Pumpkin Soup with Marsala and Mascarpone

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

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Yield: 8-10

Pumpkin Soup with Marsala and Mascarpone

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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!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 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
• 4 cups pumpkin puree or 2 cans (15-ounce) pumpkin puree
• 1 container (8-ounce) mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup heavy cream
• salt, to taste
• ALMOND TOPPING

Instructions

1. Heat butter and olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion and cook 6-8 minutes or until softening.
3. Add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the flour and cook 1-2 minutes.
5. Slowly stir in the Marsala wine. Bring to a boil. Reduced heat and cook 1-2 minutes or until a thick paste forms.
6. Add the chicken broth and pumpkin puree.
7. Bring back to a boil.
8. Reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes or until onion is very tender.
9. Remove from heat. Stir in mascarpone and heavy cream.
10. Puree with an immersion blender until very smooth.
11. Add salt to taste.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8-10

Serving Size

1 cup
Amount Per Serving Calories 305Total Fat 21gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 54mgSodium 1018mgCarbohydrates 26gFiber 7gSugar 11gProtein 5g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.