Make Pumpkin Soup Even Better By Adding Another Fall Fruit

As the weather gets chillier and the leaves begin to change color, our bodies start to crave cozy and comforting dishes that quickly warm us up, and that includes homemade pumpkin soup. While it's edible and accessible all year round in various forms, the soup is best consumed in the fall, and nothing can convince us otherwise. Pumpkin is an ingredient that never gets old since it only makes an appearance once a year, but its flavor can be a bit earthy and overpowering, especially when it's the primary flavor in a thick bowl of soup. But never fear, because there are plenty of ingredients to upgrade your pumpkin soup that can balance out the orange fruit's distinct flavor. Our favorite is the Granny Smith apple, whose tartness adds just the punch you need to elevate the soup without stealing the show.

Adding apples to pumpkin soup may seem like a bad idea. After all, the two are completely different fruits, and the only trait they share is the fact that they're fall staples. But this actually makes them an optimal combination, especially if you're a fan of both and don't want to choose between making an apple soup or a pumpkin one. Starting with a roasted pumpkin base is smart because it provides you with a sweetness and creaminess that the acidic Granny Smith apples just don't have. If you do it this way, the handful of apple slices you add will appear in subtle spoonfuls, breaking up the strong pumpkin flavor and creating a beautiful, autumnal balance.

There are various methods you could use to add apples to pumpkin soup: It all depends on what type of pumpkin you're planning to use, whether it be canned pumpkin or fresh. If you're using canned pumpkin, add apple chunks at the beginning of the cooking process before adding any sort of vegetable stock. Since your pumpkin puree doesn't need to cook down like the apples do, it will be added at the end, after you've blended the solid ingredients with an immersion blender.

If you're using fresh pumpkin, we recommend roasting chunks of the fruit with the apple slices. However, you'll want to roast the pumpkin for a longer amount of time due to its thickness, so add apple slices to the baking tray about halfway through the cooking process. Once both fruits are nice and soft and ready to be blended up, continue your recipe just like you would. When your soup is ready to share, instead of using a ceramic or bread bowl, serve your soup in a whole pumpkin for a creative presentation. Top it with some apple slices, and you're bound to steal the show.