjoy, this truly yummy soup folks.
Sweet as well as savoury treats with plenty of apples and pumpkin or squash all the way into the season.
Here it comes the recipe. Enjoy!
Creamy roasted apple and pumpkin soup
Ingredients
- 1000 g pumpkin skin on or removed
- 900 ml vegetable stock
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 small onions
- 1 medium leek
- 2 medium apples
- 3-4 sage leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 pinch nutmeg freshly grated
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 50 g Stilton cheese
- 4 tbsp creme fresh or heavy cream - to garnish
- 1 tsp salt sea or pink Himalayan
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black Pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 spring fresh thyme
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 190°C.
- Wash and roughly chop the pumpkin and the apples, wash, peel and roughly chop the garlic, leek, carrot and the onion. Place all these in a roasting tray.
- Heat some olive oil in a small frying pan and add the sage leaves. Crisp them up - this should take no longer than 40 seconds. Turn heat off. Remove the leaves and drizzle the sage infused oil over the vegetables in the tray.
- Season well the vegetables with salt and pepper, give them a toss and roast in preheated oven at 200°C for about 40-45 mins until nice and browned on parts.
- Remove from the oven when ready and set aside for a few minutes.
- Transfer the pumpkin, apple and all the roast vegetables into a pot or pressure cooker and add the roast vegetables, the stock and the thyme spring as it is (needs removing later).
- Bring to boil and allow to boil uncovered for about 30 minutes. Turn heat down, remove the thyme spring, add the Stilton cheese, grate some nutmeg and add the pinch of cinnamon. Turn off the heat and blend using a hand blender.
- Dress with a dollop of creme fraiche and serve.
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says
I am all about the fall flavours. This soup looks delicious, and would be perfect all winter season long.
Ramona says
Indeed. Thank you Gloria, this soup is such a regular on our table 😉 – we have it all year round but a lot more on colder days 😉 It is so delish that I miss it if I don’t have it in a while
Elaine @ Dishes Delish says
I am never tired of pumpkin soup! I love that you added apple to it! Delicious! Especially with the Stilton cheese! YUM!
Ramona says
I know exactly what you are saying Elaine, it is the same here 😉 Thank you so much, I am so glad you like it! Ramona xx
Emily says
What a great twist to add apple, this sounds delicious!
Ramona says
Thank you Emily, yes, it is great – a great combo indeed – I always feel like I wish the soup will never end in my soup bowl 😉