Friday, November 13, 2009

Pumpkin Soup Varieties Keep This Recipe Fresh

By Ken Kudra

Pumpkin soup is one of those recipes that has many variations. While most people think of only classic pumpkin soup, there are many other ways to create a soup out of pumpkin. One of the easiest recipes is for a honey roasted pumpkin soup. The ingredients are drizzled with honey before roasting. Then it is made into soup.

Another easy pumpkin soup variation to try is pumpkin and cheese. This is a simple soup you can make using canned pumpkin puree. Simply add in your ingredients like spices, cream, broth, brown sugar and some grated cheddar cheese. Serve this soup with some fresh rolls or melt some grated cheese on top until it is bubbly and delicious.

Another twist on classic pumpkin soup adds real maple syrup to the soup as well as some Marsala wine. The rich flavors blend together, creating an incredible meal. Be sure and use real maple syrup... the imitation syrups just will not have the same effect on the soup.

You can also influence your pumpkin soup by changing cuisines. There are pumpkin soups in Thai, Haitian, Mexican and Jamaican cuisines. The common spices of each cuisine make the difference, creating new flavor variations with the pumpkin.

If you want something more exotic, try corn pumpkin crab soup. This soup is creamy, yet it contains crab, corn, cayenne pepper, paprika, and nutmeg. The creaminess comes from a good dose of heavy cream. If you do not want the cream, leave it out. A little dried dill adds a tang to the final result. Either way, the soup is delicious and a bit unusual. Your family will love it. If you want, serve it as an appetizer to an Asian meal.

You can also add specialty ingredients to vary your pumpkin soup. Bacon adds a lot of flavor for a savory soup, while chocolate makes a delightful dessert soup. If you like spice, add some peppers, curry or other hot spices to add some zest to your soup. Mix up sausage and peanut butter with your pumpkin soup for a very delicious, distinctive flavor you will not soon forget. This fast recipe can be put together quickly when you do not have much time.

Traditional fall ingredients like apple are also commonly combined with pumpkin in soup. Other winter squashes like butternut or even sweet potatoes can be combined to add different levels of flavor. Herbs can be used to add different flavors to the soup. In summer, you can even make a chilled pumpkin soup that will work wonders at cooling down your guests.

It really does not matter what variation of pumpkin soup you make. The results will be a rich, delicious soup that will fill you up and warm you to your core. The velvety texture of this creamy soup is satisfying on all levels. It may become a new favorite for your family or friends. If cooking time is at a premium, throw your ingredients in the crockpot and let them cook all day long. You can enjoy it in the evening at your leisure.

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