This Easy and Simple Pumpkin Soup is smooth, silky, tasty, and super satisfying! Easy to make and ready in less than 25 minutes. Stovetop or Instant Pot. The recipe includes step-by-step photos and lots of tips.
Easy & Simple Pumpkin Soup Recipe Highlights
This Pumpkin Soup is insanely delicious! It’s perfect if you are looking for a vegetarian meal or just something light and easy.
My mom used to make it all the time – don’t miss her secret to making the most flavorful pumpkin soup ever! – so this soup has old-time memories.
When you make this pumpkin soup recipe, it will become your favorite. It’s smooth, silky, tasty, and super satisfying. You can’t beat that, especially when it’s ready in minutes.
Ingredients You’ll Need, Substitutions & Notes
- Pumpkin or butternut squash: Use any type of edible pumpkin you want OR butternut squash. I do not recommend using the Halloween carving pumpkins – the ones you use to make Jack-O-Lanterns. While they are edible, they are not that tasty!
- Veggies: You will need onion, garlic, and my secret ingredient, leeks.
- Water and/or vegetable broth: You can use just water, just broth, or, my favorite way, a combination of both. If using broth, I recommend using the lo-sodium version.
- Heavy Cream: The cream will add a layer of richness, but it is truly still delicious even made without. When I don’t have heavy cream, I often make it with just milk and two tablespoons of butter to add a rich finish.
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Overview: How To Make Pumpkin Soup Two Ways
This quick and easy pumpkin soup is a true culinary delight that can be whipped up in minutes, whether you choose to use the stovetop or a pressure cooker.
Stovetop Method
- Cook
Place the pumpkin, onion, garlic, leeks, water, and broth in the pot. Bring to a boil, uncovered, then reduce heat and let simmer rapidly until pumpkin is tender – about 10 -12 minutes.
- Blend
For chunky texture, use an immersion blender or a stand blender to puree the soup until you reach the desired texture. For a smooth and silky texture, let the soup cool down a little. Transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to the pot.
- Adjust Seasoning
Taste and season by adding salt and pepper if necessary. Stir through heavy cream (do not boil the soup after adding the cream).
Instant Pot Method
- Place the pumpkin, onion, garlic, leeks, water, and broth in the pot.
- Pressure cook for 5 minutes.
- Do quick release on the instant pot.
- Blend until smooth, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
Boost the Flavor. A sprinkle of curry powder, fresh minced ginger, turmeric, coriander, cayenne pepper, or paprika would add a fun boost of flavor to the soup.
Blending. You must make sure that the soup is cooled slightly before blending it. Otherwise, you will end up with a soup explosion.
Silky Soup. I recommend using a blender instead of an immersion hand blender for a smooth and silky texture.
How To Roast Pumpkin Seeds
Add salt, pepper, and a little bit of olive oil to the shelled, raw pumpkin seeds. Spread in a single layer on an aluminum foil-lined or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350° F for 15-20 minutes, or until toasted. Cool completely in the pan.
My Favorite Soup Dunkers
A creamy soup needs bread for dunking, right? These are my favorites!
Storing & Freezing Instructions
STORE: This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The soup should be completely cool before you transfer it to the refrigerator.
FREEZE: Freeze in a zip-top bag or a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Soups that contain a cream or milk base can sometimes separate when freezing, so if that happens, add a little bit of fresh cream when reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once your Instant Pot’s cooking time is over, it will beep and start counting up on the keep warm mode. If the recipe requests a quick release, press “Cancel” immediately after the pot beeps. Then, CAREFULLY turn the vent valve to “Venting” to release the pressure. Then, remove the lid.
You can blend pumpkin soup with an immersion blender or a regular blender. For chunky texture: Use an immersion blender, or stand blender, to puree the soup until you reach the desired texture. For a smooth and silky texture: Let the soup cool down a little. Transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth.
Yes, use full-fat coconut milk in place of heavy cream.
Add salt, pepper, and a little bit of olive oil to the shelled, raw pumpkin seeds. Spread them in a single layer on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350º F (180º C) for 15-20 minutes, or until toasted. Cool completely in the pan.
Yes, you do. The skin is too tough and won’t puree, so you’ll end up with unwanted hard pieces of skin in the soup.
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love!
- Easy Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- The BEST Easy Tomato Soup (Luscious)
- Pressure Cooker Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup [Video]
- Instant Pot Smoky Cheese and Potato Soup
- Slow Cooker Creamy Corn Soup
- Mushroom Soup with Roasted Garlic and Marrow Bones
- Easy Instant Pot Beet and Leek Soup
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Recipe Card 📖
Easy and Simple Pumpkin Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 lb (1.4 kg) pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 cup leeks, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water
- 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth (low-sodium preferred)
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Roasted pumpkin seeds to serve (optional)
Important
Don’t forget to check out the step-by-step photos above in the post—they’ll guide you through the process and make everything super clear!
Instructions
Stovetop:
- Place the pumpkin, onion, garlic, leeks, water, and broth in the pot. Bring to a boil, uncovered, then reduce heat and let simmer rapidly until pumpkin is tender – about 10 -12 minutes.
- Blend. For chunky texture, use an immersion blender or a stand blender to puree the soup until you reach the desired texture. For a smooth and silky texture, let the soup cool down a little. Transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to the pot.
- Taste and season by adding salt and pepper if necessary. Stir through heavy cream (do not boil the soup after adding the cream).
Instant Pot:
- Place the pumpkin, onion, garlic, leeks, water, and broth in the pot.
- Close lid and Select "Pressure Cook" mode adjust to 5 minutes. When cooking is complete press “Cancel” and carefully turn the vent to “Venting” to release the pressure. Then remove the lid.
- Blend. For chunky texture, use an immersion blender or a stand blender to puree the soup until you reach the desired texture. For a smooth and silky texture, Let the soup cool down a little. Transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to the instant pot.
- Taste and season by adding salt and pepper if necessary. Stir through heavy cream (do not boil the soup after adding the cream), just simmer for 1 -2 minutes, or until the cream is incorporated.
Serve:
- Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle with a bit of cream, and sprinkle with pepper and roasted pumpkin seed, if desired. Serve with crusty bread or crackers.
- Boost the Flavor. A sprinkle of curry powder, fresh minced ginger, turmeric, coriander, cayenne pepper, or paprika would add a fun boost of flavor to the soup.
- Blending. You must make sure that the soup is cooled slightly before blending it. Otherwise, you will end up with a soup explosion.
- Silky Soup. I recommend using a blender instead of an immersion hand blender for a smooth and silky texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
This recipe was originally published in October 2019. The recipe remains the same, but more notes, tips, photos, and information have been added to the post in September 2023 to make it as helpful as possible!
Easiest, tastiest pumpkin soup I’ve ever made. Super smooth and creamy.
I used a cube of vege stock dissolved in 2 cups of boiling water instead of the broth (same difference, if we’re honest), and butter and milk instead of heavy cream. I also had a bit too much liquid for my preference at the end of the pressure cooking, so simmered it down until I was happy.
Extra pepper and curry powder made it wonderfully spicy, and it’s all mine because my husband doesn’t eat pumpkin! 😀
Hello Jenna! It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know.
Recipe doesn’t say when to add the heavy cream? I assume it’s after the pressure cooking is done but before blending because adding dairy during the cooking process is generally a no-no for food safety reasons.
Hello Ashely! Yes, the recipe specifies when to add the heavy cream (blend step 2). Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
I loved this pumpkin soup!
I made double quantity, and added some onion powder and curry powder for extra flavour. I also added some diced bacon, and fried this off with the onions, garlics and leeks first. Yum!
Hello Kate! It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know.
Do you roast the pumpkin first or put it in raw? This will be my very first use of an insta pot.
Hello Francine! I add the pumpkin raw. I LOVE my IP, let me know if you have any question, I am happy to help =)
When do you add the leeks?
Recipe lists them- but that’s all.
Hello Howard! I apologize for that omission. The leeks are added in step 1. I updated the instructions. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)