Are you ready for Fall? Nothing says Fall like a warm bowl of soup. And, when you add pumpkin to the mix, it will give you all the sweater weather feels. This Savory Pumpkin and Sage Soup is smooth, creamy and delicious!
1/4 c. olive oil
3 large sweet onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large leaves sage, chopped
2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated and peeled
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 qt. lower-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
3 15-oz. cans pure pumpkin
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 c. heavy whipping cream or coconut milk
For the Sage and Shiitake Garnish
1 in. oil
24 small sage leaves
Kosher salt
7 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and very thinly sliced
Make the Soup: In 5-quart sauce pot, heat oil on medium. Add onions and salt. Cook 40 minutes or until deep golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, sage, ginger and nutmeg. Cook 5 minutes or until garlic is golden, stirring occasionally. Add broth and pumpkin. Heat to simmering on high, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot. Reduce heat to maintain simmer; cook 20 minutes stirring occasionally.
With immersion blender or in batches in blender, puree soup until smooth. Stir in lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add heavy whipping cream or coconut milk at the end. Heating through.
Makes about 10 cups. Soup can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead. Reheat on medium. (If soup is too thick, add water or broth for desired consistency. Season to taste.)
Make the Sage and Shiitake Garnish: In 2-quart saucepan, heat oil on high until hot but not smoking. Add sage leaves to oil. Fry 1 to 2 minutes or until leaves are browned, stirring occasionally. With slotted spoon, transfer to large paper-towel-lined plate; sprinkle with pinch of salt. In batches, add shiitake mushrooms to hot oil. Fry 2 minutes or until deep golden brown, stirring occasionally. Transfer to same plate as sage; sprinkle with pinch of salt. Cool completely. Garnish can be made up to 3 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
