Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cut your pumpkin in half and scoop out seeds and slime. Set seeds aside for roasting later if desired.

Dice pumpkin and potatoes into 1-inch cubes and add to a large sheet pan or roasting dish.

Sprinkle with salt and drizzle on 3 tablespoons olive oil or butter. Slice the top off a head of garlic and add to the pan. Roast for 30 minutes or until browned and softened.

Add sausage to a large skillet. Either use ground sausage or dice links into bites. Add a tablespoon of butter if necessary before adding diced onions to brown.

Set a large pot on medium-low heat with the broth, water, and spices.

At this point, you can blend some or all of the roasted veggies with a little broth in a blender, or use an immersion blender in the pot. It's totally up to you how you want to go here. You can mash or blend the garlic cloves after popping them from the skin. But once your veggie and base are set, stir in the sausage and onions.

The soup can simmer for up to an hour at this point. About 20 minutes before serving, stir in the heavy cream if using, to heat through.