This thick and creamy Pumpkin Soup is easy to make. Pumpkin puree, caramelized onions, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger give this soup the ultimate fall flavor experience!

pumpkin soup in a bowl

Pumpkin Soup

It doesn’t get much cozier than pumpkin soup! Warm and full of amazing fall flavors like ginger and nutmeg, this velvety smooth soup will surely get you in the autumnal mood! A lot of recipes call for prepping an entire pumpkin. I’m talking about cutting it open, scraping out the seeds and pulp, chopping it up. And that is just too much work! We like to keep things nice and simple around here so this version of pumpkin soup uses canned pumpkin puree. No flavors sacrificed either! Just make sure you get pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling or you’ll have a very different dish! The bulk of the flavor comes from the amazing caramelized onions and all those spices. This truly hits the spot on a rainy fall day!

Check out some other savory pumpkin recipes like this silky smooth Amazing Pumpkin Hummus or some Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili!

What are the best onions for caramelizing?

Yellow onions are generally the preferred type when caramelizing. Their natural sweetness enhances as you slow cook them. Something sweet like a vidalia onion would be great too! They also have a good balance of sweet and savory flavors and will turn a gorgeous golden brown when caramelized.

How To Make Pumpkin Soup

  • Melt. Start by melting the butter in a large pan or dutch oven. Add the onions and stir. Cook for about 15 minutes until the onion is caramelized and golden brown in color. 
  • Stir. Sprinkle in the minced garlic along with the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Stir for 1 minute to allow the flavors to marry.
  • Add. Add ¼ of the chicken broth and stir. Be sure to scrape off any of the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. That’s where all the flavor lives! 
  • Simmer. Pour in the rest of the chicken broth and water. Add the canned pumpkin and stir to combine. The soup won’t be smooth yet and that’s okay! Simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Blend. Use a handheld immersion blender if you have one to blend the soup right in the pot. If you’re using a regular blender, puree the soup in batches (only fill the blender about halfway each time) until everything is smooth.
  • Stir. Stir in the heavy cream and add any extra seasonings you like. 
  • Serve. Serve with extra crusty bread for the best combo. Enjoy!
six panel collage image showing how to make pumpkin soup

Storing Pumpkin Soup

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze this soup for up to 3 months. Just thaw and reheat as normal.

If your soup happens to be too thick upon reheating you can add a tiny bit of water to thin things out a bit.

Ingredients Notes for Pumpkin Soup

  • Butter – I like to use salted butter in a recipe like this to add just a little extra flavor overall.
  • Yellow Onions – These are really the star of the show when it comes to flavor! I don’t recommend using any other type of onion – they won’t be as sweet. 
  • Garlic – 2 cloves will do, but you can always add more. The onions and garlic really give this soup an amazing savory flavor.
  • Spices – Salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ground ginger. A dash of turmeric might be good too!
  • Pumpkin Puree – Any brand will work just make sure you don’t get pumpkin pie filling! Pumpkin pie filling has sugar and extra spices in it and will not make a savory soup. The consistency will also be off.
  • Chicken Stock – Chicken broth can be substituted. Vegetable broth will work as well if you want a vegetarian friendly option. You may want to use less water if you use vegetable broth.
  • Water – I use this along with the chicken stock so that the chicken flavors don’t overwhelm the pumpkin.
  • Heavy Cream – Half and half will work in a pinch but you may need to let the soup simmer longer in order to thicken to the right consistency.

Enjoy!

4.93 from 231 votes

Easy Pumpkin Soup

This thick and creamy Pumpkin Soup is easy to make. Pumpkin puree, caramelized onions, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger give this soup the ultimate fall flavor experience!
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 35 minutes
Total 40 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients 

  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 2 Large Yellow Onions Sliced
  • 2 Cloves Garlic Minced
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • 2 15 Ounce Cans Pumpkin Puree
  • 2 Cups Chicken Stock
  • 2 Cups Water
  • 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

Instructions 

  • Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
  • Add the sliced onions to the pan and cook stirring occasionally until caramelized, about 15 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger to the onions and stir constantly for one minute.
  • Add 1/4 Cup of the chicken stock and use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  • Add the remaining chicken broth, water, and pumpkin puree and stir to combine.
  • Turn heat to low and simmer the soup for 20 minutes.
  • Turn the stove off and use a handheld immersion blender to puree the soup.  Alternately, use a regular blender and puree the soup in 2-3 batches.
  • Stir the heavy cream into the soup, serve immediately with warm bread if desired.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 59mg, Sodium: 823mg, Potassium: 228mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 690IU, Vitamin C: 4.8mg, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 0.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Like this? Rate & review this recipe below!

 


Hey! Nice to meet you! I'm Nichole!

Welcome to The Salty Marshmallow! I'm a mom, animal lover, photographer, & kitchen mess-maker. Here you will find the result of my decades-long passion for chasing the best flavors in the kitchen, all meant to be cooked by regular people with busy lives just like you and me.

Related Recipes

4.93 from 231 votes (166 ratings without comment)

Rate & Review!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




110 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Thank you Nicole. This recipe is delicious. My entire family love it. I am making it again today and, I’m sure I will be making it again down the road. Maybe for Thanksgiving.

  2. 5 stars
    I altered the portions as I was making it only for myself and using some leftover pumpkin puree for making pies, roughly halved the recipe. This is so good and creamier than the one I’ve had before, definitely bookmarking it to make again!

  3. 5 stars
    Delicious!!!! Searched for a simple and classic pumpkin soup and so happy I found this one. It will be my go-to pumpkin soup from now on. I made it exactly as the recipe called for, no tweaks, and came out so tasty! Highly recommend.

  4. 4 stars
    Delicious recipe BUT I added brown sugar. I tasted after step 5 and it definitely needed the brown sugar. With the addition, the recipe is 5 star. Husband, who is picky, loved it.

  5. 5 stars
    Easy and versatile recipe, and so good. I’m recovering from surgery so the spices in this are perfect for speeding up healing. I added a 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and definitely changed the flavor palette of this soup, maybe not for the better, so I added a tbsp of maple syrup and that patched it up a bit. Also, coconut milk went very well. . Love this recipe, thanks Nichole!

  6. I made this soup and it is delicious! I made too much for us so I’m going to freeze half. That may not work too well, but we can’t eat this much, so it’s worth a try. I love this soup!

  7. 5 stars
    Nice and simple to follow, came out great! I substituted the cream (hubby has a whey protein allergy) for coconut milk and it came out delicious! Love that it uses canned pumpkin, making it a cozy late week perfect soup!

  8. 5 stars
    Delicious and simple Pumpkin Soup. I don’t see any reason to adjust the recipe because my family loves it just the way it us!