It's Pumpkin Season! Celebrate with This Creamy Pumpkin Soup

All you need is an immersion blender and a Dutch oven to make creamy soups a breeze. Sweet sugar pumpkins (which are smaller, softer, and sweeter than their carving cousins, making them a better fit for cooking) are easily cut up, cooked in a heap of butter, onions, and veggies until soft, then pureed with stock and heavy cream. It makes a filling soup that you can serve to guests—or bring to work for a week's worth of lunches!

Don't skimp on the crunchy topping. It adds a lot.

Yields: 8-10 servings

Prep Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

For Bacon-Pepita Crunch

• Cooking spray

• 1

  large egg white, beaten until frothy

• 2 c.

  raw pepitas

• 1/2 c.

  granulated sugar

• 1/2 c.

  light brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp.

  kosher salt

• 1/4 tsp.

  cayenne pepper

• 5

  slices cooked bacon, chopped

For Cream of Pumpkin Soup:

• 4 tbsp.

  (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

• 1

  large sweet onion, chopped

• 3

  carrots, chopped

• 3

  ribs celery, chopped

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1

  (2 1/2-pound) sugar pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces

• 2

  Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

• 4

  sprigs thyme

• 2

  (32-ounce) containers chicken stock

• 1/3 c.

  long-grain white rice

• 1/4

  to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/3 c.

  heavy cream

• 2 tbsp.

  pure honey

• Bacon-Pepita Crunch

Directions

1. Make Bacon-Pepita Crunch: Preheat oven to 300°F. Lightly grease a small rimmed baking sheet. Stir together egg white, pepitas, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake, stirring once, 20 minutes. Stir in bacon and bake until lightly browned and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week.

2. Make Cream of Pumpkin Soup: Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in pumpkin, apples, thyme, stock, rice, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until pumpkin is tender, 28 to 30 minutes. Cool slightly; discard thyme sprigs.

3. Puree, in batches, in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return to pot and stir in cream and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with Bacon-Pepita Crunch.

How to Cut Up a Sugar Pumpkin: Start by removing the stem. (The skin is edible but, if desired, peel with a Y-shaped peeler.) Place the pumpkin, stem or root side down, on a cutting board, and use a sharp knife to cut in half vertically. With a sharp-edged metal spoon, scrape out the seeds and strings. Cut into desired size slices or cubes.

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