Pumpkin Soup's Perfect Cheese Pairing Partners

Pumpkin soup is a popular dish, especially during the fall season. The soup is creamy and has a sweet and savoury taste. To enhance the flavour of the soup, it is often served with cheese. Popular cheese options include cheddar, fontina, gruyere, and goat cheese. The cheese can be melted into the soup or served on the side as grilled cheese croutons.

Grilled cheese croutons

Ingredients

• Butter, softened
• Bread slices (white bread or a variety of your choice)
• Cheese (Gruyère, Fontina, provolone, goat cheese, or a combination)

Optional Ingredients

• Mayonnaise
• Spices (such as garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger, or nutmeg)
• Fresh herbs (such as parsley or basil)

Instructions

• Prepare the Grilled Cheese: Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. You can also use mayonnaise instead of butter for a slightly different flavour. Place the slices of bread, buttered-side down, in a skillet or pan over medium heat. Top the bread with your chosen cheese. For a classic combination, you can use Fontina or Gruyère cheese. For a more complex flavour, try a combination of provolone and goat cheese.
• Cook the Grilled Cheese: Place the second slice of bread on top of the cheese, with the buttered-side facing up. Cook the sandwich until it is golden brown and the cheese has melted, which should take around 5 to 6 minutes per side. Adjust the heat as needed to ensure even cooking.
• Create the Croutons: Once the grilled cheese sandwich is cooked, remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly. Using a serrated knife, cut the sandwich into small cubes or "croutons."
• Garnish and Serve: Place the grilled cheese croutons on top of your pumpkin soup. For an extra touch, you can garnish the soup with fresh herbs such as parsley or basil. Enjoy the combination of warm, crispy croutons with the creamy pumpkin soup!

Tips and Variations

• For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream in the soup with a combination of half-and-half and heavy cream, or use coconut milk for a vegan option.
• Feel free to experiment with different types of cheese in your croutons, such as sharp cheddar, white American, or Monterey Jack.
• If you want to make the grilled cheese croutons ahead of time, it is recommended to store them separately from the soup and prepare fresh croutons when you are ready to serve the soup.
• For a vegan version, use plant-based butter and vegan cheese, and choose a bread that does not contain any animal by-products.

Roasted pumpkin with melting cheese

A delicious and indulgent dish, roasted pumpkin with melting cheese is the perfect comfort food for chilly autumnal days. This recipe combines the sweetness of roasted pumpkin with the savoury, salty goodness of melted cheese. The result is a dish that is both hearty and satisfying.

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons of melted butter
• 1 tablespoon of groundnut oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 oz (110 g) of Gruyere or Fontina cheese, cut into small cubes
• Fresh herbs such as parsley or basil (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Cut the top off the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. Brush the inside of the pumpkin with melted butter.
• Replace the top and place the pumpkin on a buttered baking sheet.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. The pumpkin should be slightly droopy but still hold its shape.
• While the pumpkin is baking, prepare the cheese. Cut the Gruyere or Fontina cheese into small cubes. You want the cheese to be in bite-sized pieces that will melt easily.
• Once the pumpkin is baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly.
• Carefully scoop out the flesh of the pumpkin, being careful not to burn yourself.
• Place the pumpkin flesh in a large bowl and add the cubed cheese.
• Mix gently until the cheese is well combined with the pumpkin.
• Return the pumpkin to the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
• Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. The cheese should be melted and stringy.
• Sprinkle with fresh herbs such as parsley or basil (optional).
• Serve the roasted pumpkin with melting cheese as a side dish or main course. Enjoy!

Tips and Variations

• You can also add other ingredients to this dish, such as sautéed onions, carrots, or celery. Simply sauté the vegetables in butter or oil until soft, and then mix them into the pumpkin and cheese mixture before baking.
• For a vegan version, use plant-based butter and cheese alternatives.
• If you prefer a stronger cheese flavour, you can use a sharper variety of cheese, such as mature cheddar or blue cheese.
• To make this dish even more indulgent, you can add a drizzle of cream or milk to the pumpkin and cheese mixture before baking.

Pumpkin soup with cheddar

Pumpkin soup is a delicious, velvety, and savoury dish, especially when paired with cheese. The nuttiness of the soup, achieved by oven-roasting the pumpkin, goes well with the sharpness of cheddar. Here is a recipe for a delicious pumpkin soup with cheddar:

Ingredients:

• 1 pumpkin (3-3.5 lbs / 1.35-1.6 kg)
• 1 tablespoon groundnut oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1.5 pints (850 ml) stock (vegetable or chicken)
• 15 fl oz (425 ml) whole milk
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and freshly milled black pepper
• 4 oz (110 g) cheddar, cut into 1/4 inch (5 mm) dice
• 2 oz (50 g) cheddar, coarsely grated
• 6 teaspoons creme fraiche
• 4 oz (110 g) croutons

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 240°C (gas mark 9).
• Cut the pumpkin into eighths by cutting it in half through the stalk and then cutting each half into four pieces. Scoop out the seeds using a large spoon.
• Brush the surface of each pumpkin section with oil and place them on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
• Roast the pumpkin in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until tender when tested with a skewer.
• While the pumpkin is roasting, melt some butter in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the chopped onion and stir until it begins to colour around the edges (about 5 minutes). Then, turn the heat down and let it cook gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Once the pumpkin is roasted, remove it from the oven and let it cool.
• Add the stock and milk to the onions and heat until it reaches a simmer.
• Scoop out the flesh of the pumpkin using a sharp knife and add it to the stock mixture. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
• Let the soup simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes.
• Process the soup in a blender until it is smoothly blended. For extra smoothness, pass it through a sieve to remove any fibrous bits.
• Reheat the soup gently until it reaches a simmer. Be careful not to let it boil.
• Stir in the diced cheddar.
• Ladle the soup into warm bowls and garnish each bowl with a teaspoon of creme fraiche, a sprinkling of grated cheddar, and some croutons.

Tips and Variations:

• For a sharper flavour, use a combination of cheddar and other cheeses, such as Gruyere or Fontina.
• If you prefer your soup with a bit of crunch, serve it with cheese and onion crinkle-cut chips or grilled cheese croutons.
• To make grilled cheese croutons, prepare a grilled cheese sandwich with your choice of cheese (cheddar, provolone, goat cheese, etc.) and cut it into 1-inch pieces.
• For a vegan option, substitute vegetable stock for chicken stock, and use vegan cheese and plant-based butter.

Pumpkin soup with blue cheese and Ritz crackers

Ingredients

• 2 oz. crumbled blue cheese
• Ritz crackers
• 1 kg pumpkin, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 2 garlic cloves, whole and unpeeled
• 1 rosemary sprig, leaves stripped
• 1 pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 slices of good-quality bread
• 120 g blue cheese, Picos Blue or similar

Optional:

• 3 strips of bacon
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• Vegetable or chicken stock
• A tiny bit of nutmeg and cinnamon

Method

First, preheat your oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7. In a large baking tray, mix the pumpkin chunks, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and salt and pepper with your hands until the pumpkin is nicely coated with oil. Spread the mixture out in a single layer on the tray and place in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the edges start to caramelise.

If you want to add bacon to your soup, chop and cook three strips of bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pot, but keep the rendered fat. You can remove some of the fat if there looks to be too much.

Once the pumpkin is cooked, remove the garlic and rosemary and place the pumpkin in a large pan. Add the stock and bring to a gentle boil for 5 minutes to blend the flavours. Take the pan off the heat and purée the soup using a hand blender. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

While the soup is simmering, place the Ritz crackers on a baking sheet. Place 1-2 teaspoons of blue cheese crumbles onto each cracker. Broil the crackers for 1-2 minutes in the oven.

If you are using bacon, saute a diced carrot and onion in the bacon fat. When they start to brown, add some chopped garlic. If you are not using bacon, you can use butter or oil to saute the carrot and onion.

Next, fill the pot with chopped pumpkin. Add in stock just to cover the pumpkin and simmer until the pumpkin is tender. Puree the soup with an immersion blender. Add a tiny bit of nutmeg and cinnamon, and stir in about 8 oz of pungent blue cheese.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the cheesy crackers and, if using, the bacon.

Tips

• This soup can be made with either vegetable or chicken stock.
• You can also add a garnish of grated cheese, croutons, and a sprinkling of parsley.
• For a lighter soup, substitute heavy cream for 1 cup half-and-half and 1/2 cup heavy cream.

Pumpkin soup with fontina grilled cheese croutons

Ingredients

• 4 slices of bread
• 6 ounces of Fontina cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons of butter, softened
• 1/2 sweet onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree
• 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• 3 tablespoons snipped chives for topping
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

For the soup:

• Heat a pot over medium-low heat and add the diced onion and garlic with some butter. Stir in the salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, and nutmeg. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the onions become caramelized, around 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add in the pumpkin puree and stock. Stir the mixture well and use an immersion blender to puree it until smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the soup to a blender, then return it to the pot.
• Heat the soup over medium heat and bring it to a simmer. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
• After simmering, stir in the cream, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the soup until warmed through.

For the grilled cheese croutons:

• Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread.
• Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-low heat. Fill the sandwiches with the grated Fontina cheese, topping the bread with a slice buttered-side up.
• Cook the sandwiches until golden on both sides, about 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until the cheese is melted.
• Let the sandwiches cool slightly, then slice them into 1-inch croutons.

Serving

Ladle the warm soup into bowls and top with the grilled cheese croutons, chives, and a sprinkle of black pepper. Enjoy the combination of creamy pumpkin soup and crispy, cheesy croutons!

Frequently asked questions