When the fall season rolls around, I make the most of all the pumpkin and winter squash in the grocery stores by making dishes such as roasted butternut squash, pumpkin dip and this amazingly delicious pumpkin soup.
Pumpkin Soup Ingredients
To make this rich, velvety pumpkin soup you will need sugar pie pumpkin, bacon, onion, carrots, garlic, dried thyme, chicken broth, cream, pumpkin seeds, parsley, salt and black pepper. If you want to make this pumpkin soup recipe for Thanksgiving make sure to check out my popular Thanksgiving recipes like southern cornbread dressing, honey roasted carrots and Cajun turkey.
How Do You Make Pumpkin Soup?
Start this pumpkin soup recipe by cutting a fresh pumpkin in half. Bake the pumpkin in the oven on a baking sheet until it’s tender and caramelized. Cook some bacon in a pot, then add vegetables and seasonings to the pot, along with the roasted pumpkin. Pour in chicken broth, then bring the soup to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are very soft, then stir in some heavy cream. Use an immersion style blender to puree the soup, or transfer the soup to a traditional blender and blend the soup. Garnish with bacon and pumpkin seeds, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Soup
This soup is best with a fresh sugar pie pumpkin, which is a variety of small pumpkin that is sweet and loaded with flavor. Don’t try to use a jack-o-lantern style pumpkin, as they are tough and flavorless. Most grocery stores carry sugar pie pumpkins in the produce section during the fall and winter months. When you remove the pumpkin seeds don’t forget to save them to make roasted pumpkin seeds! Be careful when using an immersion blender. Start it on low and keep the head of the blender in the soup to avoid splashes. Pumpkin soup stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container and can be stored in the freezer for 2 months. To reheat frozen soup, thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator, then heat it on the stove top until warm.
Flavor Variations
This pumpkin soup is fantastic and creamy as-is, but you can change the flavors to suit your taste.
Toppings: You can add other toppings to your soup such as croutons or parmesan cheese or a drizzle of olive oil for an added flavor boost. Spicy: You can bring the heat to your soup by adding your favorite hot sauce or a little cayenne pepper. Protein: If you want some meat in the soup, simply add cooked, diced chicken or turkey breast to the soup after it is blended. Tangy: You can add a teaspoon of ground ginger, a teaspoon of coriander and a half teaspoon of nutmeg for a tangy soup. Squash: You can make this recipe with butternut squash, kabocha squash or acorn squash. Herbs: Feel free to add extra herbs to your soup like oregano, rosemary or sage. Vegan: For a vegan version you can omit the bacon, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth and coconut milk for heavy cream. Be aware that the flavor will change.
This pumpkin soup is a must-make during the cooler weather months. Whether you’re serving it for dinner or as part of a holiday meal, it’s sure to be a big hit.
Pumpkin Soup Video
