Several years ago a friend introduced me to a winter soup recipe that was unlike anything I’d ever had before. It was a pumpkin sausage soup that was created by Pampered Chef. I made it so many times, and always had to dig through my phone’s screenshots to find it, as it couldn’t be googled or found on Pinterest. Somewhere along the way, even that little screenshot has gone missing, and I still cannot find this particular recipe.

Then this week, I found something that was somewhat similar, so I took pieces of that recipe, combined it with what I remembered from the original, and true magic was born!

Now, here is where I have to apologize, because I am neither a food blogger nor any good with food photography. You don’t get a fancy recipe card from me, and the pictures would make many a chef cringe haha. But you’ve got to trust me, that this is one of the best soups you will have all winter, for possibly the rest of your life. Okay, maybe not that part, but it’s DANG GOOD. And this had to be blogged, because I need to save this to my Pinterest boards so that it’s never again forgotten!

I listed out some tips at the bottom of the recipe, but I can’t reiterate enough 2 specific things. You MUST use breakfast sausage. Regular italian sausage will not do. And do not substitute regular cheese or any other kind of cheese. Splurge on the smoky cheddar. Trust me. It’s essential. And then? Comment and let me know what you think! This is going to be a staple in my home for a looooong long time.

Smoky Maple Sausage Pumpkin Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients:

32oz. Carton Chicken Broth

1 Roll Jimmy Dean Regular Breakfast Sausage

2 Cups Baby Bella Mushrooms

1 Onion, Chopped

4 Cloves Garlic, Minced

2 Medium Sweet Potatoes, Peeled & Diced

1 (15oz) Can Pumpkin Puree

1 tbsp Maple Syrup

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

2 tsp Italian Seasoning

1 tsp Turmeric

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

Salt & Pepper to Taste

1/2 Cup Half & Half

1/3 Cup Cornstarch

1/3 Cup Cold Water

2 Cups Shredded Smoked Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven or large pot, cook sausage, onions and mushrooms over medium high heat until sausage is no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes. Break up sausage into crumbles as it cooks; drain. Add the garlic and the sweet potatoes, cook an addition 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Add your chicken stock, pumpkin, maple syrup, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft.

3. Stir in your half & half. In a small bowl, mix together water and cornstarch until smooth. Stir into pan and cook until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Add the cheese and stir until melted.

4. Enjoy with crusty, buttered bread - sourdough is my favorite.

Tips:

1. If you find Jimmy Dean Maple Breakfast sausage, skip out on adding the maple syrup.

2. But do not substitute for italian sausage. The breakfast sausage is what makes this recipe what it is.

3. DO NOT skip the smoky cheddar cheese or substitute for regular cheese. Just trust me :)