Harvest Pumpkin Soup Recipe
Harvest Pumpkin Soup is a cozy, flavorful blend of fall spices and creamy pumpkin perfect for warming up chilly autumn days.
Equipment
- Pot
- Slotted spoon
- Paper towel
- Ladle
- Blender
- Serving bowl
Ingredients
- 3 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped fine
- 2 small apples (Honeycrisp or Fuji), peeled & chopped
- 1 cup pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 cups chicken broth (or veggie broth for a vegetarian version)
- 1/4 cup apple cider
- 1 tbsp orange liqueur (optional)
- 3/4 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- Pinch cayenne pepper (to taste)
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
- 2 tsp sriracha (adjust to taste)
- 2 tsp pure maple syrup
- 4 tbsp heavy cream (plus extra for garnish)
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients for this comforting harvest pumpkin soup.
- Place a large pot on the stove and warm it over medium heat.
- Start by adding a few strips of chopped bacon to the pot. Let it cook for about 3 minutes, just until the edges start to turn golden and crisp up.
- Once the bacon is browned and fragrant, scoop it out with a slotted spoon and lay it on a paper towel-lined plate so it can drain off any extra grease.
- In the same pot — don’t waste all that flavor — toss in your chopped onions. Let them cook for around 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn soft and translucent.
- Gently mix in the diced apples, making sure they are evenly spread throughout the mixture. Let the apples cook for another minute or two, just enough to start releasing their sweetness.
- Now, return the bacon to the pot. Gently mix in the pumpkin purée, stirring until the texture is smooth and everything is fully blended.
- Next, pour in the chicken stock and apple cider. Add a splash of orange liqueur to give it a little extra depth. Season with Chinese five-spice powder, ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, a pinch of cayenne, smoked paprika, and a spoonful of brown sugar. Tuck in a couple of bay leaves and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. For a subtle kick, add a dash of sriracha and a drizzle of maple syrup. Stir well to bring all those autumn flavors together.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low and let the soup simmer gently for about 30 minutes. Stir it now and then so nothing sticks and the flavors have a chance to meld.
- Once everything’s cooked through and the kitchen smells like fall, remove the bay leaves and thyme stems. Carefully ladle the soup into a blender (you may need to do this in batches), and blend until the texture is silky smooth.
- Stir in the heavy cream, then give the soup one last quick blend to make sure it’s completely incorporated.
- Serve warm, garnished with a swirl of cream, a sprinkle of fresh herbs, and maybe even a few crisp bacon bits on top.
- Savor each spoonful of your homemade harvest pumpkin soup — it’s like a cozy hug in a bowl.
