Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin soup is pure liquid comfort in a bowl – velvety smooth, naturally sweet, and so incredibly satisfying! This recipe uses just a handful of simple ingredients like fresh pumpkin, aromatic onions, and a splash of cream to create the most gorgeous orange soup that tastes like autumn wrapped in a warm hug.

Love More Soup Recipes? Try My Butternut Squash Soup or this Creamy Acorn Squash Soup next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This pumpkin soup is everything you want in a cozy fall recipe – it’s ridiculously easy (seriously, even beginners can nail this!), uses ingredients you probably already have on hand, and delivers that rich, restaurant-quality flavor that makes everyone think you’re some kind of kitchen wizard. Plus, it’s naturally thick and creamy without any complicated techniques or fancy equipment.

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Ingredient List

Main Stuff:

• 1.2 kg pumpkin or butternut squash (whatever you can find)
• 1 onion, just slice it up
• 2 garlic cloves, leave them whole
• 3 cups broth (chicken or veggie, doesn’t matter)
• 1 cup water

To Make It Fancy:

• Salt & pepper
• ½ to ¾ cup cream or milk (whatever’s in your fridge)

If You Don’t Have This:

• No pumpkin? Butternut squash works great and it’s easier to cut
• No cream? Skip it or use coconut milk
• Vegetarian? Just use veggie broth

Why These Ingredients Work

Here’s the thing nobody tells you about pumpkin soup – the pumpkin is basically doing all the work for you. It gets sweet when it cooks, turns creamy when you blend it, and makes your kitchen smell like fall without you having to do anything clever. The onion just hangs out and gets soft and sweet, the garlic adds that little something-something, and the cream? That’s just showing off at the end.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Big pot
• Stick blender (or regular blender)
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Ladle

How To Make Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Step 1: Prep Your Pumpkin

Cut the pumpkin however you want – slices, chunks, whatever works. Scrape out all the gross stringy stuff and seeds. Don’t stress about making perfect pieces since you’re gonna blend the whole thing anyway.

Step 2: Get Everything in the Pot

Dump the pumpkin, onion, and garlic in your biggest pot. Pour in the broth and water. It’s gonna look weird and not quite covered – that’s totally normal and exactly what’s supposed to happen.

Step 3: Bring to a Boil and Simmer

Crank the heat up and get it boiling, then turn it down to a simmer. Walk away for about ten minutes. Come back when the pumpkin looks like it’s falling apart if you poke it with a fork.

Step 4: Blend Until Silky Smooth

Stick your immersion blender right in there and go crazy until it’s smooth. No immersion blender? Pour it into your regular blender in batches – but don’t fill it all the way or you’ll have hot soup everywhere.

Step 5: Season and Add the Cream

Taste it. Add salt and pepper until it tastes right to you. Stir in whatever cream you’ve got. Don’t boil it after this or the cream gets weird.

Step 6: Serve with Love

Ladle it out, maybe drizzle some more cream on top if you’re feeling fancy, and grab some bread for dunking.

You Must Know

When you’re blending hot soup, only fill your blender halfway and hold a towel over the lid. I learned this the hard way and my ceiling still has soup stains.

Personal Secret: I learned this from my neighbor who’s been making soup for like forty years – taste it before you add the cream because sometimes the pumpkin is already so good you barely need any dairy at all.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Roast First If You Want: I sometimes roast the pumpkin chunks in a 400°F oven for half an hour first. Makes it taste more intense, but honestly? Most days I skip this step.
• Whole Garlic Thing: Leave the garlic cloves whole so they don’t burn and get bitter. Trust me on this one.
• Too Thick or Thin? Add more broth if it’s thick, simmer longer if it’s watery. Not rocket science.
• Season Properly: Pumpkin tastes like nothing without enough salt. Really go for it.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

• Spicy Version: Throw in some cinnamon and ginger while it’s cooking
• Coconut Style: Use coconut milk instead of regular cream
• Smoky: Add one of those chipotle peppers from a can
• Sweet: Cook an apple with everything else
• Herb Garden: Fresh thyme at the end is really good

Make-Ahead Options

I make a double batch every time because this soup is better tomorrow than it is today. Something about those flavors sitting together overnight just works. Stick it in the fridge for up to five days or freeze it in containers. When my kids were babies, I’d freeze individual portions and just defrost them for easy lunches. Game changer.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

• Pumpkin vs Butternut: Both work but butternut is sweeter and way easier to peel
• Hot Soup Safety: Let it cool down a bit before putting it in a regular blender or you’ll make a mess
• Thickness: This gets thicker when it sits, so don’t panic if it looks thin when it’s hot

Serving Suggestions

Good with:

• Any crusty bread
• Grilled cheese sandwiches
• Simple salad
• Drizzle of olive oil and some toasted seeds if you saved them
• Fresh herbs if you’ve got them

How to Store Your Pumpkin Soup

Fridge: Keeps for about 5 days covered. Gets thicker when cold – just add some broth when you reheat it.

Freezer: Freeze in containers for up to 3 months. I use old yogurt containers.

Reheating: Warm it up slowly on the stove, stir it around. Add water or broth if it got too thick.

Allergy Information

Safe for: Most people – no major allergens in the base recipe Dairy: The cream part is optional – use coconut milk instead Gluten: This is gluten-free Vegan: Use veggie broth and skip the cream or use plant milk

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use canned pumpkin instead of fresh?

You could try it but I’ve never done it this way. The fresh pumpkin makes its own liquid while cooking and I’m not sure how to adjust everything else if you use canned.

My soup turned out watery – what happened?

Probably too much liquid or you didn’t cook it long enough. Next time simmer it longer with the lid off, or use less water to start.

Can I make this without cream?

Yeah, definitely. The pumpkin makes it creamy enough on its own. Sometimes I just add a little butter at the end.

How do I know when the pumpkin is ready?

Poke it with a fork – if it goes right through and the pumpkin looks like it’s falling apart, you’re good.

Can I add other vegetables?

Sure. Carrots or sweet potatoes work. Just keep most of it pumpkin or it won’t taste like pumpkin soup anymore.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear about your favorite variations and any creative garnishes you tried.