Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Name: Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 400 g pumpkin (cubed); 1 onion (diced); 3 garlic cloves (crushed); 600 ml vegetable stock; 100 ml light coconut milk; 1 Pinch cumin; 1 Red chilli ((to taste)); 1 pinch sea salt and black pepper

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This easy and creamy pumpkin soup is made with fresh pumpkin and it is the ultimate warming autumn soup. Quick to make and easy to adapt with different flavours, this is the soup that will see you through the colder months.

A bowl of pumpkin soup next to a whole pumpkin and a slice of buttered bread

Soup recipes don't get much more simple than this. With just a few simple ingredients, the pumpkin really is the star of the soup. However, you can easily adapt it with different herbs and spices to totally transform it. It really doesn't need it though, as the natural flavour of the pumpkin is deliciously creamy.

If you are new to cooking with pumpkin, why not try our Goats Cheese and Pumpkin Salad, Pumpkin Smoothie, Pumpkin Porridge, Pumpkin Overnight Oats, or Pumpkin Chilli.

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Why should you try it?
What you will need
Step by step
What type of pumpkin to use
How to cut a pumpkin
Health benefits of pumpkin
Soup flavours
How to roast pumpkin seeds
FAQs
Extra tips
More soup recipes
Recipe

Why should you try it?

A great way to use pumpkin - If you are new to cooking with pumpkin, then this is an easy place to start.
Delicious creamy soup - Who knew that pumpkin could be so creamy. Once blended up, it's a deliciously creamy soup.
Easy to adapt - Use this as the base recipe and then you can adapt it with different flavours. We have added suggestions below.
Low in calories - There are just 146 calories for a big filling bowl of this pumpkin soup.

What you will need

Fresh pumpkin - Make sure the pumpkin is a deep orange colour. When you knock on it with your knuckles it should sound hollow. Avoid pumpkins with bruises or soft spots.
Onion - you could use shallots for a little bit of sweetness.
Garlic cloves - you could use lazy garlic instead
Vegetable stock - use low salt if you are making it for kids
Light coconut milk - you could swap it for cream or milk but coconut milk keeps it vegan. You could leave it out completely as it doesn't thicken the soup, but it does add extra flavour.
Cumin - to add a warming spice to the soup

A plate of cubed pumpkin, can of coconut milk, an onion, garlic, stock cube and cumin on a wooden surface

Step by step

One: Add a little oil to a pan and then add the pumpkin, garlic and onion. Gently cook for 5 minutes, stirring every minute.

A large cooking pot with cubes of pumpkin and chopped onion cooking in it

Two: Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes until the pumpkin has softened.

Chopped pumpkin and onion cooking in stock in a large pot

Three: Add to a blender and blend until smooth.

What type of pumpkin to use

You can use any type of edible pumpkin for this recipe. Just don't use the type of pumpkin that you would carve for Halloween. Whilst they are edible, they aren't particularly tasty.

You don't have to use pumpkin, you could use another squash like a butternut squash instead as it has that same nutty flavour and makes the soup really creamy.

How to cut a pumpkin

Firstly, stabilise the pumpkin by slicing a little off the top and the bottom.
Cut the pumpkin in half, and then in quarters so that it is easier to manage.
Using a metal tablespoon, scrape down to remove all the seeds (but keep them) and the stringy flesh so you have a nice clean looking pumpkin.
Carefully slice the skin off with a knife or use a vegetable peeler.
Cut into 2 cm strips.
Cut into cubes.

Health benefits of pumpkin

Pumpkins are great for carving, you can turn them in to purée to make a delicious pie, but did you know that they have so many wonderful health benefits too? One portion has more than 200% of your RDA of vitamin A which is great for your eye site. They are packed full of fibre which means you will stay fuller for longer.

The seeds can help with heart health, as they can reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol. So when you make this, don't throw away the seeds - bake them and snack on them.

Pumpkin is also high in vitamin C an a good source of Vitamin E, iron and folate. It's nutrient dense and low in calories, making it perfect for making a healthy and filling soup.

Pumpkin seeds, chilli flakes and a drizzle of cream on top of pumpkin soup

Soup flavours

The flavour of the pumpkin really shines through in this soup, but there are lots of options when it comes to flavouring it. You never have to make it the same way twice. Here are some ideas:

Mexican - add a tablespoon of chipotle paste to this soup and then sprinkle it with fresh chopped coriander before serving.
Thai - Add a heaped table spoon of Thai curry paste after you have sautéed the pumpkin, shallots and garlic.
Curry - this is one of my favourite variations and it's really simple. Stir in some curry powder before you blend it. Start with a tablespoon and add more if needed.
Chilli or Ginger - if you want to give this soup some heat with very little effort, then add some minced ginger or fresh red chilli when you add the onions.

How to roast pumpkin seeds

Pick off all the flesh bits from the seeds and throw it away. Pat the seeds dry with a tea towel or paper towels and then mix them with a little olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and toss to coat. You can also add other seasonings like chilli powder or even fajita/Cajun seasoning. Curry powder works well too.

Line a baking sheet with baking paper and arrange the pumpkin seeds in a single layer. Roast for 15 minutes, until the seeds are nice and crispy.

Pumpkin soup in a bowl in front of a blue towel

FAQs

How to store pumpkin soup

This soup will keep in an air tight container for 3-4 days. It's nice to make a big batch in the winter and it will be good for lunch for a couple of days.

Can you freeze pumpkin soup?

You can also keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How to reheat pumpkin soup

When it's time to reheat the soup, it might be a little thick so you will need to add some water to thin it out. Just put it in a saucepan and heat through. You could also microwave it for a couple of minutes.

Can you roast the pumpkin?

Yes, you can roast the pumpkin first and it will intensify the flavour. However, it still has plenty of flavour without roasting it and it does add to the cooking time considerably.

What to serve with pumpkin soup

A slice of buttered sourdough is the perfect addition to this Creamy Pumpkin Soup. However, you can serve it with a slice of your favourite loaf. Change things up a bit and dip some garlic bread in to it.

Is pumpkin soup gluten free?

Yes, if you use a gluten free stock and make sure there is no cross contamination, then this is a delicious gluten free soup.

Extra tips

Don't skip on the shallots and garlic, as it helped to make the pumpkin more savoury as it is quite sweet otherwise.
You can flavour this soup with Mexican, Thai or Indian flavours.
Use a hand blender to blend this soup. If you are going to put it in a jug blender, make sure it has cooled first, as it could lead to it exploding.
Don't waste the pumpkin seeds, as they can be roasted for a delicious snack.
You could use pumpkin puree instead of fresh, but it won't taste as nice.

More soup recipes

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