A family staple recipe.
Ask any mum if they make pumpkin soup and I’m sure the answer will be yes. It’s a meal that graces many dinner tables during winter. It’s also a meal that frequents a cafe’s menu too. With it being so incredibly popular, of course, we have our own version we make here at home. Growing up, mum rarely made this as it wasn’t dad’s favourite. And of course, mum had to always cook what dad wanted. Don’t even get me started on the meals dad loved… your toes would curl in disgust if I told you a couple of them!
With pumpkin soup, it’s a great meal to make when you’re time-poor. Especially this recipe is all in one pot to make a classical pumpkin soup. I do have another recipe here – roasted pumpkin soup – which takes a lot longer with the roasting of all vegetables first.
Honestly, cooking doesn’t get much simpler than this. With only three or four key ingredients and 30 minutes in the kitchen, you can reap the rewards of a comforting, smooth concoction that’s a lifesaver on a chilly day. Our pumpkin soup is possibly the easiest soup recipe in existence – everything is thrown into a pot, boiled, blended and served.
Top Tips for Making Pumpkin Soup
- Pick your pumpkin – different pumpkins end up producing a different result. The most common versions such as butternut or Jap/Kent all have dense texture and sweet flavour to make an excellent soup. Look for pumpkins without any blemishes that make a hollow sound when knocked. If cut, make sure the flesh is bright coloured and not fibrous.
- Use stock, not water – many recipes just specify water to cook the pumpkin. However, using chicken or vegetable stock adds extra depth to your soup. This makes it much more satisfying to eat.
- Add spices and seasoning – simply add a little spice added when the onions are softening. This recipe uses a little cinnamon and nutmeg, but you can substitute these for cumin instead. If you have it available, season with white pepper. It’s a bit more subtle than it’s black pepper cousin.
- Top with fresh herbs – scatter freshly chopped herbs on top when serving will make your soup look and taste fresh. You can never go wrong with classic combinations of either fresh parsley or chives chopped with a dollop of sour cream.
Want another delicious recipe?
If you like this recipe, you’ll also love others available here. From pastas to risottos, cookies to desserts, and bliss balls to gluten-free options with everything in between. There is truly something here for everyone. I have developed this website to provide family-friendly recipes where I maximise both fresh produce while minimising cost.
Simple Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
- 1 litre liquid vegetable stock
- 2 medium potato, peeled & diced
- 1 kg peeled pumpkin, diced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Toppings
- fresh parsley, chopped
- sour cream
Instructions
- Into a large pot, add all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer over medium heat and cook until vegetables are tender.
- Take off heat. Using a stick blender, blend until smooth.
- Return soup into the pot to reheat gently (if required). Serve with fresh chopped parsley and a dollop of sour cream on top.
Notes
- Save on the preparation time and buy pumpkin already precut from the supermarket, if available.
- This pumpkin soup is so good on its own and doesn't really need anything else into the soup itself. However, for an incredible depth of flavour, add a little cream into the soup after blending it. This adds extra richness to the soup.
- Add a little diced bacon to serve. Fry this in a small frying pan first and add on top when serving.
- Pumpkin soup is easy to freeze. Just let the soup cool to room temperature first. Transfer the soup into freezer-safe airtight containers with a little room at the top as liquid expands when frozen. Frozen pumpkin soup will last for about 2-3 months if stored correctly.