Pumpkin Bisque with Smoked Gouda

🧂 Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon

  cut in one-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion

  chopped
• 3 cloves garlic

  finely minced
• 3 to 4 cups chicken broth

  (see note below)
• 29 oz. can solid-pack pumpkin

  or pumpkin puree
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

  preferred, or half-and-half
• 1 cup Gouda cheese

  shredded (or more, if desired)
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley

  finely minced
• 1 cup Gouda cheese

  for topping
• 1 apple

  sliced for garnish, if desired

Instructions

• 1 In a Dutch oven, cook bacon on medium heat until bacon crisps.
• 2 Remove with slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate.
• 3 Allow bacon to drain.
• 4 Remove all but one tablespoon bacon grease.
• 5 Sauté onion in drippings until tender.
• 6 Then add garlic and cook an additional minute until fragrant, but not scorched!
• 7 Add chicken broth, pumpkin, salt, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice and pepper and bring
  to a boil.
• 8 Reduce heat to low; continue cooking, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.
• 9 Remove from heat.
• 10 Cool slightly.
• 11 Use an immersion blender to puree the soup.
• 12 Return Dutch oven to low heat.
• 13 Stir in whipping cream.
• 14 Then add Gouda cheese and continue stirring until well blended (DO NOT BOIL!)
• 15 Remove from heat.
• 16 Ladle soup into bowls.
• 17 Top with fresh parsley, cooked bacon, pumpkin seeds, apple slices and additional
  Gouda cheese, as desired.

Nutrition Info