This mouthwatering good easy pumpkin soup recipe combines fresh pumpkin puree with onions, garlic, fresh ginger, paprika, chicken broth, and cream. All topped with homemade croutons, crisp bacon, and roasted pumpkin seeds.
This unusual soup is really quite delicious and an October and November favorite. It is one soup that my family and I enjoy quite often this time of the year, along with carrot soup and sweet potato soup. I love to serve it with fresh Cheddar Biscuits with Chive Butter or Beer Bread with Cheddar.
How to Make Pumpkin Soup
Start by roasting pumpkin pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin and scooping out the cooked pumpkin flesh. Then blend it in a food processor until it is smooth. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a Dutch Oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Then add the onions and cook until they are soft, fragrant, and slightly caramelized, stirring frequently. Next, add the garlic, ginger, paprika, and cumin. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
Now add the chicken broth and pumpkin purée simmering for about 10 minutes to let the flavors meld together. Stir in a little bit of whipping cream. Then ladle into bowls and swirl with more cream and garnish with croutons, crisp bacon bits, and if desired, roasted pumpkin seeds.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- See my post on Pumpkin Puree for easy tips.
- You can substitute 2 (15-ounce) canned pumpkin puree for the homemade pumpkin puree.
- Don’t throw away those pumpkin seeds. They are just the right size for Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.
- Cook the onions until they are soft and, for optimal taste slightly caramelized.
- The soup only needs to simmer for about 10 minutes, but feel free to simmer longer if desired. Stir it several times to keep it from burning on the bottom, and add more chicken broth if it becomes too thick.
- To use an immersion blender, skip the step to blend the cooked pumpkin in a food processor. Then blend the soup to your desired consistency after simmering for 10 minutes using an immersion blender.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cream shortly before serving.
- Other spices to experiment with include cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, curry powder, and cayenne pepper.
- This recipe also works well with butternut squash.
- To make it dairy free, substitute olive oil for the butter and coconut milk for the heavy cream.
- The toppings are optional, but I strongly suggest them as I think they really take this great recipe over the top.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze in a zipper freezer bag for up to 3 months.
How to swirl cream in soup
Put a little bit of heavy whipping cream in a cup with a spout. Starting in the center, pour in a circular motion spanning out as you go. Keep it steady and light as you go trying not to pour into a big blob. If desired. run a skewer or chopstick through just to swirl the cream a bit. But don’t over-do it, or it will all mix up with the soup,
Other soup recipes you will love!
Creamy Pumpkin Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ - 3 lb. pumpkin pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 cups low sodium chicken chicken stock or vegetable broth
- ½ cup heavy cream reserve 2 tbsp for drizzling
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 1 cup homemade croutons optional
- 2 slices crisp cooked bacon chopped optional
- Roasted pumpkin seeds optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Carefully cut the pumpkin in half using a sharp knife. Remove the seeds, strings, and loose pulp. Brush the edges and inside of the pumpkin with olive oil. Place it flesh side down on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Roast for 50-60 minutes or until very fork tender.
- Once cooled, scoop the cooked flesh off the skin and into the bowl of a food processor. Puree on high until smooth.
- Melt the butter in a Dutch Oven or heavy stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and slightly caramelized stirring frequently. Add the garlic, ginger, paprika, and cumin. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
- Add the chicken broth and pumpkin puree. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the whipping cream (except the reserved amount). Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and swirl with a little cream. If desired garnish with croutons, bacon bits, and roasted pumpkin seeds.
Notes
- See my post on pumpkin puree for easy tips.
- You can substitute 2 (15 ounce) cans pumpkin puree for the homemade pumpkin puree.
- Cook the onions until they are soft and slightly caramelized.
- The soup only needs to simmer for about 10 minutes but feel free to simmer longer if desired. Stir it several times to keep it from burning on the bottom and add more chicken broth if it becomes too thick.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cream shortly before serving.
- The toppings are optional but I strongly suggest them as I think they really take this soup over the top.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze in a zipper freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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Cheryl Terry
Can this be made or kept warm in a crock pot?
Beth Pierce
So much of the process would need to be done on the stovetop that I think I would just keep it warm in the crock pot.
Sandra
So comforting and easy to make! It easily became a favorite at my house!
Catalina
Such a flavorful soup! Pumpkin is always my favorite!
Krystle
The flavor of this is out of this world. Love your toppings too they really take it over thet top. It is our family tradition to make before trick or treating.
Juliane
Looks SO good! I can’t wait to try this!
Erin
This pumpkin soup is seriously making me hungry!
Mandy
This is SO delicious, my family loved this pumpkin soup!
sonia
I love pumpkin! this recipe will make my whole family happy.
Michele
I was looking for a savory pumpkin recipe and tried this one. This pumpkin soup tastes fantastic! I never would have thought about combining bacon with the pumpkin but it went together perfectly! Thanks for a great recipe.
Maria
The weather has been cold lately so I’ve been looking for recipes that warms my stomach and stumbled on this. I tried cooking this with my family and paired it with garlic bread, the soup tasted so good, my family liked it!
Megan
I love a big bowl of pumpkin soup and this recipe is just perfect. Thanks so much for another great recipe.
Michelle
Such a great way to use pumpkin in a savoury manner! Thanks for sharing!
Beth Sachs
I love how you’ve made this with pumpkin ouree. So much easier than roasting a pumpkin youself.
Gina
The touch of ginger, cream and crumbled bacon is what makes this soup! Love this in the fall!
Alisa Infanti
This was such a treat! Love pumpkin soup in the fall!
Claudia Lamascolo
I love creamy soups and this pumpkin soup was off the charts delicious!!