Creamy Pumpkin Soup: 3 Easy Recipes to Try

The best pumpkin soup recipe roasts pumpkin or squash until caramelised, then blends it with stock, onion and a little cream until silky smooth. A proper creamy pumpkin soup needs around 1.2kg of pumpkin flesh, a well flavoured stock, and about 45 minutes from oven to bowl. Below are three versions to try: a classic creamy pumpkin soup for a simple weeknight supper, a spiced and curried pumpkin soup with warming ginger and chilli, and a pumpkin and butternut squash soup that blends two vegetables for extra depth and colour. Each recipe uses UK metric measurements and straightforward ingredients from any supermarket.

What Pumpkin to Use for Soup

Not every pumpkin is worth cooking with. Large carving pumpkins are bred for a sturdy shell and dramatic size, not flavour, and their flesh tends to be watery and stringy once cooked.

For a proper pumpkin soup, look for a smaller culinary variety such as a pie pumpkin, Crown Prince or Hokkaido. Our guide to pumpkin varieties explains the difference between carving and eating types, and how to spot a good one.

If you’re choosing one yourself, our how to pick the perfect pumpkin guide covers what to look for, a firm skin, a dull rather than shiny finish, and a stalk that’s still attached.

Butternut squash is also an excellent choice and behaves almost identically in these recipes, which is why there’s a dedicated pumpkin and butternut squash soup below.

How to Make Pumpkin Soup Creamy

Roasting the pumpkin first, rather than boiling it, makes the biggest difference to flavour. Boiling waterlogs the flesh and dilutes the natural sweetness, while roasting concentrates it and adds a little caramelisation.

For genuine creaminess, blend the soup thoroughly with a stick blender, or in batches in a jug blender, until there are no lumps at all. Then stir in double cream or crème fraîche off the heat.

A small peeled potato added to the pot thickens the soup naturally if you want it extra velvety without more cream. Always taste and season with salt right at the end, since pumpkin needs more seasoning than you’d expect.

How to Store and Freeze It

Pumpkin soup keeps well in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container. Reheat it gently in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t catch on the bottom.

It also freezes well for up to three months. For the best texture, freeze the soup before stirring in the cream, then add the cream fresh after reheating from frozen.

If you’ve got leftover roasted pumpkin flesh from carving night, don’t throw it away. Our guide to smart uses for your old Halloween pumpkin has more ideas beyond soup, including how to freeze the puree itself.

Classic Creamy Pumpkin Soup

This is the pumpkin soup recipe to make when you want something simple, warming and reliably creamy. Serve it with crusty bread for a proper autumn lunch.

Ingredients:

• 1.2kg pumpkin flesh, peeled and cubed (about 1 medium pie pumpkin)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
• 100ml double cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Pumpkin seeds, toasted, to serve (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C (fan 180C). Toss the pumpkin cubes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and a pinch of salt, then spread on a baking tray.
2. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, turning once, until soft and lightly caramelised at the edges.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 more minute.
4. Add the roasted pumpkin and stock to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes to let the flavours combine.
5. Blend the soup until completely smooth using a stick blender, or in batches in a jug blender.
6. Stir in the double cream and warm through gently, without letting the soup boil.
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then ladle into bowls and scatter with toasted pumpkin seeds if using.

Spiced and Curried Pumpkin Soup

This version takes the classic recipe and adds warming spices and a little chilli, so it’s the pumpkin soup to make when you want something with more kick.

Ingredients:

• 1.2kg pumpkin flesh, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2 teaspoons mild curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon chilli flakes (more or less to taste)
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 400ml tin coconut milk
• Juice of ½ lime
• Fresh coriander, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C (fan 180C). Toss the pumpkin with 1 tablespoon of the oil, spread on a baking tray, and roast for 30 minutes until soft.
2. Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion over a medium heat for 8 minutes until softened.
3. Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, cumin and chilli flakes, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add the roasted pumpkin, stock and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Blend until smooth, then return to the pan and warm through gently.
6. Stir in the lime juice and season with salt to taste.
7. Serve topped with fresh coriander and an extra swirl of coconut milk if you like.

Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Soup

Combining pumpkin with butternut squash gives this soup extra sweetness and a silkier texture, and it’s a good way to use up both if you have them sitting in the fruit bowl.

Ingredients:

• 600g pumpkin flesh, peeled and cubed
• 600g butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 100ml double cream or crème fraîche
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C (fan 180C). Toss the pumpkin and butternut squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, spread on a baking tray, and roast for 35 minutes until tender.
2. Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion and carrot over a medium heat for 10 minutes until softened.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the roasted pumpkin, squash and stock.
4. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, then blend until completely smooth.
5. Stir in the cream and maple syrup, and warm through gently without boiling.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

All three of these pumpkin soup recipes freeze well and make a satisfying autumn lunch on their own, or served with crusty bread on the side. If you’re looking for other ways to use your pumpkin, our pumpkin risotto is another creamy favourite, and our pumpkin bread recipes are perfect for using up any extra puree.