With a medley of butternut squash, yams, and pumpkin, a splash of apple cider and just a hint of cinnamon, this golden soup is a celebration of the bounty of fall!
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The cold weather and rain has returned to the Fraser Valley and brought with it the beginning of my favourite season: fall. I love the crisp autumn air, orange leaves on the ground, and pumpkin spice everything! And on a cool fall day there is little more comforting than a warm bowl of soup. This Autumn Harvest Bisque brings all your favourite fall flavours together in one comforting bowl!
Ingredient Notes
Butternut Squash: This is my go-to squash for soup. You will need 1 large squash which should yield approximately 3 cups when peeled and diced. The amount of squash needed in this soup is forgiving and a little less or more won’t affect the overall finished soup. If your squash is very small, then consider using two.
Yam: You will need 1 large yam which should yield approximately 2 cups when peeled and diced.
Pumpkin: I like to use canned pumpkin here. It adds delicious pumpkin flavour and also acts as a thickener for the soup.
Leeks: I love the mild and slightly sweet flavour of leeks, so I often use them in soups. However, they are completely optional. You can easily substitute them with a little more onion, or just leave them out.
Apple cider: While this is a savoury soup, apple cider adds a subtle sweetness that compliments the root vegetables perfectly. You can use apple cider or juice.
Thyme: A small bundle of fresh thyme adds a delightful herbal note to this soup. If you are using dried thyme instead, reduce the amount to half a teaspoon.
Cinnamon Stick: A cinnamon stick adds a hint of warming spice. But don’t worry, the cinnamon won’t be overpowering! If you wanted to substitute with ground cinnamon, then I would be careful about adding too much. Start with a pinch or two and taste the soup after it simmers for a while before adding more if needed.
Vegetable broth: Using vegetable broth keeps this dish vegetarian but you could use chicken broth if you prefer. I typically use a good quality, organic store-bought broth.
How to make Autumn Harvest Bisque
This recipe is incredibly simple. The only hard work is chopping vegetables!
Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil along with the diced onions and leeks. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until the onions are soft and tender. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute.
Add the vegetable broth and apple cider to the pot and bring to a simmer. Peel and roughly chop both the butternut squash and the yam and add to the pot. Tie the thyme sprigs together in a bundle and add to the pot along with the cinnamon stick. Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.
Heat the soup over high heat until it comes to a boil. Turn down the heat, cover, and simmer on low for about 30 minutes (or until the vegetables are tender). Add the pumpkin purée and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Taste the broth and add more salt and pepper if needed. Remove the thyme bundle and cinnamon stick.
When the vegetables are tender use a blender or immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. I like to use a high-speed blender. Carefully transfer the soup in two or three batches and blend until very smooth. Transfer the pureed soup back into a saucepan and check the seasoning again. If you prefer the soup a little thinner, you can add a bit more vegetable broth or apple juice.
To serve, garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a swirl of heavy cream, if desired, and enjoy!
More Seasonal Fall Recipes
If you are looking for more delicious recipes that use your favourite fall produce, try out my Savoury Butternut Squash Pasties!
Autumn Harvest Bisque
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ large onion or 1 medium
- 2 leeks *see note
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large butternut squash
- 1 large yam
- 1 ½ cups apple cider
- 2 L vegetable broth
- 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 15 oz can pumpkin
- ground cinnamon to serve optional
- cream to serve optional
Instructions
- Finely chop the onion and set aside. To prepare the leeks, cut off the white and light green stem just below the dark green leaves. Discard the tough leaves. Split the stalk in half while leaving the root intact. Wash the leeks, carefully separating the layers and letting the water rinse between to remove any dirt. Cut off the root and then chop the leeks into thick slices.
- Heat a large, heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and the chopped onion and leeks. Sauté over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent.
- While the onions are cooking, peel and chop the butternut squash and the yam. When the onions and leeks are tender add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute.
- Add the vegetable broth and apple cider to the pot and turn up the heat to high. Tie the thyme stems together with twine and add to the pot along with the cinnamon stick. Add the kosher salt and pepper along with the chopped butternut squash and yams.
- Heat the soup until it comes to a boil then turn down to low. Let simmer on low, covered, for about 30 minutes until the vegetables are very tender. Add the canned pumpkin and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- After simmering for about 40 to 45 minutes, remove the thyme bundle and cinnamon stick. Taste the broth for seasoning, adding more salt if desired.
- To puree the soup, carefully transfer the soup in two to three batches to a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth then transfer to a clean saucepan. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender, although the soup may not be quite as smooth as with the blender.
- Check the finished soup for seasoning and adjust if necessary. If you prefer the soup to be thinner, add a bit more vegetable broth or apple juice. If needed, heat the soup back up over medium heat.
- If desired, you can serve this soup with a swirl of cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Notes
Did you try this recipe? I would love to see!
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