apple and cheddar pumpkin bisque
Chasing off any Tuesday tumult with a thick bowl of comfort.
Bringing some colorful cheer in the form of Apple and Cheddar Pumpkin Bisque. I thought of this guy on a total whim Sunday evening while trying to figure out dinner for yesterday and, after peering into my fridge and pantry and taking inventory, knew it was a go.
Thirty minutes (and several photo breaks so probably more like an hour) later, a bisque was born!
This hearty, creamy pot requires no exotic components, but the combination of these household basics yields one special treat. Fresh herbs mingle with butter, supple pumpkin, and the sweetness of apple before we puree that sucker and finish it off with lots of sharp cheddar cheese. All of this on one burner. And you can leave it to simmer all day long to make your house smell of pure blissful fall flavors.
No Risk in This Bisque
Start it up with a quick saute of onion and carrot in a good hit of butter. Then, stir in your aromatics: garlic, thyme, rosemary, and just a hint of cinnamon. The latter sits in the background and helps push the pumpkin forward just enough so you know it’s there.
Plop in some pumpkin puree and a chopped apple. Don’t be scared of the apple: it’s not poisonous. The sweet nature of the fruit amplifies the pumpkin and further helps the creamy texture we’re going for in the dish.
For liquids, I toss in broth, apple cider, and a mix of coconut milk and regular milk. I usually prefer coconut over heavy cream or half and half since I (SURPRISE) found out recently that I’m lactose intolerant, so this kicks out some of the dairy. I still take an enzyme because this still has milk in it. FYI. If you don’t like coconut milk or can’t have it, use either of the cream options I mentioned above.
Simmer that souper soup for just a bit before you…
Enlist Thy Immersion Blender
Just fucken buy one, people.
Immersion blenders are far less scary to use for pureeing soups, so for real, I really recommend you purchase one. Simply put the whizzer in the soup and blend it up until totally smooth. See how painless that is?
If you’re still stubborn about the whole affair, fine. Take a couple cupfuls of soup at a time and very carefully pulse them in a regular blender until you’ve done all the soup. Add that shit back to the pot when you’re done.
Last step: lots of cheddar cheese. All the cheese, please.
I love a little sprinkle of toasted pepitas on my soup, and as always serve it up with crusty baguette. This would be bomb with the shredded brussels sprouts apple salad and hell, could certainly have a place on your holiday tablesets too!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Pumpkin, but make it savory:
Pumpkin Sage Butter Brioche Dinner Rolls
Creamy White Wine Pumpkin Tortellini
Pumpkin Gnocchi with Herby Brown Butter Mushrooms
apple and cheddar pumpkin bisque
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 cup carrot, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 1 large Honeycrisp apple, cored and diced
- 2 cups vegetable broth, or water
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup canned full fat coconut milk, or half and half
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or pot. Saute the onion and carrot until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and cinnamon until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Drop in the pumpkin puree and sliced apple. Stir into the herbs. Pour the broth, milk, coconut milk or half and half, apple cider, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until thickened.
- Using an immersion blender, whip the soup until smooth. Or, alternatively, transfer a few cups of soup at a time to a traditional blender and pulse until smooth. Repeat as needed. Add the soup back to the pot. Stir in the cheddar cheese until melted. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
