Pumpkin soup can be made with many variations. While you may not think of many off the top of your head, there are many ways to approach this meal besides the classic creamed soup. Easy recipes include a honey roasted pumpkin soup, which is made from pumpkin, onions and garlic drizzled with honey before roasting. It is simple and delicious.
Another easy variation is pumpkin and cheese soup. You can use canned pumpkin puree to make this soup extra simple. Add in some cream, broth, spices, brown sugar and grated cheddar cheese. Serve it up with from French bread or top the soup with a crust of melted cheese for a tasty treat on a cold day.
Alternatively, you may want something a bit sweet. Add some real maple syrup and a little Marsala wine and you will have an incredibly flavorful bowl of soup. Always use real maple syrup for this recipe… imitation syrups will not hold up during cooking to create the flavor you want.
You can also influence your pumpkin soup by changing cuisines. There are pumpkin soups in Thai, Haitian, Mexican and Jamaican cuisines. The common spices of each cuisine make the difference, creating new flavor variations with the pumpkin.
If you want something more exotic, try corn pumpkin crab soup. This soup is creamy, yet it contains crab, corn, cayenne pepper, paprika, and nutmeg. The creaminess comes from a good dose of heavy cream. If you do not want the cream, leave it out. A little dried dill adds a tang to the final result. Either way, the soup is delicious and a bit unusual. Your family will love it. If you want, serve it as an appetizer to an Asian meal.
Specialty ingredients can also alter the results of your soup. Bacon adds a nice smokiness to the soup, while chocolate will make the most delicious dessert soup. Pumpkin soup can be spicy, too. Peppers of various types as well as curry and other spices can be used to create a complex flavor. Peanut butter can make a distinctive soup when mixed with pumpkin and sausage. This is a fast recipe that can be put together in a short amount of time.
Traditional fall ingredients like apple are also commonly combined with pumpkin in soup. Other winter squashes like butternut or even sweet potatoes can be combined to add different levels of flavor. Herbs can be used to add different flavors to the soup. In summer, you can even make a chilled pumpkin soup that will work wonders at cooling down your guests.
No matter what variation of pumpkin soup you want to try, you will be treated to a rich, flavorful meal that will fill you up. The creamy texture of the soup is satisfying and velvety. It may become a new favorite. If you do not have a lot of time, you can always make your soup in a crockpot and let it cook all day long.
Grilled pumpkin adds so much flavor to your soup. The grill will caramelize the pumpkin, really bringing out its natural sweetness. When you add this to a soup recipe, the sweetness is transferred to your bowl. Serve it with a nice slice of homemade bread or a fresh green salad.
