February 17, 2011

Creamy Sweet Potato, Pumpkin, and Apple Soup



In all honesty it really doesn't get cold enough here to be true soup weather.  That doesn't stop me from craving soup every now and again, especially on a rainy night.  Soup is one of those dishes that just screams comfort to me.  One of my favorites is pumpkin soup, but I decided to add a few different ingredients into my regular recipe.


Roasting pumpkin, sweet potato, and apple just brings out all of their yummy goodness.  Once these vegetables have been roasted this soup comes together very quickly.  That drizzle of honey and sprigs of rosemary add that something special to the soup.  Actually honey and rosemary together have become one of my favorite combinations.  Both ingredients have health benefits too so I am happy to use them whenever I can.  Honey has been proven to energize the body, boost immunity, fight bacteria, promote healing of cuts and burns, and help heal sore throats.  I remember my Home Economics teacher telling the class that if we could keep honey in our throats permanently we would never suffer from a sore throat.  Research has shown that rosemary contains anti-inflammatory compounds that may make it useful for reducing the severity of asthma attacks and substances that are useful for stimulating the immune system, increasing circulation, and improving digestion. Also, rosemary has been shown to increase the blood flow to the head and brain, therefore improving concentration.  I think I will go and pick a branch a day to test out the last fact.



It also freezes well, but make sure that you do not add the cream prior to freezing as it tends to curdle the mixture after you thaw it.  I find that if you thaw it out, gently reheat, and then add the cream it works like a charm.  I love serving this with a little Greek yogurt on top and some crusty bread.  I have also added coconut milk rather than cream to my regular pumpkin soup, and I bet it would taste great in this soup too.


Creamy Sweet Potato, Pumpkin, and Apple Soup©
(Printer Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients
  • 1 butternut pumpkin (about 2 lbs), chopped into cubes
  • 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped into cubes
  • 2 sweet potatoes, chopped into cubes
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup cream (or half & half)
  • 1/2 cups water (or more depending on desired consistency)
  • sour cream or Greek yogurt

Preparation
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Pour 2 tablespoon olive oil in a roasting pan and add sweet potato, pumpkin, and apple in a roasting pan.
  3. Drizzle honey over top and toss to coat. 
  4. Add sprigs of rosemary, salt, and pepper and roast for approximately 30 minutes.  Toss the mixture, and then continue roasting for another 10-15 minutes, or until tender.
  5. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a soup pot and saute the onion until translucent. 
  6. Remove rosemary sprigs and add roasted vegetables and stock and bring to a gentle boil.
  7. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
  8. Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor.
  9. Return pot to a gentle heat and add cream, nutmeg, and water. 
  10. Check seasoning and serve with a little sour cream or Greek yogurt on top.

Makes approximately 10 cups.

Recipe by All That's Left Are The Crumbs.

34 comments:

  1. I just added honey to my tea in the hopes of getting rid of my sore throat.
    Your soup looks delicious. I love the addition of apples.

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  2. Mmm this sounds so comforting.

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  3. Love sweet potatoes and apples together in soups... definitely a match made in heaven, even when they haven't been roasted to bring out the natural sweetness.
    This soup sounds just fabulous, and since we're in for a cold spell this weekend, I do think it might end up on my menu! :)

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  4. I love your handy work with the sour cream. It makes for a lovely presentation.

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  5. Your soup is gorgeous with the sour cream design. I love all of those flavors in your soup I'll have to make this recipe next fall!

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  6. Beautiful presentation. :) The flavors in this soup look so good.

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  7. Very nice touch with the sour cream and it sounds super good. Love sweet potato anything!

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  8. This soup looks so creamy and delicious! I love the flavors too!

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  9. That is the most beautiful bowl of soup I've ever seen! The flavor combo sounds amazing, I just love it!

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  10. I have been on a bit of a soup kick myself lately and this one is right up my alley. It looks delicious!

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  11. This sounds just lovely! Great job!!

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  12. yummy..looks incredible! Love your presentation and photos!

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  13. This sounds so yummy and your picture is gorgeous!!

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  14. I love how yummy this looks! thanks for sharing this.

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  15. Oh my, that bowl of soup looks fantastic! And the flavor combination is heavenly. Great job, Felice!

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  16. How very artistically presented - Love all the ingredients and I am sure this was a winner

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  17. i love roasting squash before adding it to the soup too.
    your soup sounds so good. love the drawings on top
    thanks for sharing Felice, hope you'll have a wonderful weekend

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  18. The combination sounds incredibly delicious! I love the touch of honey to bring out the natural sweetness!

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  19. I don't know if I would have the heart to eat this soup, it looks so beautiful! Great work! I love squash type soups in the winter, they're so warming!

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  20. Even though it was nearly eighty degrees here in Austin, I still crave soup. And when you make a soup this beautiful...how could you not! This is so stunning (and I bet it tastes even better!) Thank you for sharing your heart and this soup. I hope you have a blessed Saturday!

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  21. I love using apple in cold weather soups, it's so comforting and yummy! This soup sounds so delicious:)

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  22. the apples are such a nice touch to your soup, it adds a little sweetness and an unknown quantity to the soup...your presentation is beautiful!
    cheers
    Dennis

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  23. Delicious combination, and looks so adorable.

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  24. Theres an award waiting for you. http://t.co/N1E66kZ
    Cheers, Zen

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  25. wow, such a wonderful recipe. and beautiful snap. thank you for sharing!

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  26. what a delicious (and beautiful) soup!

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  27. your blog is great..as this soup!!! Ciao Flavia

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  28. Congratulations! We wanted to inform you that this post has been selected as a featured Archive Posts during the month of September.

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  29. I actually made the soup! I followed the directions exactly (although I didn’t need the water) and it was delicious! The house smelled great while I was roasting with the rosemary and honey. I had sour cream, chives and croutons for my guests to garnish their own. Many compliments, I will definitely make this again...maybe for Thanksgiving! Thank you for the great recipe and the detailed instructions!

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