The perfect starter for your holiday meals. Honeynut Squash and Pumpkin Soup with Rosemary is easy to make in advance, delicious and festive! To me, there is nothing more comforting than a warm bowl of soup to start off a dinner party - it makes guests feel immediately at home and your kitchen will smell amazing while it simmers. If you are entertaining for the holidays check out my French Holiday Recipe guide for more inspiration.
I came up with this Roasted Honeynut and Pumpkin soup with Rosemary simply by using the ingredients that were in my kitchen this time of year. It was so good I had to share. Seasonal vegetables? Check. Delicious, decadent flavor approved by Le Chef? Check. Check! Did I mention that this soup freezes beautifully as well?
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Soupe Passée, Soupe Moulinée
My years in the South of France taught me to appreciate the art of the French Soup "Passée" or "Moulinée" which is a blended soup. Often enjoyed as a starter during a weekend family meal or as a comforting weeknight meal on its own, Soupe passée is my go to. Once you get the consistency right there is even no need to add cream. You can enjoy a rich and delicious meal, full of vegetables, with zero guilt.
French diet books often extole the virtues of a good "soupe passée" and they are not wrong. That being said, I find myself often pairing the soup with a wheel of cheese and a bonne baguette! (you can learn to make your own baguettes at home using my simple recipe for beginners)
Honeynut Squash, Pumpkin & Rosemary Soup
The flavors of pumpkin, honeynut squash and rosemary blend absolutely beautifully together. The soup has an alluring, autumnal deep orange color and a decadent and gourmet "je ne sais quoi" with the addition of the rosemary. Serve this dish and I can guarantee you will impress...a perfect starter for your holiday dinners.
Kitchen Essentials:
Immersion Blender - I have been using this space saver Kitchen Aid blender set for years
Baking Dish such as my Le Creuset in Marseille Blue
Soup pot. No need for a heavy dutch oven with this soup - a large stock pot like this is my kitchen workhorse.
Honeynut and Pumpkin Soup with Rosemary Recipe
Full recipe in the recipe card below.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion, roughy chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, quartered
- 4 honeynut squash, sliced in half
- 3 cups of pumpkin meat (canned or fresh)
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 1 bouillon cube
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350.
- Drizzle olive oil in a baking dish then place the honeynut squash halves skin down. Drizzle with more olive oil on top and cover with tinfoil. Bake for about 30-40 minutes until flesh is easily removed with a spoon.
- (note: you do not have to roast the squash beforehand - if you prefer to peel the honeynut squash and chop it into small pieces you can absolutely cut out the roasting. I tend to roast because I loathe peeling squash and also I like the slightly sweeter flavor it brings out)
- In a large soup pot, melt the butter on medium heat. Add the rosemary sprig and the chopped onion and garlic. Sautée until the onions become translucent. This step should smell amazing!!
- Add in the roasted honeynut squash (scooping directly from the baking dish into the soup pot) and the pumpkin meat.
- Heat 4 cups of water in the microwave with a bouillon cube. Give a quick stir to let the bouillon cube disintegrate into the water and then add the mixture to the soup. Add the remaining 4 cups of water a little at a time until the water just barely covers the squash. This is key! You don't want to add too much water or the soup will be too runny and annoying to eat (trust me). Better to add less water at the beginning and then add more if needed.
- Let simmer for 30 minutes.
- Remove the rosemary sprigs. It is ok if some leaves are left behind, they will get blended into the soup.
- Blend soup with an immersion blender (or mixer) until silky.
- Add a little salt or and a few twists of the pepper mill to taste.
- Drizzle with some olive oil or heavy cream when serving. If I am serving my husband I draw a little heart on top of the soup in olive oil. Yes, we are cheesy like that.
- Speaking of cheese. A creamy goat cheese and a fresh baked baguette would make a beautiful lunch with this naturally slightly sweet soup.
- Bon Appétit!
Thanksgiving Starter
Make this soup up to 3 days in advance and simply reheat it before your guests arrive for a quick and easy (and delicious!) Thanksgiving or Holiday meal starter. The smell of homemade soup will welcome guests into your home with the most inviting aroma and you can focus on other elements of the meal.
If you are hosting for the holidays, check out my blog posts on How to host a Thanksgiving Dinner Party and 25 Best French Holiday Recipes.
Other blended recipes you will enjoy!
Butternut Squash with crispy sage
FAQ
Roasting deepens the squash’s sweetness and brings out richer flavor—plus it saves you the hassle of peeling raw squash, which is always tempting to avoid!
Start with enough liquid to just cover the squash, then simmer and adjust—less is more so you don’t end up with a watery soup.
You can absolutely use only one if that’s what you have—just expect a slightly different texture or sweetness. The mix just offers a lovely balance.
I would love to hear if you try this recipe. Feel free to mix it up with what you have on hand. Acorn Squash or Butternut squash would be great alternatives if you do not have honeynut or pumpkin.
Au plaisir,
Le Chef's Wife
All About Le Chef's Wife
Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (8 and 5) and I run a marketing company in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.
Look inside our small Kitchen with this Washington Post Article. We were featured on the TODAY SHOW for our recipes of French Onion Soup Gratinée and Moelleux au Chocolat. You can watch our full segment below.
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Honeynut and Pumpkin Soup with Rosemary
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 60
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
The flavors of pumpkin, honeynut squash and rosemary blend absolutely beautifully together. The soup has an alluring, autumnal deep orange color and a decadent and gourmet "je ne sais quoi" with the addition of rosemary. Serve this dish and I can guarantee you will impress...even if it is just yourself.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion, roughy chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, quartered
- 4 honeynut squash, sliced in half
- 3 cups of pumpkin meat (canned or fresh)
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 1 bouillon cube
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350.
- Drizzle olive oil in a baking dish then place the honeynut squash halves skin down. Drizzle with more olive oil on top and cover with tinfoil. Bake for about 30-40 minutes until flesh is easily removed with a spoon.
- (note: you do not have to roast the squash beforehand - if you prefer to peel the honeynut squash and chop it into small pieces you can absolutely cut out the roasting. I tend to roast because I loathe peeling squash and also I like the slightly sweeter flavor it brings out)
- In a large soup pot, melt the butter on medium heat. Add the rosemary sprig and the chopped onion and garlic. Sautée until the onions become translucent. This step should smell amazing!!
- Add in the roasted honeynut squash (scooping directly from the baking dish into the soup pot) and the pumpkin meat.
- Heat 4 cups of water in the microwave with a bouillon cube. Give a quick stir to let the bouillon cube disintegrate into the water and then add the mixture to the soup. Add the remaining 4 cups of water a little at a time until the water just barely covers the squash. This is key! You don't want to add too much water or the soup will be too runny and annoying to eat (trust me). Better to add less water at the beginning and then add more if needed.
- Let simmer for 30 minutes.
- Remove the rosemary sprigs. It is ok if some leaves are left behind, they will get blended into the soup.
- Blend soup with an immersion blender until silky.
- Add a little salt or and a few twists of the pepper mill to taste.
- Drizzle with some olive oil when serving. If I am serving my husband I draw a little heart on top of the soup in olive oil. Yes, we are cheesy like that.
- Speaking of cheese. A creamy goat cheese and a fresh baked baguette would make a beautiful lunch with this naturally slightly sweet soup.
- Bon Appétit!
Notes
Why roast the honeynut squash first rather than just chopping it raw?
How much water or broth should I add for the right consistency?
Puhh Watt says
With its blend of aromatic rosemary, roasty-sweet squash, and pumpkin, this honeynut and pumpkin soup with rosemary is the epitome of fall in a bowl. A warm, delectable embrace for the spirit. I appreciate you sharing this recipe.