1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, grated or minced

2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

2 tbsp olive oil

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (about 2 cups)

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp heavy cream

Optional: toasted pumpkin seeds and flaky sea salt, for garnish

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Finely chop the onion, grate the garlic, and strip the thyme leaves from their stems.
In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook for 3–4 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in thyme, pumpkin purée, salt, cumin, black pepper, ginger, and cayenne. Cook on medium-low for about 5 minutes.
Pour in vegetable broth, stirring well. Simmer for 3–4 minutes until the soup begins to bubble.
Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup and heavy cream.
For a smoother texture, blend the soup with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender.
Serve warm, garnished with pumpkin seeds, flaky sea salt, thyme, or black pepper as desired.

Make it vegan by using coconut cream, oat cream, or cashew cream instead of heavy cream.
Add smoked paprika or extra cayenne for a spicier soup.
Blend in cream cheese or mascarpone for extra richness.
Stir in lentils or chickpeas for added protein.
Replace thyme with rosemary or sage for a flavor variation.