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Is it too late in the year to talk about pumpkin soup? Although pumpkin soup is such a handy recipe to have up your sleeve all fall and winter long, because you can add all the orange vegetables to it, and nobody will notice.
What’s to love
- Naturally creamy: Purées up velvety without needing cream (add a splash at the end only if you want). I mostly make pumpkin soup without cream, because it really doesn’t need it. It has so much flavor and silkiness all by itself already.
- Flexible veg mix: Pumpkin plus sweet potato and carrot for extra flavor and color.
- Pantry spices: Gentle cumin, ginger, and nutmeg keep it warm but family-friendly.
- Easy method: Quick sauté and simmer, then blend until smooth and serve hot.
Even husbands and grandads have been said to admit how good this is, and that means a lot coming from them, talking about something like pumpkin soup… 😉
Printable recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium onion (roughly diced)
- 1 carrot (peeled and roughly chopped)
- 1 small sweet potato (peeled and roughly chopped)
- 2 pounds pumpkin (peeled and deseeded, roughly chopped)
- ½ tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg (or less if you’re not a huge fan)
- salt + pepper (to taste)
- 5 cups chicken stock (OR water + bouillon)
- 1 bay leaf
- cream (to taste (optional))
Tips
- Pick a delicious pumpkin. Sometimes I like to use a really fun one (I mean, fun as far as pumpkin goes… I’m not that crazy.) Blue Ballet is great. OK, that’s a winter squash. Guilty. You can definitely use a winter squash like Kabocha or Hubbard for this soup if sugar pumpkin in savory dishes makes you feel weird and you’d rather have it in some pumpkin bread.
- No color, no flavor: Give the ingredients time to roast before adding the stock. That way you get those deep, golden flavors which really make this soup worthwhile.
- Season to taste. I wrote down my suggested seasonings, and while they are amazing, it’s no dealbreaker if you hate ginger and really want to leave it out.
- Be careful when you blend it. I have burned myself more than once with hot soup, and it’s not fun. If you’re using a regular blender, read up on what your manufacturer has to say about hot liquids, before you splatter hot soup everywhere.
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables:Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, sweet potato and pumpkin and cook for 2-3 minutes.1 tablespoon butter, 1 medium onion, 1 carrot, 1 small sweet potato, 2 pounds pumpkin
- Season the soup:Season with brown sugar, nutmeg, cumin, ginger, salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables for another 3-4 minutes, stirring from time to time, until they are starting to soften and brown.½ tablespoon brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, salt + pepper
- Cook the soup:Pour the chicken stock over the vegetables. Add the bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.5 cups chicken stock, 1 bay leaf
- Blend the soup:Take the pot off the heat, allow to cool a little and blend the soup until smooth. I like to use a stick blender when I'm short on time, but you can use a regular blender according to your manufacturer's instructions for hot liquids.
- Finish the soup:Add the soup back over medium heat and heat through. Stir in cream to thin to your desired consistency, if you'd like. Warm for 2-3 minutes, then serve hot.cream
Easy Pumpkin Soup
make your kitchen smell like home?Pumpkin soup FAQs
To make ahead: Cook, cool, and refrigerate up to 3 days (skip the cream). Reheat gently over medium-low, adding a splash of water or stock if it thickened in the fridge. Add cream once it’s ready to eat.
To freeze: Cook without the cream. Cool, allow to chill in the fridge for 2 hours and then portion into freezer-safe containers, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently and adjust seasoning.
Yes. Kabocha, Hubbard, or butternut work well. Keep the total weight the same (about 2 pounds prepped) and follow the recipe as written.
Blend thoroughly (an immersion blender works great) and simmer a minute or two after blending to let the starches thicken. The sweet potato and carrot add body, so you still get a silky texture even without dairy.
Too thick: Whisk in hot water or stock a little at a time until it’s where you like it.
Too thin: Simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce, or blend a bit longer to incorporate more starch from the vegetables.
Perfect to serve with
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Kathleen says
Absolutely delicious! Easy to make and don’t skip on the ginger! Adds a really nice flavor! I served with an Apple Salad and crusty bread! Perfect, easy dinner!
Annette says
Delicious and easy. Thank you.
Lyvin Arrá Estocada says
good
Doris says
Delicious easy tasty great with a grilled cheese. My family absolutely loves it. I make it every year. This is the best recipe ever.
elaine says
Can you use pumpkin puree
Nora says
Hey Elaine! For the Easy Pumpkin Soup recipe, it’s best to use fresh pumpkin, as it provides a rich, natural flavor and texture. However, if you’re short on time or prefer convenience, you can try substituting with a large can of pumpkin puree. Just make sure to use plain pumpkin puree without added spices or sweeteners. Keep in mind that the soup’s texture might be slightly different, but it should still be delicious. You might also need to adjust the amount of liquid to achieve your desired consistency. Enjoy your cooking!
Brenda says
Love this soup! Great on a cold day or even a warm one. Adding the 35% cream really elevates it.
Helena says
Love my soups especially for winter and this is one my husband and I love! 😋 I add minced garlic and a little curry powder and serve with garlic bread. Yum, thanks for an easy recipe 😊
Jenn says
Turned out really good! I did not have sweet potatoes or brown sugar and used fresh ginger and a a bit of garlic as well as sweet paprika (next time I might add some celery!). So hearty and yummy!! I added yogurt, a bit of feta(crumbled), homemade crutons and thinly cut crispy bacon as toppings. Loved it. Im the future I will get even more created with this delicious recipe!
John Griffin says
Excellent. Have made it twice. First with chicken stock and butter. Second with vegetable stock and a neutral oil for a vegan version. Both were perfect for a cold winter night.
Kitty says
bought a pie-pumkin and as it turns out I’m the only one in my family that likes pumkin pie. so I found this recipe and it was AWESOME. very much a fall/winter soup. i used i whole pie pumpkin, chicken broth, 1/4ish of an onion, half a sweet potato and 3 handfuls of baby carrots. I’m not a fan of cumin as it’s overpowering but with a little less it was just right for me. I was also skeptical about the nutmeg but the soup was PERFECT. 💕 thank you for the recipe.
Nora says
So glad you liked the soup, Kitty!
Kathleen says
Delicious! Great recipe as is! However, while visiting a friend in Germany, she said she adds Mango for that touch of sweet. I did and the soup was delicious! Served with a side salad and crusty bread for the perfect Fall meal!
Nora says
Kathleen – mango! That’s such an interesting ingredient for pumpkin soup. My mom used to add orange juice to her pumpkin soup sometimes (I did not care for that, haha) – but mango sounds so intriguing. Thanks for sharing!
Mary Midkiff says
a perfect balance, very impressed and it’s super easy. ty.
Mary Lipsey says
Great soup- made a lot