How to Make Pumpkin Soup With Toasted Almonds

Pumpkins are a wonderfully versatile fruit that we enjoy during the fall season. From pies, to breads, to custards, there are so many delicious ways to enjoy this fall fruit.

I am one of those people who can eat soup all year long. Whether it is 100 degrees or 20 below, I am always tempted by a bowl of soup. When I think of fall soups, I think of pumpkin, butternut squash, potato, and broccoli.

Our local produce market makes a delicious pumpkin soup as the weather begins to get cooler and it is one of my daughter's favorite to eat. I promised that I would experiment and find a recipe that I can cook for her all year. So here is the end product and I am happy to say that she gave it two thumbs up!

This soup is a little different from a pumpkin soup that you might typically think of. I added toasted almonds to give this soup a nutty flavor and to add some different layers of flavor to it. The thick pumpkin puree along with the sweetness of the brown sugar and the nuttiness of the almonds made us all look to fill our bowls a second time.

• 29 oz can of pure pumpkin
• 2 cups of chicken broth
• 1/3 cup of toasted almonds pureed
• 1 small onion
• 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
• 2 cups of chicken broth (you can use vegetable broth if you are making this vegetarian friendly.)
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 3 Tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1/3 half and half cream

1. Pour the pumpkin puree into a pot.
2. Add the chicken broth and simmer.
3. In a small pan, sautee the diced onion in about a tablespoon of Olive Oil until it is translucent. Then add it to the pot of pumpkin.
4. Stir in the almonds, nutmeg, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Continue to simmer for about 5 minutes.
5. Temper the cream into the soup and allow the soup to simmer for about another 10 minutes or until heated through.
6. Serve hot. You can also garnish with a few toasted almonds on top.

Tempering liquids while cooking is simply the process of taking a cold liquid and bringing it up to the temperature of the hot liquid that you will be adding it to. You can do this by ladling some of the hot liquid into a bowl of the colder liquid while stirring constantly. This will prevent any adverse reactions with the two liquids, such as cream curdling.

After toasting the almonds, blend them in a food processor so that they are almost pureed. When you mix it into the soup, you want the soup to have a little added texture but not so much that there is continuous crunching while enjoying a bowl of this soup.

I hope that you get a chance to try this delicious fall soup and that you enjoy it as much as our family did. It would be a wonderful addition to any fall meal, especially Thanksgiving.