Equipment
Ingredients
Base and Aromatics
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil, room temperature
- 150 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 5 g fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
Soup Body
- 800 g pumpkin puree, unsweetened
- 750 ml vegetable broth, low sodium preferred
- 300 g silken tofu, drained
Seasoning
- 15 ml maple syrup, pure grade a
- 1 g ground nutmeg
- 6 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 218 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 28 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 1165 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 547 mg
- Calcium
- 155 mg
- Iron
- 4.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 60 mg
- Phosphorus
- 94 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1582 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 14 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 38 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.11 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.19 mg
- Niacin
- 1.0 mg
- Folate
- 32 mcg
- Water
- 468 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and saute until translucent and softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic, chopped fresh sage, and ground nutmeg. Cook for 1 minute until the aromatics are highly fragrant.
Pour in the pumpkin puree and vegetable broth. Stir well to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer at approximately 100°C or 212°F.
Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Remove the Dutch oven from the heat. Carefully add the drained silken tofu, maple syrup, kosher salt, and black pepper directly into the pot.
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup directly in the pot until completely smooth, velvety, and emulsified. If using a standard countertop blender, work in batches and blend carefully, as hot liquids will expand.
Return the pot to low heat for 2 to 3 minutes just to warm through. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, then ladle into warm bowls and serve.
Chef's Notes
- Silken tofu is an extraordinary ingredient for vegan bisques. It neutralizes perfectly into the background while mimicking the heavy, luxurious mouthfeel of traditional dairy cream without any nutty undertones.
- Pumpkin varieties vary wildly in their natural moisture and sweetness. Adjust your vegetable broth depending on how thick your specific puree is, aiming for a texture that heavily coats the back of a spoon.
- Blooming the ground nutmeg and fresh sage in the oil before adding liquids extracts their fat-soluble flavor compounds, providing a much deeper autumnal profile than just stirring them in at the end.
- For the smoothest possible texture without a high-speed blender, consider passing the finished soup through a fine mesh sieve before the final gentle reheating.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container. The soup may thicken when chilled.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in portions. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Do not boil vigorously to prevent the tofu emulsion from splitting.
Troubleshooting
Soup texture is grainy or separated
Cause: The tofu was not blended long enough, or the soup boiled vigorously after blending
Fix: Return to the blender and blend on high speed for an additional minute until the emulsion stabilizes
Prevention: Blend thoroughly for at least 2 minutes and only heat gently after the tofu is added
Flavor tastes flat or overly sweet
Cause: Imbalance of salt and acid, or using a naturally very sweet pumpkin variety
Fix: Stir in an additional pinch of salt and a half teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to brighten the flavors
Prevention: Always taste your pumpkin puree before seasoning
Cultural Context
The term bisque traditionally refers to a highly seasoned French soup of crustacean origin, thickened with shells. In modern culinary contexts, bisque has evolved to describe any velvety, pureed soup with a rich, creamy finish. This vegan adaptation honors the luxurious texture of its French predecessor while utilizing indigenous American squash.
