Creamy Pumpkin Soup

I have been cooking with pumpkin since I was little because my grandmother had a pumpkin patch, and every fall we made all kinds of recipes. I love pumpkin so much, I could make it the main ingredients for months and use it in dozens of recipes. Actually I’ve done that when I was writing my pumpkin cookbook, we ate pumpkin in just about everything for over a year.

Pumpkin soup is something I make every year, even more than my butternut squash soup. Through many, many years of cooking with pumpkin, I’ve learned what goes well with it and how to treat it to get the most flavor out. All it shows in this recipe.

Key Ingredients and Substitution Options

Pumpkin – make sure to get the correct pumpkin! Some pumpkins that you find at stores are meant only for carving, some are meant for decorating, and only “cooking pumpkins” or “pie pumpkins” are meant for cooking. (It’s right in the name!) Tip: If ever in doubt, ask the store employee, but the best place to find it is usually in the produce section, next to other gourds. And do NOT use carving pumpkins in recipes!

Vegetable broth – to keep the recipe vegetarian if needed, use vegetable broth. If you want to add a touch of protein, use chicken stock or chicken bone broth. When using store-bought broths, it’s best to get “no salt added” or “low sodium” to control the salt amount in the dish.

Cheddar – this is the most popular and flavorful cheese that is also great for melting into soups and sauces. You can choose sharp or mild per personal taste. Another cheese option that would be good is Colby, Gouda or Gruyere. Just make sure to get the block and grate it yourself. Cheese grated off the block melts so much better than pre-shredded since shredded cheese is coated with separators and preservatives.

Heavy whipping cream – it provides the best rich and creamy finish to the soup. If you need to substitute, use half and half but nothing less creamy.

How To Make This Pumpkin Soup

Cutting the pumpkin: before you cut it, make sure to take off the stem because it is too hard to cut through and could be dangerous to try. Cut the pumpkin in half and take out the membrane and the seeds and peel the pumpkin halves. Chop the pumpkin into pieces but try to keep them the same size to make sure they roast evenly.

Expert tip: don’t discard the seeds! Simply rinse them, dry them, spread them on a baking sheet, mix with a little oil and salt, and roast at 300°F for about 30 minutes. It makes a great snack!

Roasting vegetables:

Peel and chop the carrots but keep them the same size as the pumpkin. Toss chopped pumpkin and carrots with some oil and then in the seasoning until all coated. Spread the seasoned vegetables on a parchment paper covered baking sheet and nestle unpeeled garlic somewhere on the baking sheet as well. Don’t peel the garlic so it caramelizes inside the shell instead of just searing under the heat. It will hold onto the flavor better.

Roast the vegetables at 425°F for about 30 minutes. You are looking for the beautiful deep golden color on the bottom and around the veggies.

Finish cooking on stovetop:

When the vegetables are done or almost done roasting, melt butter in a pot and add diced onion. Let the onions sauté and get golden-brown in butter and add in the roasted veggies. Mix and add in enough broth to cover the vegetables comfortably but not too much or the soup will be too thin. Bring it to simmer.

To blend the soup, you have an option to use an immersion blender or a heat-proof blender. Both have their pros and cons. For example, an immersion blender doesn’t always get all the veggies and it tends to splatter (which is bad with hot soup). A standing blender is great but creates another dish to wash and you have to make sure your blender is heat-proof or it will crack.

Blend the soup and return it to the medium-low heat. Stir in the heavy cream and grated cheese. Slowly stir until the cheese is melted and incorporated into the soup. Now is a good time to taste and make sure there is enough salt or maybe you want to add another pinch of cayenne.

That’s it! Take it off heat and enjoy with some crackers, a baguette, or maybe some buttermilk biscuits or potato dinner rolls.

What Else to Serve with Pumpkin Soup?

Topping – I love to top this soup with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt. As a cheese addict, I also add a little more grated cheese on top. For some crunch, try adding roasted pumpkin seeds, roasted sunflower seeds, croutons, or small crackers.

Breads – you can serve it with any bread you love or if you have some biscuits, cornbread, or dinner rolls serve those!

Sides – soup and salad is a classic lunch combination and so is a gooey, melty grilled cheese! Any sandwich you like will go, but especially a sandwich made with thanksgiving leftovers, like turkey cranberry brie grilled cheese. Wraps and quesadillas also make great companion for a pumpkin soup.

Recipe FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions

Can I substitute butternut squash in this recipe?

Yes, you can definitely use this recipe to make a butternut squash soup instead of pumpkin. You may just need to add about 5 minutes to roasting time since butternut squash is slightly more dense. Or chop it smaller.

Can I make pumpkin soup dairy free?

Yes, you sure can! Use unsweetened coconut cream (or coconut milk), and vegan cheese. Personally, I recommend coconut cream because it far more rich. Just make sure NOT to use cream of coconut, that’s meant for cocktails and desserts.

Storing, Freezing and Reheating Recommendations

Refrigerator – store leftovers in an air-tight food storage container, in the refrigerator, for 3-4 days.

Freezing – you can definitely freeze this soup but without cream or cheese. So blend the soup and let it cool down to room temperature. Transfer into a freezer safe storage container or zip-top bags. You can store it all at once or divide into portions. Let the air out, close tight, label, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw slowly, in the refrigerator, for up to 24 hours.

Reheating – it’s easy to reheat the individual portions of the soup in a microwave for 30-45 seconds at a time, stirring in between. Or, use a small sauce pot and heat it on stovetop over medium-low heat.

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More Soup Recipes To Try

It’s a real toss-up for me to decide which I like better, this pumpkin soup or my butternut squash potato soup! Butternut squash soup is also a delicious fall soup and you can make it in a pressure cooker according to my Instant Pot butternut squash soup recipe. Another lovely rich and creamy fall soup is a sweet potato soup.