This is THE pumpkin soup recipe you will make now and forever! It’s thick, creamy, and irresistible, a classic easy pumpkin soup made with fresh pumpkin that’s fast to make, and only 189 calories per serving. Don’t forget crusty bread for dunking! (Or up the ante with crusty cheese bread).
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Pumpkin soup
Some recipes should be kept simple as nature intended them to be, and in my opinion, Pumpkin Soup is one of those dishes. The natural flavour of pumpkin is good enough that you need very little to make a beautiful, creamy, full flavoured soup.
And while sometimes it’s nice to have a dolled up version with all the bells and whistles, 99% of the time, this simple recipe is how I make it.
It’s just a great EASY Pumpkin Soup recipe, a classic version that has everything it needs and nothing it doesn’t to be can’t-stop-eating-it delicious!
The secret ingredients to make pumpkin soup tastier is onion and garlic!
What goes in Pumpkin Soup
To make this great quick and easy pumpkin soup, you will need:
Pumpkin – Peeled and chopped into large chunks (or purchase it pre-cut). See below for the best pumpkin to use and recipe notes for canned pureed pumpkin option;
Onion and garlic – the secret ingredients that adds extra savouriness into the soup flavour!!
Stock/broth and water – for a tastier pumpkin soup, don’t skip the broth!
Milk, cream or half and half stirred through at the end. Here’s my view on cream. Does it make it better? Yes, insofar as adding richness to the soup. Is it necessary? Absolutely not. You do NOT need cream to make the soup thicker. All the thickness comes from the pumpkin itself. I usually make Pumpkin Soup with milk instead.
If you don’t have cream but want extra richness in your soup, just add a touch of butter!
Do you have to peel pumpkin for soup?
Yes, you do. The skin is too tough and won’t puree properly so you’ll end up with hard bits in the soup.
Best pumpkin for pumpkin soup
Use any type of eating pumpkin you want OR butternut squash (which is called butternut pumpkin in Australia). DO NOT use Halloween carving pumpkin used to make Jack-O-Laterns. While they are edible, they are not that tasty!
US: sugar pumpkin or butternut squash.
Australia: common ideal types include Jap/Kent, Jarradale, Queensland Blue or Butternut Pumpkin (which is called butternut squash in the US)
If you’re not a fan of chopping and peeling pumpkin, try my No-Chop Roasted Pumpkin Soup!
How to make pumpkin soup from scratch
Place peeled pumpkin, onion, garlic, broth/stock and water into a pot;
Boil rapidly for 15 minutes until pumpkin is very tender;
Use a stick blender or transfer to blender to blitz smooth; and
Adjust salt and pepper to taste, then add either milk OR cream – whichever you prefer.
The secret ingredients are the garlic and onion. It makes all the difference to add extra savouriness!
How to add flavours to pumpkin soup
While plain pumpkin soup is my favourite and the way I serve it most often, sometimes it’s nice to change things up by adding other flavours! Here are a few suggestions:
Curried pumpkin soup – stir in a touch of curry powder once you blitz it, add little by little
Thai red curry – start by sautéing 2 tbsp red curry paste in 1/2 tbsp oil over medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes until really fragrant, then proceed with recipe ie add liquids and pumpkin etc. Then instead of using cream, use coconut cream. Garnish with coriander/cilantro. SO GOOD!
Ginger– saute 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger in 1/2 tbsp oil or butter, then proceed with recipe.
Lightly Spiced – stir in 1/2 tsp each cumin, coriander and smoked paprika.
Turmeric – 1 1/2 tsp each ground turmeric, coriander and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Storing pumpkin soup
Pumpkin soup will keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, or can be frozen for 3 months – just thaw then reheat using your chosen method.
If your soup is too thick, just loosen it with a touch of water when reheating.
If it’s too thin (unlikely, but could happen!), then just simmer on the stove for a while to let it reduce – this will thicken it.
Soup Dunkers
A soup this thick and creamy demands bread for dunking! Try one of these:
4 steps. A bit of chopping, plonk it all in a pot, blitz, season then serve.
A thick and creamy pumpkin soup that’s full of flavour. Sweet pumpkin flavour, savouriness from the broth, garlic and onion.
You’ll be mopping up every last bit of this with your bread!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Pumpkin Soup – Classic and Easy
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg / 2.4 lb pumpkin (any type) OR butternut squash, unpeeled weight (Note 1)
- 1 onion , sliced (white, brown, yellow)
- 2 garlic cloves , peeled whole
- 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth/stock , low sodium
- 1 cup water
- Salt and pepper
Finishes:
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup cream , half and half or milk (Note 2)
Instructions
- Cut the pumpkin into 3cm / 2.25" slices. Cut the skin off and scrape seeds out (video is helpful). Cut into 4cm / 1.5" chunks.
- Place the pumpkin, onion, garlic, broth and water in a pot – liquid won't quite cover all the pumpkin. Bring to a boil, uncovered, then reduce heat and let simmer rapidly until pumpkin is tender (check with butter knife) – about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and use a stick blender to blend until smooth (Note 3 for blender).
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir through cream (never boil soup after adding cream, cream will split).
- Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle over a bit of cream, sprinkle with pepper and parsley if desired. Serve with crusty bread!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
* Originally published June 2014, photos replaced in 2018, brand new improved video added in September 2019, minor housekeeping 2020 (no change to recipe).
MORE SOUP RECIPES TO WARM YOUR SOUL
Life of Dozer
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I loved this soup. Also used milk instead of half and half. 😊 Very helpful post. Thank you!
great, fast simple recipe! I brown the onions first and remove most of the garlic prior to blending. No cream or milk. Still turns out great!
This tastes delicious and is so simple. It was lovely and sweet too. I added milk at the end, as suggested. My third soup ever made and my husband and I loved it.
That’s awesome Ginny, thanks so much for the great feedback! N x
What got me here was the simplicity – so simple that additions were easy.
I used 1.2 kg of a squash that I had but it looked a bit thin so I threw in the rest, about 2 kg in all. Everything else with a couple of minor exceptions was per your recipe.
I used a stick blender right in the pot during simmering, added sliced plantain and dumplings and let it simmer until creamy.
To be frank, I was amazed at the final flavor – it didn’t even need salt!
This soup is scrumptious! Just the thing for cold weather. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
You’re so welcome Maureen! N x
Thank you Nagi, I was apprehenensive about making a soup without sauteing the onions but it was great. Everyone loved it. I added some thyme and coconut milk
This is personal taste:
Roast peeled pumpkin chunks first till well charred,onion and garlic too if you like for a lightly smoked flavour also add about 100gms of red lentils if you want a thicker soup.
Lovely soup by the way. 🙂
Made this today and it was AMAZING.
So yummy !! Loved it 😋
Hi Nagi. Love your recipes – and Dozer! If you want to make your pumpkin/squash soup not so healthy, I like to add crumbled bacon, grated Parmesan and homemade croutons to the top just before serving. Yum!
Sounds delicious Karen!! N x
Hi June I am lactose intolerant sounds like you are too try lactose free milk I find that Pauls Zymil is about the best and creamiest one of these or you could use rice milk coconut milk [supposed to be very creamy] oat milk or almond milk actually there are quite a few of them out there all lactose free hope you have some success
Sounds absolutely fantastic and just what I was looking for but couldnt find until I found your fantastic recipe cant wait to try it will do so tomorow
Super easy and fun recipe for even the worst of cooks, like me. I followed directions, I opted for adding butter for richness and poured milk for individual servings instead of putting into the whole pot. But that’s just me. I am lazy so I skipped the puree part, It still was super delicious and pretty well blended since I baked the heck out of my butternut squash!! Definitely my ‘go to’ recipe for yummy easy punkin’ (squash) soup!!!!
hi! I live in the UK. What type of pumpkin should I use? I just assumed I used the ones the kids carve?
Hi Natasha not the carving type. That type doesnt taste nice at all. The edible for this recipe are dark green in colour and found next to the butternut squash in the supermarket this time of the year. Or use butternut squash. is very tasty
I dunno why it took me so long to try this but it was so good. So simple! Husband and kid declared it’s the best pumpkin soup ever! Thank u for sharing!
Wahoo, that’s great Cassie!! N x
Great recipe , I used coconut milk .
Hi there, do you happen to know what size canned pumpkin we should use? Thank you!
Hi Christine – 2 x 400g cans equalling 800g 🙂 N x
Thank you so much!
Thanks Nagi,
Suprised myself and made your Pumpkin Soup, it was superb, made my day, thanks so much.
I want to try the maersi red curry for spicy soup but worry if that brand is going to make my pumpkin soup very salty?
Hi El, I’m not sure what you’re trying to ask – do you want to make a curried pumpkin soup? N x
Yes please.
It’s going to be a totally different recipe – feel free to pop a request on my recipe request page though 🙂 N x
Hi! How many cups of raw pumpkin pieces should I add?