Enjoy a hot bowl of flavorful Pumpkin Sage Soup this season. This savory soup is simple to make, nutrient-rich and can be made to accommodate any dietary restrictions.

Start by preheating your oven to 400 °F. Then it’s time to prep your vegetables, which will be the base of this dish! Chop onions, carrots, celery, apples and potatoes and add to a bowl; then add bold seasonings of garlic, pepper, salt and sage, and a hint of sweetness by adding in brown sugar – creating the perfect blend of salty and sweet. Cover your ingredients in olive oil and mix thoroughly, ensuring the veggies are generously coated before transferring them to a baking sheet.  

Once the vegetable mix is roasted to tender perfection, add it to a large pot along with canned pumpkin purée, vegetable stock and salt and pepper to taste.  

Now it’s time to blend! To create the best velvety consistency, transfer the pot ingredients to a blender and mix until smooth. For an extra rich taste, add your choice of cream and any additional spices you desire.

To add texture and crunch to your soup, top with pumpkin seeds or make 5-minute cheesy French baguettes! To make the crostini recipe, simply place a baguette on a cookie sheet and slice in increments, then fill in the slits with cheese and any desired seasonings. Bake for 5 minutes until you have gooey, cheesy bread!  

Whether you’re serving for a party or making this dish for a dinner party, this Pumpkin Sage Soup with French baguette will be a fan favorite!

Prep Time:  20 minutes   |    Cook Time:  50 minutes   |    Total Time:  1 hour, 10  minutes   |    Servings:  8

Ingredients:

• 3 medium onions, peeled and diced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 ribs of celery, halved and sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
• 3 large Idaho russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh sage, minced OR 1 ½ teaspoons Stonemill Ground Sage*
• 1/2 cup  Baker's Corner  Brown Sugar
• 2 tablespoons Priano  Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 teaspoons  Stonemill  Ground Black Pepper, divided
• 3 teaspoons  Stonemill  Iodized Salt, divided
• 4 15-ounce cans  Baker's Corner  100% Pure Canned Pumpkin*
• 2 32-ounce cartons  Chef's Cupboard  Vegetable Stock
• 16 ounces  Countryside Creamery  Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1  Specially Selected  French Baguette, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices on an angle
• 7 ounces Emporium Selection  Gouda, shredded
• 2 tablespoons Parsley, as garnish

*These are Seasonal items that are only in stores for a limited time and may no longer be available.

Directions:  

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine onion, carrots, celery, garlic, apples, potatoes, sage and brown sugar in a large bowl. Add olive oil, 2 teaspoons black pepper and 2 teaspoons salt and mix thoroughly.  Place in a roasting pan and roast in oven for 30 minutes until fork tender. Halfway through the cooking process, stir vegetables to ensure even cooking.
3. In a large pot, combine roasted vegetable mixture, pumpkin, vegetable stock, 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Transfer mixture, in batches, to blender and process until smooth.
5. Return soup to pot. Add cream, adjust seasoning, if needed.
6. Place slices of baguette on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, top each slice with cheese. Bake for 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
7. Divide soup into bowls, place two slices of baguette onto each bowl of soup and  garnish with parsley.

Recipe Courtesy of ALDI Test Kitchen