Equipment
Ingredients
Base and Aromatics
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil, room temperature
- 150 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 5 g fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
Soup Body
- 800 g pumpkin puree, unsweetened
- 750 ml vegetable broth, low sodium preferred
- 300 g silken tofu, drained
Seasoning
- 15 ml maple syrup, pure grade a
- 1 g ground nutmeg
- 6 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and saute until translucent and softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic, chopped fresh sage, and ground nutmeg. Cook for 1 minute until the aromatics are highly fragrant.
Pour in the pumpkin puree and vegetable broth. Stir well to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer at approximately 100°C or 212°F.
Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Remove the Dutch oven from the heat. Carefully add the drained silken tofu, maple syrup, kosher salt, and black pepper directly into the pot.
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup directly in the pot until completely smooth, velvety, and emulsified. If using a standard countertop blender, work in batches and blend carefully, as hot liquids will expand.
Return the pot to low heat for 2 to 3 minutes just to warm through. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, then ladle into warm bowls and serve.
Chef's Notes
- Silken tofu is an extraordinary ingredient for vegan bisques. It neutralizes perfectly into the background while mimicking the heavy, luxurious mouthfeel of traditional dairy cream without any nutty undertones.
- Pumpkin varieties vary wildly in their natural moisture and sweetness. Adjust your vegetable broth depending on how thick your specific puree is, aiming for a texture that heavily coats the back of a spoon.
- Blooming the ground nutmeg and fresh sage in the oil before adding liquids extracts their fat-soluble flavor compounds, providing a much deeper autumnal profile than just stirring them in at the end.
- For the smoothest possible texture without a high-speed blender, consider passing the finished soup through a fine mesh sieve before the final gentle reheating.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container. The soup may thicken when chilled.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in portions. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Do not boil vigorously to prevent the tofu emulsion from splitting.
