Creamy Pumpkin Soup (Printable)

Velvety smooth pumpkin with warming spices and cream, ready in 45 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2.2 lbs pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and diced
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced

→ Liquids

05 - 4 cups vegetable broth
06 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream or coconut milk

→ Spices & Seasonings

07 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes, optional
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnishes

12 - Heavy cream or coconut milk for drizzling
13 - Toasted pumpkin seeds
14 - Fresh parsley or chives, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Heat a splash of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, approximately 3 minutes.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic and diced carrot, sautéing for 2 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add the diced pumpkin, ground cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, and chili flakes if using. Cook while stirring for 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the pumpkin and carrots are very tender.
05 - Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth, or carefully transfer to a blender in batches.
06 - Stir in the cream or coconut milk, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reheat gently if necessary.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of cream, toasted pumpkin seeds, and fresh herbs as desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The combination of warming spices creates layers of flavor that unfold with each spoonful, not just another one-dimensional pumpkin soup.
  • Its incredibly forgiving for beginners – I once accidentally doubled the garlic and it still turned out wonderfully aromatic and balanced.
02 -
  • The soup thickens considerably as it cools, so dont worry if it seems a bit thin right after blending – I once added extra pumpkin in a panic and ended up with something closer to baby food.
  • If you skip the step of sautéing the spices with the vegetables before adding the broth, youll miss out on their full aromatic potential – a mistake I made the first three times I prepared this recipe.
03 -
  • For the silkiest possible texture, pass the blended soup through a fine-mesh sieve before adding the cream – it takes an extra few minutes but eliminates any fibrous bits that might have escaped the blender.
  • Adding a tablespoon of butter off the heat, just before serving, creates a beautiful glossy finish and rounds out the flavors in a way that transforms this humble soup into something restaurant-worthy.
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