This is a classic, easy pumpkin soup made with fresh pumpkin that is very fast to make. Thick, creamy and full of flavour, this is THE pumpkin soup recipe you will make now and forever! Don’t forget the hot buttered crusty bread for dunking! (Bonus: pumpkin soup is super healthy with just 189 calories per serving!)
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 (750ml) vegetable or chicken broth/stock , low sodium
- 1 cup (250 ml) water
- Salt and pepper
Finishes:
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup (125 – 185 ml) 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).
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I made this tonight. There’s a growing movement in the UK to hollow out the flesh from our halloween carved pumpkins to reduce food waste – and so I had to work with thin slithers of pumpkin. I therefore reduced the pumpkin weight by 20% to give me a 50/50 ratio on liquid to pumpkin and added it to the pan 4mins after the onion/garlic. This was a bit too late due to having to get the temperature up again, so maybe better 3mins later. Delicious!
This is very nice if you want it a bit thicker add a couple of medium chopped potatoes or about 100g of split red lentils,doesn’t change the taste or if you want sweetness bung in a few carrots also adds colour.
I love that you comment on the “mouthfeel”, so Brooklyn 99 😂
My family requests this every year! I make it exactly as directed but I add an extra cup of vegetable broth. I use some turmeric, curry powder, and cayenne for my extra flavoring.
It seems to me if you use puree you’d need to let the still let the soup simmer for 10 minutes before blending it. Otherwise the onions wouldn’t cook enough. Is that right?
How much purée did you use?
Hi Nagi, This recipe is from (Cooking the Australian Way,) which says that nearly every family has a version of it. This one sounds yummy because is your recipe..
Delicious. Skipped the cream and milk. Added some leek that I sauteed in butter first instead and some sage and oregano. Nice and simple dish tho, and makes a lot!
Such a good, quick and easy pumpkin soup recipe. Highly reccomend making Nagis cheesy garlic bread to go with it. Divine!
Best pumpkin soup I’ve ever had. Followed the recipe exactly (went with 3/4 cup cream). Incredibly smooth and flavoursome. Thank you once again Nagi!!
I loved this, made it with my 4 yr old son and it was delicious!
However, I’d like to ask for your suggestions on how to make it sweeter and thicker in consistency?
Thank you so much
You could try roasting the pumpkin, it makes it sweeter and more intensely flavoured. Alternatively, I have made pumpkin soups from recipes that add a small apple grated toward the end of cooking. It makes the soup sweeter, but it doesnt taste like apple. A potato added with the pumpkin would make it thicker. Or add less liquid/ more pumpkin.
This was so easy to make and the whole family loved it! Defiantly recommend it to everyone.
OMG yummy, I took it to 10 serves, love it thank you.
Best pumpkin soup recipe ever, simple and easy – my family loved it !
Superb as is but this time I added one large potato and 3 heaping tablespoons of Thai Red Curry paste as well as a 270ml can of coconut milk. It became superb plus plus.