After making Pumpkin Cheesecake Parfaits, I had almost a full large (796 mL) can of pumpkin purée left over. I decided to turn it into a fall soup with apple, fresh sage and warming spices. The flavours are quite pronounced for our tastes, but we liked it.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 medium baking apple, peeled, cored and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1–2 tsp finely chopped fresh sage
• 3 cups plain pumpkin purée
• 3¼ cups chicken broth

Spice mix

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1¼ tsp salt, or to taste depending on the broth
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper*
• ⅛ tsp ground turmeric

We don’t like super spicy food. The ⅛ tsp cayenne gives this batch a slight but noticeable heat.

To serve

• Cream
• Ground sumac
• Toasted pumpkin seeds, optional
• Apple cider vinegar, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt the butter in a dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to turn golden.
2. Add the diced apple, stir and cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, fresh sage and spice mix. Cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
4. Stir in the pumpkin purée and chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer, partially cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes until the apple is soft.
5. Purée everything with an immersion blender until silky smooth. Add a little more broth if needed to reach your preferred consistency.
6. Adjust the salt as needed.

To serve, swirl a little cream into each bowl and finish with a sprinkle of sumac. Alternatively, stir a dash of apple cider vinegar into the soup for brightness before adding the cream. Add toasted pumpkin seeds if desired.