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Pumpkin cider soup in a blue and white teacup, garnished with crème frâiche and chives.
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5 / 2 votes

Pumpkin-Cider Soup

While apples might be best known as ingredients in crisps, crumbles, cakes, and tarts, they're a delicious way to sweeten up vegetable soups made with seasonal vegetables like butternut squash, pumpkins, and parsnips. Try this soup made with squash and apples and spiced with sage and thyme.
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Appetizers
Cuisine: Irish
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 182

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted Kerrygold Irish butter (2 1/2 oz)
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped
  • 6 cups (1-inch cubes) pumpkin, hubbard squash, or butternut squash
  • 2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
  • 5 cups homemade chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
  • 1 cup Irish cider
  • 2 or 3 sage leaves
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Crème fraîche, for serving (see Note)
  • Minced flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish
  • Chopped chives, for garnish
  • Brown soda bread, for serving
US - Metric

Instructions

  • In a stock pot or large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and celery, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until soft but not browned. Add the pumpkin or squash, apples, stock or broth, cider, and sage, and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Remove the sage leaves.
  • Working in batches, transfer the pumpkin soup to a food processor or blender and purée until smooth. (Or purée in the pot with an immersion blender.) Return the soup to the pot, stir in the cream, and cook until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • To serve, ladle the pumpkin soup into shallow bowls, place a spoonful of crème fraîche in the center of each, and sprinkle with the parsley and chives. Serve with brown bread.

Notes

  1. Blending--Take care when blending hot liquids as they can splatter and burn. If using a food processor or blender, work in batches and leave space for steam to escape.
  2. Storage--The soup can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
  3. Irish cider--If you can't find Irish cider, substitute your favorite dry hard apple cider. Avoid sweet ciders.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 454mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g