This is the best pumpkin soup recipe with the perfect blend of spices, easy to make, and nice and creamy with a delicious roux that thickens the whole pot.
Pumpkin Soup Recipe
It's that time of year, my friends. Pumpkin EVERYWHERE. I have no issue with pumpkins. In fact, I enjoy them very much.
They have a nice flavor and soften up easily when cooked, so you can make so many different recipes with them. Some people tire of them because the season is so short and we're bombarded with pumpkin during the season.
I'm here to bombard you just a bit more with this recipe, but believe me, it's worth it. We're talking Homemade Pumpkin Soup, and you are going to LOVE it, my spicy food loving friends.
Why You'll Love My Pumpkin Soup
My spicy pumpkin soup recipe is rich and creamy and HUGE on FLAVOR because we're making it differently from most pumpkin soups out there.
My recipe makes it Cajun style, starting with a thick and flavorful roux, then brings in lots of fresh pumpkin, the Cajun Holy Trinity of veggies (bell pepper, onion, celery + garlic), and a tasty blend of Cajun seasonings.
What more could you ask for in a creamy pumpkin soup? It doesn't get any better than this. I'd set my easy pumpkin soup recipe against any other recipe out there. I love it that much. Such a great recipe.
Plus, I'll show you how to make a few variations in the Recipe Tips section.
That said, let's talk about how to make pumpkin soup, shall we?
Pumpkin Soup Ingredients
- Peanut Oil or Vegetable Oil. For making a roux.
- Flour.
- 2 Small Pie Pumpkins. Or use 3 pounds in weight of peeled pumpkin. You can use pumpkin purée.
- Peppers. Bell pepper, Fresno pepper, jalapeno pepper. You can use peppers of your personal choice.
- Other Vegetables. Onion, Celery, Garlic.
- Seasonings. Cajun seasonings, salt and pepper.
- Chicken Stock. You can use vegetable broth or stock as well.
- Heavy Cream. Optional, for a creamier soup.
- For Serving. Fresh chopped herbs spicy chili flakes, extra virgin olive oil, lightly toasted pumpkin seeds (see recipe notes)
Mike's Spicy Pumpkin Soup Recipe - the Steps
Peel the Pumpkin. First, gather up a couple of small pie pumpkins. Remove the stems, slice them into quarters (or eighths), and remove the innards and seeds. Reserve the seeds, if desired.
Peel the pumpkin and chop up the pumpkin flesh.
The yield of fresh pumpkin is about 12 cups, or 3 pounds in weight of peeled pumpkin. It's OK if you're off a little.
Set them aside for now.
Make the Roux. To make your roux, add ½ cup peanut oil to a large pot and heat to medium heat. Add flour and stir. Cook for 10-15 minutes, constantly stirring, until the roux turns a light blonde brown.
You can cook it longer for a darker, richer color and flavor.
See my video on how to make a roux for a good demonstration.
Add the Veggies. Add the pumpkin, chopped peppers, 1 chopped onion, 2-3 stalks chopped celery and a few cloves of chopped garlic. Stir and cook about 5 minutes.
I like a lot of peppers, onion and garlic.
For the peppers, you can use green bell pepper, which is traditional for Cajun cooking, but I've used a couple jalapeno peppers and some Fresno peppers picked from my garden.
I like it a bit spicy. Shocking, I know.
Add Cajun seasoning and chicken broth or stock. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat and cook at medium-low heat and simmer for 30 minutes to thicken.
You can simmer longer if you’d like. I often simmer for 1 hour. See how everything softens up and breaks down.
Process. Puree the soup with an immersion blender, or transfer the soup in batches to a blender or food processor. Process until smooth.
See how nice and creamy it gets?
Stir in the heavy cream.
Serve into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped herbs, spicy chili flakes and a swirl of extra virgin olive oil.
Boom! Done! Looks wonderful, doesn't it? It's SUPER FLAVORFUL, definitely one of the best pumpkin soups out there. I love it. Big pumpkin flavor.
But, what should you do with the pumpkin seeds?
Save & Cook the Pumpkin Seeds
Save your pumpkin seeds and cook them up. No need to throw them away. I like to either pan cook them or roast them in the oven with some seasonings, then use them as a garnish. I save the rest for a snack.
See my Spicy Pumpkin Seeds recipe here.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Blending. Blend the soup to your preference. I like mine very creamy, and this gets very creamy. If you prefer a chunkier soup, only process half the batch.
- Canned Pumpkin. Yes, you can make this soup with canned pumpkin puree. Just add it along with the chicken broth and seasonings, then allow to simmer and thicken. Then puree and proceed with the recipe.
- Heavy Cream. Feel free to add heavy cream for an extra creamy texture and flavor. Try coconut milk for an interesting twist.
- Seasonings. I am using a spicy homemade Cajun seasonings blend (Creole works great, too), but if you’d like to go with flavors that are more traditional to pumpkin soup, skip the Cajun blend and go with cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. A good Jamaican Jerk seasoning blend works great with this recipe as well. Try adding maple syrup for a bit of sweetness.
Storage
Pumpkin soup will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can easily make it ahead of time, then reheat it in a pot on the stove.
You can also freeze it for 2-3 months in freezer containers. I do this all the time when I made large batches.
That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoy my spicy pumpkin soup! Definitely one of my favorites. If you love soups, check out...
Check Out Some of My Other Popular Soup Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Pumpkin Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup peanut oil or vegetable oil
- ½ cup flour
- 2 small pie pumpkins (the yield of fresh pumpkin is about 12 cups, or 3 pounds in weight of peeled pumpkin)
- 1 medium bell pepper chopped I used some Fresno peppers & jalapeno peppers for more heat
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 medium celery stalk chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped (or more as desired! I like a lot of garlic)
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning or more to taste
- 6 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream optional for extra creamy texture and flavor
- For Serving: Fresh chopped herbs spicy chili flakes, extra virgin olive oil, lightly toasted pumpkin seeds (see recipe notes)
Instructions
- Remove the stems, slice them into quarters (or eighths), and remove the innards and seeds. Reserve the seeds, if desired. Peel the pumpkin and chop up the pumpkin flesh. The yield of fresh pumpkin is about 12 cups, or 3 pounds in weight of peeled pumpkin. It's OK if you're off a little. Set them aside for now.
- Add ½ cup peanut oil to a large pot and heat to medium heat. Add flour and stir. Cook for 10-15 minutes, constantly stirring, until the roux turns a light blonde brown. You can cook it longer for a darker, richer color and flavor.
- Add pumpkin, peppers, onion, celery and garlic. Stir and cook about 5 minutes.
- Add Cajun seasoning and chicken stock. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom.
- Cook at medium-low heat for 30 minutes to thicken. You can simmer longer if you’d like. I often simmer for 1 hour.
- Process the mixture with an immersion blender, or transfer the soup in batches to a blender or food processor. Process until smooth.
- Stir in the heavy cream.
- Serve into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped herbs, spicy chili flakes and a swirl of extra virgin olive oil.
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 10/27/23 to include new information. It was originally published on 10/7/19.
Donald Zelazny says
Very Tasty!! But takes a long time to prep w peeling and chopping the pumpkins. I had a small yellow patty pan I used in place of a bit of the pumpkin! Would make again. A bunch going to freezer!
Mike Hultquist says
You can use canned pumpkin as a time saver, Donald, though it's absolutely worth the effort to acquire fresh pumpkin. Sorry you had to work at it. Cheers.
Matt Farrugia says
Mate, sensational!!! You never cease to amaze me, I make one of your recipes every week from your email that week and every time so so good. This pumpkin soup like no other pumpkin soup I've tasted and I love it! Thanks so much!
Mike H. says
You are very welcome, Matt - I am very happy to hear this. Enjoy!
Granny Gontse says
pumpkin soup is one of my favorites. Now this one was even more tastier from the chilli peppers. Wow, it was fantastic with my toasted croutons. I have enjoyed it so much!!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Granny!
Meanderer says
Nice to find a pumpkin soup recipe with NO sugar! I don't want to be slurping pumpkin pie! This sounds savory and delicious and I'll definitely try it once the weather catches up with the season here (82 degrees yesterday).
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy! I agree, I like mine savory, NOT sweet.
Gerry says
Nailed it mike real nice
Mike H. says
Thanks, Gerry. Glad that you like it!
Collin Stevens says
Made apple butter with Serrano it was excellent. Thanks for the inspiration . The soup was fantastic . Just ordered another of your cookbooks . The Dehydration cookbook is getting a lot of use.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Collin. I hope you enjoy my dehydrator cookbook as well.
Rebecca says
Curry powder & garam masala also works here!
Kevin M says
New twist! We loved the soup a few nights ago. My wife transformed the remaining soup into a sauce for Pumpkin Ravioli... So good!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesomeness!! Thanks!
Robert Poulton says
Does it have to be pie pumpkins or can you use regular pumpkins?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Robert, you can use regular pumpkins. I've done it that way and it's still delicious! Enjoy!
Nikki says
Hi Mike, How much canned or pumpkin purée should be used? Btw really loving every recipe I’ve tried
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Nikki. Use 3 15-ounce cans (though you can use a bit more if you'd like). Let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy!
Kevin M says
Amazing! Only variation we did was saute the veggies and pumpkin first, transfer to the blender, make the roux, recombined everything. Great flavor. Roasted pumpkin seeds were a great crunch addition!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks! Yes, we LOVE it!
Russ says
Just a suggestion. Instead of cleaning the pumpkin seeds, leave all the stringy innards on the seeds, season as suggested and roast them . The membranes hold and absorb all the delicious spice and chili powder. They tastes glorious when roasted. Brings the roasted pumpkin seeds to a whole new level !
John says
This sounds so good that I read it 3xs on my flight back from Italy. As you predicted, CPMNation would tweak it a bit with either andouille or chorizo. That’s exactly what I thought as I was reading the recipe. This may turn out to be the fall go-to soup recipe.
John
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Alright, John! Yeah! Let me know how it turns out for you. I hope you had a nice trip to Italy!
Amber says
This sounds awesome! I just returned from a trip to New Orleans so this is a great twist to try! Quick question, can you only use whole/sliced pumpkin? Would any canned pumpkin work? T.I.A.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Amber, you can use canned pumpkin. If you do, add it after the onion, celery and peppers are cooked. Let me know how it turns out for you.