The trick to getting velvety pumpkin soup is canned pumpkin
This velvety pumpkin soup is surprisingly easy and fast thanks to canned pumpkin. The trick is getting rich, balanced pumpkin flavor out of a can.
We started by creating a deeply flavorful base for our soup by softening onion and then adding cumin, coriander, and nutmeg, which gave us a warm-spiced flavor that paired well with pumpkin. Maple syrup was the ideal sweetener, adding depth and enhancing the nuttiness of the soup without overwhelming it with sweetness.
A combination of vegetable broth and water gave the soup a subtle savory backbone, and just a half cup of half-and-half gave us an ideal creamy texture. Briefly simmering the pumpkin in the flavorful liquid allowed the flavors to meld and cooked off the tinny flavor of the canned pumpkin; we then pureed the soup to a silky consistency.
Be sure to buy pure canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which has sugar and spices added. Crumbled blue cheese and toasted, chopped walnuts make nice garnishes to this soup.
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