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two bowls of pumpkin soup garnished with pepitas and cream
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Easy and Simple Pumpkin Soup

This Easy and Simple Pot Pumpkin Soup is smooth, silky, tasty and super satisfying! Easy to make and ready in less than 25 minutes.
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 184.88kcal

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)

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.

Notes

 
Pumpkin: 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! Cut the skin off and scrape the seeds out. Then cut into 2-inch pieces.
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.
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.
Dairy-Free: use full-fat coconut milk in place of heavy cream.
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.
 
If you're making this recipe, please read the whole post content to get lots of tips, tricks, variations, frequently asked questions, and step-by-step photos.
 
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Please note that nutritional information is a rough estimate, and it can vary depending on the products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 184.88kcal | Carbohydrates: 21.05g | Protein: 3.43g | Fat: 11.31g | Saturated Fat: 6.99g | Cholesterol: 40.76mg | Sodium: 335.11mg | Potassium: 854.91mg | Fiber: 1.75g | Sugar: 8.33g | Vitamin A: 20158.6IU | Vitamin C: 24.35mg | Calcium: 86.05mg | Iron: 2.2mg