This creamy pumpkin soup is a healthy fall-inspired recipe. You’ll want to prepare a big batch during the holidays to serve as a warm appetizer or for meal planning throughout the week.

Table of Contents

1. Pumpkin selection
2. Cut the pumpkins in half
3. Roast for more flavor
4. Saute the vegetables 
5. Add apples
6. Puree the soup
7. Make it creamier
8. Add bold pumpkin spices
9. Serve this with
10. FAQ
11. Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Pumpkins aren’t just for making jack-o-lanterns! Their bright orange flesh is packed with healthy nutrients, and it makes an excellent base for soup. The starchy flesh has a neutral flavor with a hint of sweetness. I roast them first to caramelize the natural sugars and to develop more flavors. Plus, once out of the oven, it’s much easier to scoop out the flesh.

To enhance the soup taste, I add sauteed fruits and vegetables. And to create a velvety texture, I use an immersion blender to puree everything right in the pot. A combination of herbs and spices creates a beautiful aroma. Pumpkin soup is the perfect appetizer for those chilly nights. You can even make the recipe in advance and just warm up a bowl to enjoy all week long.

Pumpkin selection

Sugar Pie pumpkins have a mild flavor, hint of sweetness, and creamy texture when processed. I use them to make homemade pumpkin puree. Their petite size makes them easy to cut and shortens their roasting time to about 30 minutes. 

Grab two pumpkins that are about 1 ½ to 1 ¾ pound each. This size will yield about 4 cups of flesh. You can use other pumpkins types like kabocha squash, although their lighter color flesh will change the soup’s appearance. To make this recipe year-round, you can even use butternut squash. Just halve and roast them.

Cut the pumpkins in half

Cutting pumpkin is very simple. Use a sharp chef’s knife to trim off the tough fibrous stem. Carefully use rocking motions to cut straight down into the gourd lengthwise. This process will create two halves. Scoop out the seeds, but don’t throw them away! I like to roast the seeds with olive oil, salt, and pepper for a healthy snack or to use as garnish.

Roast for more flavor

I roast the pumpkin halves in a 400-degree oven. This temperature will quickly tenderize the flesh and brown the cut-sides in contact with the hot baking sheet. The Maillard Browning on the surface adds caramelized flavors, making the meat sweeter without adding sugar.

Make sure to brush with olive oil and season with salt to deepen the savory notes. Once you can easily poke a knife into the skin, they are ready. It only takes about 30 minutes, and in the meanwhile, you can prep the other ingredients.

Saute the vegetables 

I find a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot works well to make the soup. To build a more exciting flavor base, I add plenty of aromatics. Saute diced onions in olive oil only until translucent. This process brings the sugars to the surface, elevating the sweetness of the allium. Minced garlic, chopped thyme, and rosemary briefly cook in the hot oil as well to extract their fat-soluble flavors.

Add apples

Apples are a surprise element in pumpkin soup. I learned this ingredient trick in culinary school to add flavor dimension. The malic acid in the fruit helps to balance the sweetness and enhance the pumpkin flavor. You can use any type of apple. However, I gravitate towards Fuji or Honeycrisp when in season because they’re very sweet, juicy, and tart. 

If you enjoy a more sour taste, use Granny Smith. The fruit gets chopped up, sauteed, and simmered until tender. This process makes it easiest to blend. I also like how the skin provides more nutrients and fiber.

Puree the soup

To create a thick and creamy soup consistency, I use a handheld immersion blender to break down the ingredients. Once the roasted pumpkin and vegetable stock is added to the pot, puree until smooth and homogenous.

I like the blender size because it’s portable and I can process with it in the same large pot. Make sure to hold the blender perpendicular to the bottom, moving in circular motions. This technique will prevent the hot soup from splattering.

Make it creamier

To finish the soup, add in heavy cream. It contains at least 36% fat, providing a satisfying richness. The extra milk fat will create a velvety consistency. When the cream is pureed into the pumpkin, the fat traps more air into the soup. The texture is hearty but not too thick. You can always adjust the consistency with more vegetable stock.

Add bold pumpkin spices

Pumpkin puree can taste bland on its own. I add a 5-ingredient spice blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves to add warm baked notes, without it tasting like dessert. 

You can use store-bought pumpkin pie spice as a convenient option, but I like to make a big homemade batch to have in my pantry during fall and winter. You can even add curry powder for a deeper spice flavor and Asian twist or pure maple syrup for a sweeter taste.

Serve this with

FAQ