Cozy up with a bowl of creamy pumpkin soup this season! This quick and satisfying homemade pumpkin soup recipe is full of flavor and perfect for chilly evenings. It’s an excellent starter for Holiday meals, too!
A Creamy Homemade Pumpkin Soup Recipe
Once the leaves start changing and the cozy sweaters come out, nothing beats a bowlful of homemade Pumpkin Soup. This quick recipe makes the BEST rich, silky, savory pumpkin soup in just 30 minutes. Add a drizzle of heavy cream and some basil or parsley for garnish, and you have a wholesome dinner, lunch, or easy holiday starter. Whether you’re snuggling up on a chilly evening or serving a festive meal, this Pumpkin Soup will be the star of the show. And don’t forget to serve it with crusty bread for dunking.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Soup Recipe
- Healthier. I make this pumpkin soup with real pumpkin puree, diced veggies, a few herbs and spices, and a touch of cream. You can count the ingredients on two hands. This lighter homemade version is way better than the canned stuff from the store.
- Creamy. Sure, we add some cream to the creaminess, but most of this soup’s creaminess comes from the pumpkin puree. The texture is velvety smooth, and the flavors are warm and cozy.
- Pumpkin flavor. The pumpkin really shines in this soup, as it should. This recipe keeps the seasonings simple, and the flavors are irresistible, especially if you’re a pumpkin lover.
- Easy to make. This quick pumpkin soup is make-ahead friendly and tastes even better the next day. The recipe can also be made dairy-free or vegan with a few simple tweaks.
Pumpkin Soup Ingredients
- Butter: For sauteing the veggies. You can use olive oil if you prefer.
- Onion and Garlic: Must-have aromatics that form the flavor base of the soup.
- Carrot: Carrots contain sugar, and adding thinly sliced carrot to this pumpkin soup helps sweeten it a bit and gives it some extra texture.
- Salt and Pepper
- Pumpkin: I love organic pumpkin puree, but any canned pumpkin will do the trick. Make sure you’re using 100% pure pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling. If you have the time, you can also make your own pumpkin puree easily from scratch. See my recipe for slow cooker pumpkin puree.
- Chicken Stock: I use the Organic Chicken Stock from Pacific Foods. You can swap low-sodium chicken stock for vegetable stock or broth if needed.
- Spices: I sprinkle in a pinch or two of dried thyme, paprika, and rosemary to round out the flavors of the soup.
- Heavy Cream: Just a little, because I can’t resist the richness it brings to pumpkin soup. If you’re making this recipe dairy-free, use your preferred non-dairy milk instead.
How to Make Pumpkin Soup
This pumpkin soup recipe is SO EASY! It takes just 30 minutes from start to finish on the stovetop. I highly recommend making a double batch and freezing the rest (you can thank me later). Here’s how to make it:
- Saute the veggies. First, saute the onion, garlic, and sliced carrots with a bit of butter, salt, and pepper until the veggies are tender.
- Combine the ingredients. Stir in the pumpkin puree, followed by the chicken stock. Season with thyme and garlic powder, and bring the pot to a boil.
- Cook. Lower the heat and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes.
- Finish and serve. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the heavy cream, and your pumpkin soup is ready to serve.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Soup
The beauty of this homemade pumpkin soup is in how crazy simple it is to make. You’ll be whipping up batches all season long, I’m sure of it. Here are some final tips to follow for best results:
- Use the right kind of pumpkin. It’s worth repeating: Pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling are not the same. Look for cans labeled 100% pure pumpkin. Canned pie filling contains extra spices, sweeteners, and additives and definitely won’t work in soup.
- Take the soup off the heat before adding heavy cream. It also helps to let the cream come to room temperature before you add it to the soup. Cold cream in simmering hot soup is more likely to curdle and split.
- For an even creamier pumpkin soup, use an immersion blender to blend the soup before you add the cream.
Variation Ideas
There are so many ways that you can change up this pumpkin soup. Try these ideas:
- Dairy-free. Saute the veggies in olive oil instead of butter and swap heavy cream for coconut milk or your preferred non-dairy milk or cream.
- Vegan. Follow the above suggestions to replace the dairy, and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
- Spices. If you really want to amp up the fall vibes, sprinkle in ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice.
- Curried. Add a pinch of curry powder for curried pumpkin soup. And if you love the flavor of curry in soups, definitely try my curried butternut squash soup.
Serving Suggestions
We love pumpkin soup drizzled with cream and served with hunks of soft homemade focaccia bread or slow cooker bread for sopping up all those savory flavors. It’s a delicious lunch or light meal served on its own, but here are some more serving ideas to get inspired by:
- Toppings. Dress up your bowl of soup with tasty toppings like toasted pumpkin seeds, croutons, sesame seeds, and parmesan cheese. Microgreens and fresh herbs like basil and parsley also add a nice pop of green.
- Holidays. This creamy pumpkin soup makes an excellent starter on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Follow it up with a roast turkey feast with all the fixings: mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and gravy!
- Salad. Fall salad ideas like this roasted butternut squash salad, my broccoli apple salad, or a crunchy Brussels sprouts salad with apples and candied walnuts.
- Sandwiches. We love soup with a grilled cheese sandwich on the side. This soup also pairs perfectly with leftover turkey salad sandwiches the day after Thanksgiving!
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Soup
- Fridge. Store this pumpkin soup in airtight containers or jars and refrigerate leftovers for up to 4-5 days. Reheat the soup in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop until it’s hot throughout.
- Freezer. This soup freezes well despite the dairy. Place the cooled soup into airtight, freezer-safe containers (make sure to leave a bit of extra space to account for the soup expanding as it freezes). Freeze pumpkin soup for up to 3 months, and thaw the soup in the fridge before reheating.
More Cozy Soup Recipes
- Broccoli Potato Soup
- Roasted Tomato Soup Recipe
- Creamy Carrot Soup Recipe
- Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- Slow Cooker Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Pumpkin Soup Recipe
Cozy up with a bowl of creamy pumpkin soup this fall! This quick and satisfying homemade pumpkin soup recipe is full of flavor, and perfect for chilly evenings, and a great addition to holiday meals.
Servings : 4 servings
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, thinly sliced
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 15 ounces canned pumpkin puree
- 4 to 6 cups chicken stock
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a Dutch oven set over medium-low heat.
- Add the diced onion and sliced carrots to the melted butter. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the garlic, paprika, thyme, and rosemary, and cook for 15 seconds.
- Stir in the pumpkin puree. Add in the chicken stock and bring to a boil; lower to a simmer and continue to cook for 15 minutes. At this point, you can either blend it with an immersion blender to make it creamier or leave the soup as is.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy whipping cream. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
Notes
- Choose the correct pumpkin type. Pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling are not the same thing. Opt for cans marked 100% pure pumpkin.
- Remove soup from heat before introducing heavy cream. Letting the cream warm up a bit before adding can prevent it from curdling in hot soup.
- Make it creamy. If you prefer ultra-smooth soup, blend it using an immersion blender before mixing in the cream.
- To give your pumpkin soup a kick, consider adding chili powder or a bit of cayenne pepper. You can also stir in a splash of lime or lemon juice, which can brighten the soup and add a tangy kick.
- If you want to thin out the soup, add more chicken stock.
Nutrition
Serving: 2 cups | Calories: 268 kcal | Carbohydrates: 22 g | Protein: 8 g | Fat: 17 g | Saturated Fat: 10 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g | Trans Fat: 0.3 g | Cholesterol: 47 mg | Sodium: 434 mg | Potassium: 585 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 9 g | Vitamin A: 20046 IU | Vitamin C: 8 mg | Calcium: 64 mg | Iron: 2 mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Did you make this recipe?Leave a Rating!
My go to tip in order to spice up a ordinary recipe is to add any spices such as okra, paprika or even oregano. The flavor of the dish will have an even more superb taste!
I love to use Pacific Organic Simply Chicken stock in my chicken and veggie slow cooker recipe.
I love the Pacific soups especially the Tomatoe red Pepper.
I use the soup stock in Vetatable Beef Stew.
Pumpkin puree in the carton is the main ingredient in my homemade granola bars!
We use carton chicken stock for everything from soup to mashed potatoes
My favorite recipe to use the Cartons for is my Porkchops and Gravy in the crock pot.
I use the Pacific Natural Foods Organic Cream Of Mushroom Condensed Soup (12 oz).
2 12 oz Pacific Organic Cream of Mushroom Condensed Soup Cartons
4-6 pork chops, boneless (depending on how many people you are serving)
1/2 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup of milk
1. Cook the porkchops fully, browning them in skillet.
2. Place the cooked pork chops on the bottom of the crock pot.
3. Turn to crock pot on high heat.
4. Add in Cream of Mushroom soup cartons, dijon mustard, milk and lipton onion soup mix.
5. Stir mixture.
6. Cook for 4 hours, then serve with mashed potatoes or any other side dish you would like.
I never have liked pork chops, however these are AMAZING! They are not tough, they fall apart, and I would recommend this!! It is SO good!
Thank you for the giveaway!!
I use chicken broth in a container for my mom’s stuffing recipe.
My recipe is chicken noodle soup with pepperoni and I use cartons of chicken stock.
I use a Thai soup from a Tetra Pack and add it to plain grilled chicken and some white rice and it makes a Thai Chicken meal to die for. Unfortunately I am the ONLY person in my house who appreciates it. The soup is purchased at Target, I believe it is a Campbells Soup Thai Tomato Coconut to be exact. Try it, you’ll like it.
Lee
I use pumpkin puree to make pumpkin coffee creamer using pumpkin puree, 1/2 and 1/2, pumpkin spice and a tad of maple syrup. I use chicken and beef broth/stock in carton to make soups all year round. Love the cartons as they stay fresh longer and are better for the environment.
My smart entertaining tips:
* When having a party serve finger foods
* Forget about disposable plates, cups, utensils
* Use your party food leftovers as part of your everyday menus
I like to use the Pacific Organic Chicken Stock 1 Cup Cartons to make gravy for chicken pot pie. It’s also super tasty on top of roasted chicken and mashed potatoes.
To make the gravy I heat 2 Tbsp. of Butter in a small cooking pot. As it begins to become completely melted and bubble on the edge I thrown in 2 Tbsp. of Flour and incorporate with a whisk. Next, I cook the butter and flour for about 2 minutes. After the rue is cooked a bit I begin slowly adding a bit of organic chicken stock to make a thick paste, adding about 2 Cups of Pacific Organic Chicken Stock total. After adding the stock I add a pinch of Thyme and a bit of fresh cracked Black Pepper. I will then cook the gravy on medium heat for about 5 minutes, whisking often, until becoming thick and delicious.
Thanks~karmakaytlyn(at)yahoo(dot)com!
Whenever we make a Turkey in my house whether it be for Thanksgiving or another holiday or just to make since we like it a lot, almost nothing goes to waste. The leftovers are used to make yummy sandwiches for the next few days and the bones/carcass is used to make a delicious broth/soup.
I always use carton chicken stock for my Southern style homemade chicken and biscuits. I also use carton pumpkin puree to make some delicious pumpkin coconut soup.
Adding cheese to literally everything is something that I usually never go wrong with!
Pumpkin Spice Crockpot Soup: Sautee one onion and two chopped apples in a skillet with Coconut oil, then add to crockpot. Add one carton of vegetable broth, one carton of pumpkin puree, 2 chopped sweet potatoes, 2 tsp of pumpkin spice, 3 tsp of cinnamon, one can coconut milk, one cup of unsweetened apple sauce, salt and pepper.
I make After-Thanksgiving Turkey Tortilla Soup:
3 cans of Rotel, 2 cans Mexicorn, 2 can black beans drained, 1/2 pkg taco seasoning, 2 cups leftover shredded turkey & a carton of chicken broth
This uses cartons AND leftover holiday turkey to save waste!
I do a lot of my own canning so we don’t buy from the store many cans
Not a fan of pumpkin soup but pie is good, like your cranbiees
With it be -15 degrees, I made stew today using ofcourse beef and lots of stock for flavoring..
I love the pumpkin soup…must try it for Christmas dinner!!!
I use carton chicken broth (1 carton) for my chicken and rice recipe! I do the rice (according to the directions on the back), cook the chicken (2 boneless skinless breasts) in the broth for 20 mins. Save a little bit of the broth and pour it in with the rice. Shred the chicken, add it to the rice. Then add diced jalapenos. It is awesome!
Thanks for the giveaway-
Use left over turkey for sandwiches! I also buy cartons of chicken stocks for soup.
I want to try this pumpkin soup. I have never tried before but I would also love to make a pumpkin smoothie. This pregnant mommy would love a pumpkin smoothie. NOW!
I use Pacific Simply Stock Chicken in my soup recipe in the crock pot. I use two cartons of the stock, 3 cans cream of chicken soup, half a jar of Franks Red Hot, two tbsp of sour cream, shredded cheese and serve with cilantro on top! Its awesome! Especially if you like spicy!!
I use carton stock to supplement my chicken noodle soup!
I use stock from a carton to make carrot cilantro soup. It’s delicious.
I use Pacific Rim’s chicken stock when making my chicken tortilla soup. So great to have tetra packaging and feel better about my purchase!
I use stock in cartons to make all kinds of things but nothing beats the ease of just throwing in some veg and making a quick soup.
I love Pacific Foods and use them in many recipes. Their broths are wonderful for making soups and stews. I add fresh vegetables and meats and have delicious meals with wonderful flavor.
I use their carton chicken stock in my chicken veggie and potato crockpot recipe.
I use chicken broth in a carton for my chicken noodle soup and vegetable broth in a carton for my vegetable soup.
Chicken Noodle Soup
4 cups of chicken broth
1 dash of pepper
1 carrot (sliced)
1 stalk of celery (sliced)
1/2 cup of egg noodles
1 cup of (cooked) chicken
Mix broth, black pepper, carrot and celery in saucepan. Heat to a boil. Stir in the noodles and chicken. Cook over medium heat for around 10 minutes or until the noodles are done.
When eating this in the winter around Christmas, I like using Christmas cookie cutters. Making peanut butter sandwiches and cutting them with the cookie cutters and serving them with the chicken noodle soup! The kids love it!
All the broths that I use for soup stock come in a carton.
I have stuffing on the stove right now made with broth from a carton!
I tend to make chili or vegetable soup about once every other week, just to clear out the veggies in my fridge that are on the edge of going bad. One carton of appropriate stock, add all the veggies and whatever else is in the kitchen that looks tasty, season appropriately and voila!
just made a butternut squash & apple soup with a chipotle apple reduction and coconut sour cream for dinner this evening. when i don’t have time to make my own, i use already made stock in a carton.
It’s freezing here… I could use a cup of this. 🙂
With leftover turkey and a carton of chicken stock and a carton of milk (love the shelf life on the milk!), noodles and celery we make creamy turkey noodle soup.
Pumpkin Apple soup made with boxed pumpkin puree and boxed chicken stock. Add sauteed apples and onions and a little candied ginger. Yummy!
I make chicken and dumplings with cartons of chicken broth.
I use chicken stock from cartons for all sorts of things. My favorite way to use it is when boiling pasta, especially orzo. It gives the pasta a little bit more flavor. I also use chicken stock from a carton to make my own cream of chicken soup! Yum!
I use a lot of Pacific soups in my cooking!
I love to shop in the bulk foods sections for my dry goods and spices. It cheaper and saves on packaging waste. Winco has a surprisingly amazing bulk food section, including hard to find ethnic spices!
Instead of water in my steamer when I’m steaming vegetables, I put chicken, vegetable or beef broth, to give the veggies more flavor!
I often drink a cup of Pacific chicken broth in the afternoon as a “pick-me-up”. Holds me over until dinner.
I use Kitchen basics as a base for soups, crock pot dishes, and the prepared soups are perfect with a good dinner salad!
I use chicken from a carton in my stuffing
thanks for the giveaway
I love to cook a comforting boiled cabbage dinner, by using beef broth in the carton, instead of water. A huge pan filled with wedged cabbage, onions, carrots, minced garlic, corned beef cubes or ham cubes, A generous Tbs of Tuscany seasoning & a tsp of applewood smoked pepper . Finish off with about 2 cartons of beef broth. I cook for it for a couple hours on the stove top.
I make risotto with carton chicken broth!
I use broth and stocks in cartons to make soups
I save chicken scraps and veggie scraps and make my own broth. We eat the meat,have soup, and I freeze the broth to use in recipes.
I like to make a pork loin that us cooked over chopped veggies. I pour in chicken broth from a carton and have perfect roasted vegetables every time.
I usually use carton broth for stews and soups and canned tomatoes and beans when I make chili and stews.
I make a homemade chicken pot pie where I use chicken stock in a carton. It is delicious.
i will purchase items in bulk in order to use less packaging
I make a pot roast with beef broth from a carton.
I use Kroger egg whites in cartons all the time and chicken broth in cartons in lots of my recipes for cooking.
I recently learned about pancakes that take only canned pumpkin, eggs, oil, sweetener and spices! Short ingredient list, excellent taste. I’d love to try them using the tetra pack pumpkin!
I like to make my own tomato soup using Pacific tomato soup as a base. I just throw in some noodles, veggies and tomatoes and there you go. Hearty tomato soup!
What a smart recipe! 😉 My small, smart recipe that uses ingredients in cartons is making different soup with chicken stocks from the carton. My favorite is my Coconut Thai Chicken Soup. So good and so convenience!
amy [at] utry [dot] it
My favorite quick recipe using food in cartons is Egg Beaters quiche with Italian diced tomatoes in cartons.
1 carton Egg Beaters
1/4 carton Italian diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons water
salt
pepper
minced garlic
Mix everything very well, pour in a buttered glass casserole dish and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.
Makes a wonderful Saturday breakfast!
Sounds delicious!!! Thanks for sharing, Elena!
To cut down on time when a recipe calls for a chicken stock, I use boxed broth, so much faster, and tastes just as good.
Best saver: milk in cartons! Doesn’t need to be refrigerated before being opened – such a space saver!
Quick Jook: Bring one container of chicken broth to a boil. Add one cup of brown rice, one tablespoon of minced fresh ginger, one tablespoon of soy sauce, and chopped chicken or turkey (either leftovers or raw). Cook until rice is very done. Sprinkle with additional minced fresh ginger, chopped cilantro, and soy sauce.
I love the convenience of tetra-pack broth!
I love foods in tetra paks. They TASTE better than cans, for sure! Your pumpkin soup sounds luscious.
I buy stock and tomatoes in cartons to make soup!
My smart entertaining tip is to serve a bread bowl with a spinach dip. There aren’t many utensils required and little waste.
I always use beef stock in cartons when I make soups or braised meats. The soup looks amazing. I love the idea of the pumpkin in a carton. Canned anything is kind of gross in comparison.
Love this packaging! I recently did a pantry overhaul and purchased a bunch of great big storage containers for all our dry goods and cereals. Now I can buy in bulk and all of these items are stored away in their own containers in my pantry. Less packaging and everything stays fresh and perfect for when I need it.
I would love to make pumpkin pie with this carton packed pumpkin! I always roast my own pumpkins because I don’t eat foods out of cans, so this is an awesome alternative!
I’m a baker so I’m always on the lookout for scrumptious savoury food. This soup looks amazing! Love that it’s earth friendly too .
Around once a week, I try to make a soup or something that can use up a lot of things that are on the verge of going bad. I also try to use “real” dishes as much as possible (even though I have to wash them…) and if I use paper products I try to make sure people only use one plate. And I put names on paper cups.
kitchen basics stocks for me as well. they taste great, have little to no extra junk and the packaging is recyclable, love that!
I use stock all the time in our house – for rice, soups, braising, the possibilities are endless and it adds SO much more flavor than water!
I buy in the bulk section of the grocery store then keep the dry goods in labeled mason jars. Bulk sections are sometimes cheaper, offer more variety, and I love mason jars!! 🙂
Carton pureed pumpkin is perfect to use in a pumpkin spiced smoothie, or to use in a pumpkin cheesecake.
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com
I use veggie stock for my stir fry recipe, which is my best non-food-wasting recipe — you can use any veggies, and it’s a great way to prolong the life of the ones in your fridge!
My daughter loves rice and she likes it in chicken broth. I always cook her rice with broth from the carton and I do not drain it after it is done. She says it is rice soup:)
I love seeing pumpkin in a savory dish like this cozy soup! I also always have boxed stock on hand – I buy them at bulk at Costco. They come in so handy for soups. Like tomorrow, I plan on making homemade chicken soup for the boyfriend since he’s so sick. Nothing beats chicken noodle soup, right? Well, except for this pumpkin one here 🙂
I use the leftover bones from meat to make soups.. so so good and easy.
I love using almond milk in smoothies with fresh fruit
Try to make finger food that doesn’t require plates or holders – saves on money and waste!
Definitely true.. We tend to forget the littlest things.. those are the ones that end up adding up …
I always use boxed stock if I don’t have any homemade on hand. I make a point to try to use the leftover chicken carcass to make stock. No waste there!
I agree with you all 3 !!
Now I’m wondering if I could make tasty stock at home.. that would be nice 🙂
I used the boxed broth for recipes calling for water. I make rice using broth instead of water. So much more flavor
the only time I use stock for rice is when its vegetable rice. You’re right, It adds so much more flavor !!
So quick and easy, I love it!
I definitely got time for that .. lol.
Thanks for the reply 🙂
I honestly can’t live without the Vegetable stock from wholefoods or trader joes!! its so tasty and affordable makes all my dishes and soups 100times tastier.
also, the cream of mushroom from trader joes (seasonal product), is the ultimate definition of Holidays for me and my mom.
Both of these products come in cartons and they couldn’t possibly be any more perfect. (even if they tried 😉
Recipes that are smart are cooking in a crockpot to waste less.
I use chicken broth from cartons to make homemade chicken noodle soup.
I love using chicken stock in cartons in my chicken, veggie, potato crock pot recipe.
I use Kitchen Basics stocks in much of my cooking, especially my recipes for chili, beef stew, pot roast, soups, and stews. The packaging is superb, and the ingredients are minimal, where Swanson has all kinds of additives. I have also started buying wine in this new style of packaging, and it’s pretty good.