Fire Roasted Tomato & Pumpkin Bisque

Ok, so Fire Roasted tomatoes are just so wonderful! They have a sweet, smokey flavor that brings out all that tomatoey goodness! I’m so excited that I can find them in BPA-free cans as well….score!

So this recipe was inspired by our trip to the Lenox Apple Squeeze. Both of my sons were loving the pumpkin bisque they sampled. I told my older son we could make it together, but when  I got home I realized my husband had used my last carton of stock for braising a brisket earlier in the week. I figured I would grab more when grocery shopping, but I still wanted to make a bisque with what I had on hand. I looked through my canned goods and knew I had the pumpkin but I spotted the fire roasted tomatoes and knew it would be a great match! I used my Crockpot for this recipe, but you could certainly just whip it up in a sauce pan.

2, 28 oz. cans of  diced fire roasted tomatoes (I used BPA free Muir Glen)

1, 15 oz can of pumpkin

1 cup half and half, cream, or milk of choice ( I used half and half this time)

2 TBS honey, maple or sweetener of your choice

1 garlic clove minced (I microplane this right in and it’s the easiest thing for garlic)

1 Tsp Smoked paprika

1 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Blue cheese, grated cheese or shredded cheese for topping is optional

I wanted this bisque to be creamy but still have chunks of tomatoes in it. If you want it completely smooth, you can use crushed tomatoes, and use an immersion blender right in the pot. Another option is to throw them in the blender or food processor to get to the consistency you like. I buzzed 1 of the cans of tomatoes in my Magic Bullet before mixing with the other ingredients.

In a Crockpot or saucepan add all ingredients except the half and half. I put my Crockpot on High for 2 hours and it was perfect, but If you want to simmer it longer, put it on low for 4 hours. If using a saucepan, simmer on low for as long as you want the flavors to combine, the longer the better! However, you can eat this right when heated through and it’s still delicious! In the last 15 minutes add the half and half and stir. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with blue cheese and some smokey bacon to really jazz it up!

Buon Appetito!

~SARA~ Fresh Foodie Mama