Pumpkin Soup with Marsala and Mascarpone
Updated Jul 14, 2021, Published Nov 03, 2018
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Pumpkin Soup with Marsala and Mascarpone with a lovely toasty, buttery almond topping is the perfect elegant starter to all your holiday meals!
Does the world need another pumpkin soup recipe? Thinking it needs this Pumpkin Soup with Marsala and Mascarpone!
While traveling through Europe this past fall, I noticed that pumpkin soup is big in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. However, not so much in Italy and France.
Perhaps they haven’t had a good Italian-inspired version of pumpkin soup to brag about and to showcase? Time to change that!
The lovely sweetness of pumpkin pairs perfectly with the light, sweet winey taste of Marsala in addition to the mildly tangy flavor of mascarpone cheese.
What is marsala?
Marsala is a fortified wine from Sicily. Fortified means that a distilled spirit such as brandy has been added. Because of that, Marsala will keep well when opened for a much longer time than regular wine.
What is mascarpone?
Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese that has only a few ingredients but has the consistency of butter.
Wait. Pumpkin? Marsala? Cream cheese with the consistency of butter? I’m in!
How to make Pumpkin Soup with Marsala and Mascarpone:
- Start by cooking onions and garlic in some olive oil and butter.
- Add the Marsala wine so that it cooks a little bit and reduces down.
- Add the remaining ingredients…
- Cook some more…
- Add the mascarpone and some cream…
- And you end up with one super-elegant, creamy delicious soup!
And you’re wondering…. the almonds?
I had the worst time garnishing and figuring out a topping for this Pumpkin Soup with Marsala and Mascarpone! I tried fried sage leaves, pumpkin seeds and I tried just a swirl of cream. So, I dug back into my garnishing playbook and decided on these Butter and Turbinado Toasted Almonds. Toasty, buttery and only slightly sweet. Perfect!
Simply beautiful and perfect for your next dinner party!
More beautiful soups perfect for fall and winter entertaining!
- Butternut Squash Soup with Thyme and Taleggio
- Cream of Brussels Sprouts Soup with Butter and Turbinado Toasted Almonds
- Creamy White Bean, Rutabaga and Roasted Garlic Soup
Pumpkin Soup with Marsala and Mascarpone
Ingredients
Soup
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Marsala wine
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cans (15-ounce) pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 container (8-ounce) mascarpone cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Salt, to taste
Almond Topping
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
Instructions
Soup
- Heat butter and olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and cook 6-8 minutes or until softening.
- Add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes.
- Add the flour and cook 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly stir in the Marsala wine. Bring to a boil. Reduced heat and cook 1-2 minutes or until a thick paste forms.
- Add the chicken broth and pumpkin puree.
- Bring back to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes or until onion is very tender.
- Remove from heat. Stir in mascarpone and heavy cream.
- Puree with an immersion blender until very smooth.
- Add salt to taste.
Almond Topping
- Have a piece of parchment or wax paper ready and place it flat on the counter or on a baking sheet. In a small 8-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add the almonds and stir to coat with the butter.
- Sprinkle the sugar over the almonds. Continue stirring for 3-4 minutes until the almonds begin to turn a very light toasted color.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and place the almonds in an even layer onto the parchment or wax paper. Try to distribute the sugar throughout the almonds as evenly as possible. Let cool to room temperature.
- Break the topping into small pieces (it will be fragile but even if almonds break off, that's okay--they can still be sprinkled over the soup) and place on top of the served soup.
Notes
- The soup and almonds can be made 1-2 days ahead of time. Cool the soup thoroughly then refrigerate until needed.
- Reheat on the stovetop until heated through.
- For the almonds, cool, then place them in an airtight container and store them at room temperature.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Where is the recipe for the almond topping? The link does not work.
It keeps taking me back to the soup recipe. Anxious to make this. Thank you.
Hi, Patricia, Thanks for finding that little blip! I fixed the recipe card so there’s no longer a link but full instructions. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
Made this for dinner today
It was excellent. I was a bit worried that this might be too much of a “fall/winter soup”
That wasn’t the case at all
I almost didn’t make the almonds, I changed my mind last minute and I’m so glad I did
The smoky nuttiness and crunch they added to the soup brought the whole thing together
Absolutely a year round, company worthy soup
Hi, Brian and thanks so very much! So glad you enjoyed!
This soup is delicious. I will for sure make again.
I just made this for lunch and LOVED it! I had Sweet Marsala so that is what I used. I also added a bit of fresh ground nutmeg but everything else is as written. It is warming, creamy and just delicious.
Hi, Beth, Thanks so very much!!! So glad you enjoyed and hope you’ll try some of my other soups. Thanks again!
Everything about this recipe has my soul screaming “YAAAASSSS!!!”. I love the use of mascarpone for additional creaminess and the marsala just elevates the flavor so much. Plus, those almonds! *Insert heart eyed emoji here*.
Thanks so much, Mackenzie! “Insert heart emoji here!”
This looks so delicious! I just love the addition of the mascarpone and that crunchy almond topping is to die for!
Thanks, Kathryn! It’s a really lovely soup that’s perfect for this time of year and I can eat the almonds by the handful!