This soup is filled with all the flavors of the season. It’s fragrant, hearty and is sure to hit the spot as a first course during the holidays, an easy weekday meal or even the starter for your weekend dinner party. The sour cream, olive oil and fresh thyme add a savory depth and richness that will warm you right up during these wintery months. Enjoy and please let me know if you enjoyed it!

Ingredients:

2 lb potato
15 ounces pumpkin puree
6-8 cups vegetable stock
1 medium shallot
¾ tsp. cinnamon, + ¼ tsp
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground ginger
salt/pepper to taste
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, + extra for garnish
sour cream for garnish
3-5 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions:

Peel potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes. Toss with 2 tbsp olive oil, ¾ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp salt and ¼ fresh ground pepper. Toss to coat evenly and spread on a baking pan to roast at 425° for 30 minutes.

In a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and finely diced shallot. Once the shallot begins to cook down and slightly brown, add 2 cups of vegetable stock. Next, add the potato and pumpkin to pot and another 2 cups of stock. At this point, you can use an emersion blender to blend the soup. If you do not have an emersion blender, you can puree the potato in a food processor once it is out of the oven, before adding it to the pot.

Slowly add in the remaining cups of vegetable stock until you have your desired consistency. Next, add the remaining spices: ¼ tsp. cinnamon, ¼ tsp. nutmeg, ¼ tsp. ground ginger, then stir. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer over medium heat and let simmer for fifteen minutes.

Remove from heat and ladle into bowls to serve, garnishing with a dollop of sour cream, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh thyme. I always serve this with a big piece of crusty bread (also drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with fresh thyme!) Enjoy!