Rooted in the Land

A good deal of New Hampshire is rural. We know what that means: Food! From doughnuts, pies, jams and jellies, to seafood and beef, to hunting deer and moose, you’re never far from a hearty meal or sweet snack in The Granite State.

Here’s a creamy pumpkin soup that will satisfy your craving for comfort food. It can be whipped up in a relatively short amount of time. You can enjoy it as an appetizing starter, or make a meal of it.  And you can make this basic recipe your “own,” adding your favorite spices and toppings to give it a personal touch. We’ve offered a few suggestions and ideas at the end.

Easy Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

• 3 cups carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, medium, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 pats butter
• 2 cans chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth for a vegetarian soup)
• 3 cups canned pumpkin (peeled, seedless and diced)
• 12 oz. evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp. salt (more or less to taste)
• 1/8 tsp pepper (more or less to taste)

Directions

1. Melt butter in a saucepan.
2. Add the carrots, onions, celery and garlic and cook on medium heat, about 5 minutes, until tender.
3. Add the pumpkin and chicken or veggie broth.
4. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat, and cover. Simmer the mixture for about 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft.
5. When done, remove from heat and allow it to cool a bit.
6. Pour the contents of the pot into a blender and puree until creamy smooth.
7. Transfer the mixture into the saucepan, adding the evaporated milk, water (or if you’d like, additional broth) and spices.
8. Cook on medium heat until hot, stirring occasionally.
9. Serve hot.

Tasty Options

Spice up your soup! Experiment with any of these flavors—perhaps, not all at once!

Top with…

• Nuts
• Pumpkin seeds
• Chopped parsley (or other favorite herbs)
• Shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese
• Croutons
• Nutmeg
• Sour cream, heavy cream, Greek yogurt

Make it Sweet or Make it Savory!

Pumpkin any way you like it

• Hot sauce (or cayenne pepper)
• Brown sugar
• Apple cider
• Flour (to thicken)
• Butternut squash chunks, cooked
• Ground ginger
• Curry, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and coconut milk

Serving Suggestions

This is a versatile soup, so almost anything goes, but it’s best to balance the creamy with the crunchy!

• Enjoy it with crusty, buttered bread, such as a French baguette, Italian ciabatta, or a rustic hard dinner roll.
• Add a hard cheese, such as cheddar, on the side.
• Serve with a tasty green salad including bleu cheese (or other cheese, if you don’t like the strong flavor), diced apples, dried cranberries, nuts or pumpkin seeds and a simple balsamic dressing.
• Make a meal of it and serve with baked chicken or your favorite sandwiches, and sip water, apple cider or Chardonnay with your meal.

PRINT THE RECIPE HERE

Want More? Watch State Plate Now: