Velvety Pumpkin Soup with Spices (Printable version)

Creamy pumpkin soup with warming spices, finished with cream. Vegetarian, gluten-free, ready in 45 minutes.

# Ingredients list:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2.2 lbs pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and diced
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced

→ Liquids

05 - 4 cups vegetable broth
06 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream or coconut milk

→ Spices & Seasonings

07 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes, optional
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnishes

12 - Heavy cream or coconut milk for drizzling
13 - Toasted pumpkin seeds
14 - Fresh parsley or chives, chopped

# Steps:

01 - Heat a splash of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, approximately 3 minutes.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic and diced carrot, then sauté for 2 minutes until the mixture becomes fragrant.
03 - Add the diced pumpkin, cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, and chili flakes if using. Cook while stirring for 2 to 3 minutes to release the spice aromatics.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the pumpkin and carrots are tender.
05 - Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth, or carefully transfer to a blender in batches and blend until creamy.
06 - Stir in the heavy cream or coconut milk, then season with salt and black pepper to taste. Gently reheat if necessary.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of cream, toasted pumpkin seeds, and fresh herbs as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, leaving you time to actually enjoy the cooking instead of rushing through it.
  • One pot means one cleanup, which honestly might be the best part on a busy weeknight.
02 -
  • Don't blend while the soup is still boiling hot—the steam pressure can make the blender lid pop off and send soup everywhere (learned that the hard way).
  • If your soup seems too thick after blending, you can always stir in more broth; it's much easier than trying to thicken something too thin.
03 -
  • Taste your broth before you use it—a good quality vegetable broth will make your soup taste noticeably better, so skip the ultra-salty options if you can.
  • Save your pumpkin seeds from the raw pumpkin and toast them yourself; they're far better than store-bought and they make your kitchen smell incredible.
Go back