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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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Brittany Lucas says
This recipe worked great with a pumpkin foraged from the garden:)
In lots of butter, I used a half pumpkin & a whole bag of baby carrots- no sweet potatoes. I used a little white sugar while cooking, no brown in house. I also had homemade chicken broth & threw in a chicken bouillon for flavor with some turmeric added in:)
DeLiCioUs!
Nora says
I’m so glad to hear this, Brittany!
Iris Gan says
Delicious! Easy to do! I added a little cooking cream at the end for extra richness,
Cathy says
We enjoyed this recipie using my last garden squash now 5 months past picking. It was a large and mild pumpkin. I used curry powder because I ran out of cumin and at the end realized I had frozen garden chard pucks so added them after chopping a little plus coconut cream. Very much enjoyed.
Nora says
That sounds absolutely delicious, Cathy! Glad your last squash was put to good use.
Alice says
Positively delicious! I like brown sugar too, but instead of that I added 2tsp of pumpkin pie spice. All the yummy, not as sweet! I used coconut milk instead of cream because family members are lactose intolerant. So good!
Nora says
That sounds great, Alice!
Joyce says
That was soo good! i also added a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Thanks for the recipe.
Jeanne says
I made this incredible easy soup. Using the Deluxe Cooking Blender, from Pampered Chef, it took only 20 minutes to complete. Simply delicious.
Nora says
I’m so glad, Jeanne!
Ernie says
Turned out great. My grandkids how are “mean ass food critics even loved it”
Thanks
Nora says
I’m so glad, Ernie!
Jules D says
This works!! Hallelujah this works! Bonus my picky 7 year old and 4 year old LOVED it!! Perfect blend of flavors that they thoroughly enjoyed! Thank you! Must save and repeat!
Nora says
I’m so, so glad, Jules! It’s always such a win when picky kids enjoy a meal!
Gabriele Niklaus says
The best recipe for pumpkin soup I ever made. I used chicken stock and added some open coconut cream I had, that needed to be used. Thank you. Was just looking for a bit of a twist.
Nora says
I’m so glad, Gabriele!
Cintra says
Best pumpkin soup ever
Nora says
I’m so glad, Cintra!
Julie Denham says
I am making this soup for the second time, the first time was a huge success thank you.
Nora says
I’m so glad, Julie!
Kris says
So easy and FAST. Pretty yummy too! I made it with regular boring pumpkins left over from my fall decor. I was scared that the sweet potato and carrots and the brown sugar were going to make this on the sweeter side but it definitely is not! It’s perfectly balanced- will be making it again once we’re done with our fall pumpkin decorations!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Kris!
Liz Hunter says
This pumpkin soup is really good. Mine needed to brown longer and cook longer. I thought it needed salt and pepper but that’s all I would change. Thank for the great recipe
Doug says
So so nice you must try this . yummy
Kerry says
I haven’t made the soup yet, but just have to say how much fun it was to read what you wrote about it!
Helen says
Thanks for sharing, family loved it! ? I added garlic & turmeric as well. Also stirred through a little thickened cream at the end. It’s delicious already but just for that extra creaminess. Yum!! ?
Mutsa says
Super easy recipe to follow, so tasty at the end. Thank you!
Lynn says
I’m not a big fan of pumpkin, but this was actually delicious. I loved the smoothness of it.
Mary says
Is it possible to make this with pumpkin purée? We’ve already tossed our pumpkins because they were molding, but I love pumpkin soup and would love to do it with pure pumpkin purée and chopped sweet potatoes.
Nora Rusev says
Hi Mary, yes I think that would work well. I would use a 28oz can pumpkin. Hope you’ll enjoy the soup!
Laura says
so easy to make and the carrot and sweet potato make the color so beautifuL! I also added 2 small regular potatoes to make it thicker and it tasted perfect that way.
Nora says
glad you enjoyed the soup, Laura!
Lisa Sharpe says
Great base recipe, but made some changes: used canned pumpkin bc didn^t have fresh – used 4 c vegetable stock – added garlic powder – skipped brown sugar – stirred in about 1/2 cup half and half before serving, and served with unsweetened whipped cream (something my grandmother taught me, sounds weird but its so good)
Nora says
thanks for sharing your changes, Lisa! sounds delicious made your way 🙂
Helen says
Delicious pumpkin soup recipe! My 15 month old granddaughter absolutely loved it as well so thank you! ☺
Nora says
So glad the soup was enjoyed this much, Helen! My young kids both love it, too.
Pat D. says
easy, cream, looks like photos. was surprised how well the nutmeg made this taste, definitely don’t skip if you’re going to make this soup.
Nora says
yes, nutmeg is so good in this soup! Thanks for your review, Pat!
Beth says
super yummy and perfect for a cold day. used 1 cup cream in place of some of the stock and it was perfect
Nora says
That sounds delicious with the cream, Beth! Thanks for your review, I appreciate it.
Ann says
This is a lovely recipe for pumpkin soup! I have been using it since last year and my whole family loves it – even the kids, which is close to a miracle!!
Nora says
Glad to hear this, Ann! Thanks for your review, too.