A bowl of autumn comfort, this harissa maple pumpkin soup balances sweet, smoky, and spicy notes for the perfect seasonal warm-up. Topped with crisp sage and crunchy granola brittle, it’s your new fall favorite.

Ingredients

Soup

• 800 g pumpkin purée (homemade or store-bought)

• 50 g unsalted butter

• 3 shallots, halved & thinly sliced

• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 100 ml fresh apple cider (or cloudy apple juice)

• 950 ml vegetable broth (plus more if needed)

• 1 tsp harissa spice

• ¼–½ tsp ground nutmeg

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• 1½ tsp kosher salt (to taste)

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 90 ml heavy cream

• Splash of apple cider vinegar

Optional Fried Sage

• 30 g unsalted butter

• 1 tbsp oil

• 10–12 fresh sage leaves

Method

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add shallots and cook ~10 min until soft and lightly caramelized.

2. Stir in garlic, maple syrup, and rosemary; cook 3–5 min until fragrant.

3. Add harissa, nutmeg, and cinnamon; stir to coat.

4. Pour in apple cider, scraping the pot to deglaze; simmer 4–5 min.

5. Add broth and pumpkin purée; simmer 10 min, stirring occasionally.

6. Blend until smooth (immersion or blender). Return to pot, stir in cream, season, and finish with vinegar.

7. For sage topping: melt butter and oil in a small pan, fry leaves ~1 min until crisp. Drain on paper towel and reserve butter.

8. Serve soup topped with fried sage, granola brittle, and a drizzle of sage butter or cream. Finish with cracked pepper.

Homemade Pumpkin Purée

Ingredients: 1 small pumpkin (or large squash), olive oil, salt.

Method:
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Halve pumpkin, remove seeds, rub with oil and salt. Roast cut-side down 40–50 min until soft. Scoop flesh, blend smooth. Store airtight (5 days fridge / 3 months freezer).

Granola Brittle

Ingredients (for 4–6 servings)

• 1 cup (150 g) granola

• ¼ cup (60 g) sugar

• 3 tbsp (20 g) unsalted butter

• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup (optional)

• Pinch salt

• ½ tsp cinnamon (or pinch nutmeg/ginger)

Method:
Line a tray with parchment. Melt butter and sugar 3–4 min until golden; stir in honey/syrup, salt, and cinnamon. Quickly mix in granola, spread thinly, and cool 15–20 min until crisp. Break into shards and store airtight (1 week).