Classic Easy Pumpkin Soup

This is a classic, easy pumpkin soup that is very fast to make. Everything you need, none of the unnecessary frills. My secret for extra flavour in pumpkin soup is to cook the pumpkin in broth with onion and garlic that is then pureed into the soup. It makes all the difference!

Especially in winter, there’s nothing better than dunking crusty bread into a big bowl of creamy pumpkin soup. And there are millions and millions of recipes “out there”, so why would you consider using this one?

Well, here’s the thing. There are many fancied up versions of pumpkin soup “out there”. Gourmet ingredients, spices, exotic spins.

But you don’t need all those frills to make a truly great classic pumpkin soup. And that’s what this recipe is – 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.

I say this is easy, and I exaggerate not. All you need to do is plonk pumpkin, onion, garlic, broth and water into a pot, and boil rapidly for 15 minutes until the pumpkin is super soft. Blitz until smooth, adjust salt and pepper to taste then add either milk OR cream – whichever you prefer.

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.

Plus, this soup has added extra flavour from the onion and garlic. Without this, I’d probably say yes, cream is a must.

So in my recipe, it’s an optional extra. Also because I don’t usually have cream on hand. So I usually use milk. If you’re really busting for some extra richness and you don’t have cream, add a knob of butter – it works a treat!

4 steps. A bit of chopping, plonk it all in a pot, blitz, season then serve. My classic pumpkin soup really is that easy! – Nagi x

4.91 from 42 votes

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Pumpkin Soup - Classic and Easy

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

15 mins

 

Especially in winter, there’s nothing better than dunking crusty bread into a big bowl of creamy pumpkin soup. This recipe is ridiculously easy, and if you have a stick blender it's a one-pot-wonder. This is HEALTHY too, if you opt to use milk instead of cream! Recipe VIDEO below.

Course: Soup

Servings: 4 - 6

Calories: 149 kcal

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg / 2.4 lb pumpkin (any), unpeeled weight (Note 1)
• 1 onion, sliced (white, brown, yellow)
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled whole
• 3 cups / 750ml vegetable or chicken broth, low sodium
• 1 cup / 250 ml water
• Salt and pepper

Finishes:

• 1/2 - 3/4 cup / 125 - 185 ml cream or half and half (Note 2) or 3/4 cup / 185 ml milk (any type, I use low fat)

Instructions

1. Cut the pumpkin into 3cm / 2.25" slices. Cut the skin off and scrape seeds out (video is helpful). Cut into chunks.

2. Place the pumpkin, onion, garlic, broth and water in a pot - liquid won't cover all the pumpkin. Bring to a boil, uncovered, then reduce heat and let simmer rapidly until pumpkin is tender.

3. Remove from heat and use a stick blender to blend until smooth. If you don't have a stick blender, use a blender - see notes.

4. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir through cream (never boil soup after adding soup, cream will split). 

5. Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle over a bit of cream, sprinkle with pepper and parsley if desired. Serve with crusty bread!

Recipe Notes

1. ~2.4lb / 1.2kg pumpkin before peeling and removing seeds. Approximate is fine - use the liquid levels in the video as a guide for quantity.

To make this with pumpkin puree, you will need around 2 1/2 cups of puree.

2. I usually make pumpkin soup without cream because I don't always have cream on hand. So I usually make this with milk - also because I find this satisfying enough as it is because it's so thick and has such a great flavour. You can use any type of milk you want - full fat, low fat, almond, soy etc.

Half and half is an American dairy product that is half cream, half milk. In Australia, our equivalent is pouring cream. Any kind of cream is suitable for this recipe. Basically, the higher the fat % and thicker the cream, the richer the finished soup.

3. If you don't have a stick blender, you can use a blender BUT you must make sure that the soup is cooled slightly before blending it, otherwise you will find out the hard way that hot soup + blender = soup explosion (literally, the lid will blow off the blender when you start blending it).

4. RECIPE COMMENTARY: The idea with this recipe is that the pumpkin is boiled uncovered so you're left with the right amount of liquid at the end such that once pureed, the soup is lovely and thick. You don't need the liquid to cover the pumpkin, the steam and bubbling will cook all the pumpkin through.  Some recipes add potato to thicken the soup - it's an unnecessary addition of carbs and adds nothing to flavour so it isn't required if you get the liquid to pumpkin ratio right. Also, I don't think using onion + garlic is common in the recipes but I promise you, it adds that extra flavour that really makes this a truly great pumpkin soup, despite being so crazy easy.

5. Easy Pumpkin Soup Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings and made with milk.

* Originally published June 2014, recipe slightly tweaked to improve.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

YOU’LL LOVE THIS TOO!

For those days when chopping pumpkin is just too much effort (we all have those days), try my NO CHOP ROASTED BUTTERNUT PUMPKIN SOUP!

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