Easy Pumpkin Soup – This thick and creamy pumpkin soup is simple to make using canned pumpkin puree! Caramelized onion, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger give this fall favorite soup amazing warm flavor!
If you guys follow along with me on Instagram, you’ll know that just a few days ago I said that I was so not ready for pumpkin things yet! Well, I was wrong. We’ve had some semi-chilly days here lately with lots of clouds and rain. This pumpkin soup is really cozy, warming, and full of some amazing spices. Just what the doctor ordered during this gloomy weather!
Pumpkin Soup:
I see a lot of recipes for pumpkin soup that call for preparing a whole pumpkin. That means cutting it open, scraping out all of the seeds and pulp, then chopping it up. Well, as you know I like to keep things nice and simple around here so that just wasn’t in the cards for this recipe!
I use canned prepared pumpkin puree. Make sure you get the puree and not pumpkin pie filling. This recipe gets the bulk of its flavor from caramelized onions and toasted spices! Then, it’s pureed and cream is added for a velvety smooth pumpkin soup!
How to Make Pumpkin Soup:
- To make this easy pumpkin soup you will start by melting butter in a large pot and then caramelizing your sliced onion. To caramelize the onion you will allow them to cook, stirring only occasionally for about 15 minutes until they are super soft and golden brown.
- After that, you will add in your spices and minced garlic. Stir them around constantly with the onions for one minute to bring out the flavors.
- Next, in goes your chicken broth. You will start with just 1/4 cup of broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown toasted bits from the pan. That’s where all of the flavor lives!
- Then simply add in the rest of your broth and water. I call for both broth and water in this recipe, because I felt that all chicken broth really overwhelmed the pumpkin flavor.
- Add in your canned pumpkin and stir, but, the soup, of course, won’t be smooth quite yet. You will want to let everything simmer for 30 minutes for best flavor.
- Then, you can use a handheld immersion blender, or just a regular blender to puree the soup. If you are using a regular blender, you will want to puree the soup in about 3 batches, never filling the blender more than half full.
- Stir in the heavy cream, adjust seasonings to your liking, and serve this soup with crusty toasted bread for dipping!
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Easy Pumpkin Soup
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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Be sure to try these other great soups!
I liked it!
I made some alterations though:
I followed some of the advice in the comments, adding a teaspoon of paprika, and doubling the seasonings. I also added fresh grated ginger.
I’m a bariatric patient and I need lots of protein so I added tofu at the same time as the pumpkin puree. I recommend this for folks who need protein because it didn’t detract from the taste and probably helped give the soup a thick consistency.
I totally agree with people who say that spices should be doubled– especially salt.
You also will have a better soup if you caramelize the onions for a very long time. I ended up doing more like 30 minutes.
I made it by the book and then adjusted. I found the original recipe a bit bland for my tastes, so I ended up doubling spices and adding paprika and brown sugar. Even after that, there was something off about it.
So I said “screw it,” melted in half a stick of butter and more cream, and served it with toasted nuts. It was good but not amazing. I’m not sure that pumpkin and onion together was the right call.
I used this recipe as a reference for making my own. I used fresh ginger, and measured that to taste. I also added in red lentils and toasted pumpkin seeds for protein. Turned out delicious!
I’m making this tomorrow, sounds delicious and I can’t wait but the macros are way off from what I’m calculating.
Amazing!! So cozy to start off fall right. I added a couple TBSP of brown sugar and it set it off. Thanks for the great recipe!
Can you use fresh ginger?
Very good.
I will definitely make again.
I enjoyed, but next time I think I will put less ginger in. The taste over powered it a little too much for me.
I’ve made this recipe like five times in the last couple months because it’s so simple and easy to obtain ingredients for. The only thing I do different is double the spices, because I feel like it’s a little too bland otherwise. It works great with plant-based butter and heavy cream too if you want to make it vegan/dairy-free!
This soup is awesome!
The only thing I did differently,
I used whole milk in place of heavy cream.
I made with artisan crusty bread and spinach salad.
Paired with a dry chenin blanc.
This was simple and fast to make. Genius, using canned pumkin puree! Taste the same as boiled fresh pumkin without all the work.
Thank you
I will make this again.
I recommend this recipe.