Simple Creamy Pumpkin Soup

This Simple Creamy Pumpkin Soup is an easy recipe! It's a delicious and extremely flavorful soup. It uses simple ingredients that are big on flavor and come together in a major way. One of the best things about it is that it can easily be a dairy-free pumpkin soup with little effort. If you want your simple creamy pumpkin soup to be dairy-free all you need to do is make one change to the creamy topping, nothing about the base of the soup will change; more about that later.

The golden potatoes make this soup extremely creamy and smooth. The first time I enjoyed this soup, I was blown away. Of course, I was aware of all of the flavors I had put into it but I was so delighted with the result. For me, this soup is best enjoyed on a cold day however, it's comforting whenever you want to enjoy it.

Ingredients

• Pumpkin Puree-the main ingredient, adds a subtle pumpkin squash taste
• Golden Potatoes-adds a rich creamy texture to the soup
• White Onion-adds another layer of flavor to the soup
• Garlic Cloves-intensifies the flavor profile
• Vegetable Broth or Vegetable Stock-the liquid element that allows the potato and pumpkin to mix well together
• Fresh Herb mixture- used alongside the heavy cream to increase flavor in the soup 
• Heavy Cream-used alongside the fresh herbs to increase flavor in the soup 
• Olive oil-adds rich flavor that compliments the other ingredients 
• Salt and black pepper-season the soup
• Pumpkin seeds- these are used as a garnish and added texture but are not essential to flavor the soup 

Equipment needed to make this Creamy Pumpkin Soup Recipe

• Food processor, hand blender, stick blender, or immersion blender for soups-this is needed to blend everything together during the final step 
• Large pot or soup pot- to combine and simmer hot heated ingredients
• Measuring cup-for precise measurement of ingredients
• Chef’s knife- for chopping herbs and potatoes
• Large container for storage-to store the soup when completed unless you are making this for a family
• Cutting board- protects your surfaces while chopping vegetables
• Small Saucepan-to heat the cream and herbs together 

The exact ingredients are listed on the recipe card below.

How to make Savory Pumpkin Soup

This is my absolute favorite pumpkin soup recipe! The first thing you will want to do is prepare all the ingredients ahead of time. This is the best practice for any recipe. You do not need to peel the potatoes, once cooked fully the skin will be soft enough to completely blend with the vegetables; just be sure to clean the skin thoroughly.

Prepare a large stock pot for cooking before adding the olive oil in preparation for caramelizing the onions. The addition of caramelized onions is an essential ingredient in this soup as it adds a substantial amount of rich flavor.

Once this is complete, add the vegetable broth, and potatoes before bringing it to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat slightly so that the potatoes are boiling gently. The goal is to have the liquid boiling just enough to cook the potatoes until they fall apart but not to reduce the liquid so much. This should take about 15 minutes. Don’t forget to add salt and pepper during this step. 

The next step is to let the mixture cool slightly before blending everything together until the soup is creamy and smooth. If possible, ensure the mixture is still hot when blending it together. If you own a device that allows for ventilation this is wonderful because the hot air can freely flow about without creating pressure inside of a closed container.  

All that’s left to do is create the herbed cream sauce-use a small saucepan to heat herbs and heavy cream using medium heat Allow the mixture to form small bubbles and simmer for 2-3 minutes. The result should be a slightly thickened cream sauce. You can swirl this into the soup as a final touch before serving.

If you'd like this to be dairy free, simply follow the exact same instructions above and swap out the heavy cream for olive or grapeseed oil. It's the only part of this recipe that needs to be changed.

Steps

1. Chop onions, potatoes, and fresh herbs. Set aside fresh herbs for later. 
2. Using a large stock pot, add olive oil and caramelize the onion. Add garlic and cook until just fragrant (about 30 seconds) 
3. Add potatoes and vegetable broth; bring ingredients to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Boil potatoes on medium-low heat until fork-tender. 
4. If you are unable to blend the soup while hot, let the mixture cool mostly before transferring to a blender. Add pumpkin, and blend until smooth. 
5. In a small saucepan, add heavy cream and herbs; cook the mixture together on low heat for about 5 minutes. You should see small bubbles during this time while the mixture thickens and reduces slightly.   

How to make this soup with fresh pumpkin

Contrary to popular belief, pumpkin recipes are not made with the same as those used for Jack-o-lanterns. Sugar pumpkins are whole pumpkins that are much for suitable for eating as they have a much better flavor. You should be able to find them at your local farmers market, pumpkin patch, or maybe even at the grocery store. You can follow this exact same procedure for all fresh squash soups. First, begin by slicing the pumpkin in half. After this, remove the pumpkin flesh (seeds and pulp) with a large spoon. Next, slice the pumpkin into slices; following the naturally occurring lines. Prepare a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Place the sliced pumpkin on the baking sheet and coat evenly with olive oil. Bake in the oven at 415 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Allow the roasted pumpkin to reach room temperature before moving forward. Remove the skin, cut it into cubes, and blend until smooth using one of the pieces of equipment mentioned earlier. One cup of cubed pumpkin is equivalent to one can of pureed pumpkin.

What to serve with Simple Creamy Pumpkin Soup

This pumpkin soup would pair exceptionally well with a slice of toasted dour dough bread. It's also the perfect side dish to accompany roasted chicken or a variety of roasted vegetables if you'd like to make this meal completely vegetarian. In addition to the herbed cream sauce, you can garnish this soup with pumpkin seeds, cayenne pepper, fresh parsley, or anything else you think would pair well.

How to store Simple Creamy Pumpkin Soup

This easy pumpkin soup is best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stored this way will keep it fresh for up to five days. This is a great make-ahead meal; one of those dishes that gets even better with time.

Substitutions

You can substitute canned pumpkin for freshly pureed pumpkin. Remember that the type of pumpkin used for “jack-o-lanterns” is different than what is used in pumpkin recipes. The fun, carving ones are specifically used for carving because they are bitter and not typically used for eating. Sugar pumpkins are the squash that is most used for eating. 

Red or russet potatoes can be used in place of golden potatoes. The exact same ratio can be used for either potato. 

Chicken stock can be used in place of vegetable stock in the exact same ratio.

Variations

Feel free to omit the herbed-cream mixture if you have an aversion to dairy or simply just don’t want to include it. I think it makes a wonderfully flavorful addition, but the soup can stand on its own without it.  

Extra Tips

• Reheat the soup a bit before you eat it using the same large pot if you find that the soup has cooled down to a temperature you don’t desire. 
• Taste as you go-add more salt and pepper at the end if you’d like 

Other soup recipes

Creamy Gnocchi Chicken Soup (Dairy-Free)

Creamy Zucchini Potato Soup

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