Description
This Cheddar Apple Pumpkin Soup with Sage Popovers is a comforting fall dish featuring roasted pumpkin, apple, and onion blended into a creamy, spiced cheddar soup, served alongside warm, airy sage-infused popovers. The combination of sweet and savory flavors makes this soup a perfect seasonal meal for chilly days.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Pumpkin Bowls
- 2 small pumpkins
- Olive oil, for rubbing
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Cheddar Apple Pumpkin Soup
- 1 small pumpkin, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 apple, cored and quartered
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups chicken broth, divided
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Heavy cream, for drizzling
Sage Popovers
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons fresh sage, finely chopped (optional)
- Butter, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare Roasted Pumpkin Bowls: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the tops off the pumpkins and scoop out all seeds. Rub the interiors with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until tender to the touch but still holding shape.
- Roast Vegetables for Soup: On a baking sheet, toss chopped pumpkin, quartered onion, and apple with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Roast in the 400°F oven for 45 minutes until the pumpkin is fork-tender and onion is golden and soft. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Blend Soup Base: Transfer roasted pumpkin, onion, and apple to a food processor or blender. Add 2 cups chicken broth and pulse until completely smooth.
- Simmer Soup: Pour blended mixture into a stockpot over medium heat. Add butter, thyme leaves, remaining chicken broth, milk, cayenne, nutmeg, and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add Cheese: Toss shredded cheddar cheese with flour to prevent clumping. Stir this into the soup until fully melted and smooth. Remove the pot from heat.
- Serve Soup: Ladle the soup into the roasted pumpkin bowls or regular bowls and drizzle with heavy cream to finish.
- Make Sage Popovers Batter: Preheat oven to 450°F and position rack in the lower third. Grease a 6-cup popover pan or 12-cup muffin pan. In a blender, combine eggs, milk, flour, and salt; blend for 20 seconds until just combined. Add melted butter (and chopped sage if using) and blend an additional 10 seconds.
- Bake Popovers: Pour batter evenly into prepared pan cups, filling no more than halfway. Bake at 450°F for 20 minutes. Then reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake an additional 15-20 minutes without opening the oven, until popovers are puffed, golden, and crisp.
- Serve Popovers: Use a small sharp knife to gently run around the edges to release popovers from the pan. Serve immediately with butter alongside the soup.
Notes
- Using fresh sage in the popovers adds a fragrant herbal flavor, but it can be omitted if unavailable.
- The roasted pumpkin bowls add a stunning presentation and extra pumpkin flavor, but the soup can be served in regular bowls as well.
- Be careful not to open the oven while the popovers bake to ensure maximum rise and crispiness.
- The soup can be made a day ahead and reheated gently on the stovetop, stirring frequently.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth.
- To make the soup dairy-free, replace butter with olive oil and use a dairy-free milk alternative, skipping the cheese or using a vegan cheese substitute.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl soup with 1 popover
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
