With a definite chill in the air, it’s the perfect time to curl up indoors with a delicious and comforting meal. And what could be better than a hearty, warming soup? Pumpkins are a staple ingredient for fall soups, creating a creamy and flavorful base that’s always satisfying.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has a fantastic pumpkin soup recipe that perfectly captures the essence of autumn. It features the seasonal sweetness of apples, creating a comforting and flavorful bowl of soup that’s easy to make. Jamie says, “With vibrant pumpkin and sweet apple, this simple, seasonal soup is pretty hands-off – you just chuck it all together, roast, then blitz until you have a creamy, velvety soup.”
The recipe, shared on the Tesco Real Food website, takes just 10 minutes of prep time, making it ideal for busy weeknights when you don’t have time to spend hours in the kitchen. To elevate this humble dish, Jamie suggests adding his signature cheesy sage croutons, which add a delicious crunch and extra flavor. “My cheesy sage croutons are a game-changer and take this humble autumnal dish to the next level,” he says.
The best part? This soup is also freezable, so you can save any leftovers for another night when you’re short on time. Here’s everything you need to make this delicious soup, which serves six:
Ingredients:
* One pumpkin or butternut squash (about 1.2kg)
* Two onions
* Olive oil
* Two eating apples
* Two garlic cloves
* 10g fresh sage
* 200g stale bread
* 50g Cheddar
* One vegetable stock cube
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C.
2. Scrub the pumpkin or squash, slice it in half, and scoop out the seeds. Roughly chop the flesh.
3. Peel and slice the onions into wedges.
4. Place the pumpkin and onions in a large roasting tin, drizzle with two tablespoons of olive oil, and roast for 30 minutes, or until soft and gnarly.
5. Meanwhile, core the apples and slice them into wedges. Bash and peel the garlic cloves.
6. After 30 minutes, add the apples, garlic, and a few sage leaves to the roasting tin and roast for another 10 minutes.
7. Slice the bread into 2cm chunks and place it on a baking tray. Pick over the remaining sage leaves.
8. Drizzle the bread with 1 tablespoon of oil, toss to coat, and spread it out in a single layer.
9. Finely grate 20g of the Cheddar over the bread and bake for five minutes, or until golden and crisp.
10. Remove the pumpkin tin from the oven and tip everything into a large pan over medium heat.
11. Crumble in the stock cube, pour over 1 liter of boiling water, and grate in the remaining Cheddar.
12. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and blend until smooth.
13. Season to perfection, then divide the soup between bowls and top with the croutons and crispy sage.
14. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
Enjoy this comforting and flavorful pumpkin soup, perfect for a cozy evening in!
