Pumpkin Cider Soup

This pumpkin-cider soup gets freshness from tart apples and a good dose of crisp apple cider. Creamy and not too sweet, with an earthy boost from sage leaves, it’s the perfect soup for an autumn dinner. A drizzle of crème frâiche makes it irresistible.

Adapted from Margaret M. Johnson | The Irish Spirit | Chronicle, 2006

This hearty autumnal soup pairs two of the season’s favorite ingredients, pumpkin and apples, although hubbard or butternut squash can easily serve as a substitute for the pumpkin. The cider adds a pleasant sweetness. Serve the pumpkin-cider soup as a starter for dinner or with a salad for lunch.–Margaret M. Johnson

Why our testers loved this

The sweet tartness that the addition of Granny Smith apples and Irish cider lends to this soup, as well as the fact that the finished soup tastes “creamy, yet light” makes this cozy autumn soup a winner for our testers.

Notes on ingredients

• Unsalted butter–We love Kerrygold Irish butter here, but are aware that it’s not necessarily available or affordable to everyone. You can use regular butter.
• Pumpkin–Don’t use a carving pumpkin or Jack-o-lantern here. Any type of pie pumpkin, or other winter squash is perfect for this recipe.
• Chicken stock–Depending on the type of squash or pumpkin you are using in your soup, you may need less than 5 cups of stock. If you are using a softer variety of squash, it will likely release more liquid, making your soup more watery. If you’re unsure, start with 4 cups of stock, and add more to thin if necessary.
• Granny Smith apples–The tartness of Granny Smith apples is perfect in this recipe, but if you need to substitute a different type of apple, choose a tart one. Sweeter varieties may result in an overly sweet soup.
• Irish cider–This is a hard apple cider produced in Ireland. Any of your favorite dry hard cider will work here, but avoid anything sweet.

How to make this recipe

1. Sauté the vegetables. Cook the onions and celery in butter until softened. Stir in the pumpkin, apples, stock, cider, sage, and bring to a boil.
2. Cook the soup. Simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 40 minutes. Let the soup cool slightly and remove the sage leaves.
3. Blend the soup. Using a food processor, high-speed blender, or immersion blender, puree the soup until very smooth. Return it to a simmer, stir in the cream, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Serve the soup. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with crème fraîche, if using, and a sprinkle of herbs.

FAQs

Helpful tips

• When cutting up your pumpkin, save your seeds and make these spiced pumpkin seeds.
• Take care when blending hot liquids as they can splatter and burn you. If using a regular blender or food processor, work in batches. When leave the food processor chute or the hole in the blender lid open to allow steam to escape, but place a towel over the top to avoid splatters.
• The soup can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.

More great soup recipes