This Healthy Pumpkin Soup is made with a few cans of pumpkin puree, coconut milk and warm spices. It is creamy, delicious, and ready in only 25 minutes!
This healthy butternut squash soup is also super cozy and smooth!
Table of Contents
This is such an easy healthy pumpkin soup recipe that you will be able to pull it off for dinner or lunch with pantry ingredients in no time.
I made the soup on a sunny crisp fall day and it hit the spot – velvety, creamy, rich and smooth. I felt like being wrapped in a cozy blanket.
I love using starchy vegetables or coconut milk as a soup thickener because these ingredients are much healthier alternatives to traditionally used heavy cream and roux.
Soups like this easy butternut squash soup have made it into our family’s recipe binder. They taste delicious, I promise!
You can also cook homemade pumpkin soup in slow cooker for about 6 hours on Low or 2-3 hours on High.
Also, an extra step but so good! For a topping, I quickly toasted a handful of pumpkin seeds with a splash of soy sauce in a skillet. A major hit – kids were sneaking them straight from a skillet.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Soup
This soup is so warm and cozy on a chilly day! It’s perfect for fall.
- Wholesome: Simple ingredients without any heavy cream or cheese in sight.
- Dairy free: Pumpkin puree, broth and coconut milk give this soup a creamy texture.
- Nutritious: Pumpkin is not only low in calories and high in fiber, it contains many important vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants.
- Easy to make: This soup is ready in 25 minutes from start to finish! Perfect for a dinner side or healthy lunch!
Is Pumpkin Soup Healthy?
Yes! This creamy pumpkin soup is full of healthy vegetables, carbs, and fiber! It’s naturally gluten free and vegan.
Ingredients Needed
This healthy pumpkin soup is full of fall flavors with only 10 ingredients and an optional topping. So simple!
- Pumpkin puree: 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Coconut milk: Canned coconut milk that is full fat for best taste.
- Broth: Low sodium or bouillon with water.
- Onions: Sweet yellow onion, vidalia or white.
- Garlic: Freshly minced for best taste.
- Pumpkin pie spice: I use homemade pumpkin pie spice substitute but store bought works, too!
- Salt and ground black pepper
- Oil: I use avocado oil, but olive oil works, too.
- Soy sauce: I used liquid aminos, gives the soup a savory depth of taste.
- Pumpkin seeds (optional): For topping.
How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Soup
One pot and less than 30 minutes is all you need for this easy pumpkin soup!
Saute: In medium size saucepan over medium-high heat add oil and swirl to coat. Add onions and garlic, saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add pumpkin pie spice and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
Simmer: Add broth, canned pumpkin puree, coconut milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then cover and reduce to low heat for 15-20 minutes.
Blend: Turn off heat and using an immersion blender, blend until smooth and creamy. Serve hot topped with roasted pumpkin seeds if you like.
Optional roasted pumpkin seeds: Preheat medium size skillet on low heat, add pumpkin seeds and cook until toasted, stirring occasionally. Add soy sauce, quickly stir to coat and toast for a few more seconds. Remove from heat.
Tips and Substitutions
- Type of pumpkin: I prefer to use canned Farmer’s Market brand pumpkin puree. It’s organic and BPA free. However, any brand is works and that’s what I used today. Homemade pumpkin puree works as well. All out of pumpkin? Try butternut squash.
- Dairy free milk: Use full fat coconut milk and not light, from a can and not carton. My favorite brand is Thai Kitchen. I have not tried it with other dairy free milk like almond milk or oat milk.
- Use any type of stock: Vegetable broth, chicken broth etc.. I love the convenience of low sodium organic bouillon cubes as you use only as much as you need.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Use cinnamon with just a pinch of nutmeg and cloves.
FAQs
Yes. You will need to saute your onion, garlic and pumpkin pie spice first on the stovetop. Transfer to the crock pot. Add remaining ingredients, cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours.
Set Instant Pot to saute, add oil, onion and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes, add pumpkin pie spice and stir until fragrant. Hit Cancel and ensure there are not browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Add pumpkin, broth, coconut milk, salt and pepper. Cook on Manual 4 minutes. Natural release 10 minutes, then Quick release. Use an immersion blender to blend. Add soy sauce and adjust to taste.
For a more savory taste, try using smoked paprika instead. You could also add in some paprika and thyme with the pumpkin pie spice. Always taste and adjust to find the right combination for your taste buds!
Absolutely! I love to use canned pumpkin puree as it keeps this recipe short and simple! Fresh roasted pumpkin would taste amazing though. Here is a step-by-step tutorial how to bake a whole pumpkin and then just puree it after. Zero prep, amazing!
What To Serve With This Soup?
This healthy pumpkin soup is so good on its own with a few simple toppings or with a classic grilled cheese. Here are some other ideas:
- Toppings: Along with or instead of the toasted pumpkin seeds, cooked chopped bacon, green onions, a swirl of yogurt or maple syrup, or try homemade sourdough croutons.
- Protein: Almond crusted chicken is a favorite!
- Salad: This easy spinach salad can be put together while the soup simmers.
- Part of a meal: Try an autumn themed meal and pair with turkey stuffed acorn squash.
Storing and Reheating
- Store: Refrigerate covered for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or a simmer in a small pot on stove until warmed through.
- Freeze: In a glass airtight container for up to 3 months.
More Healthy Soup Recipes
- Pumpkin turkey chili
- Instant Pot butternut squash soup
- Healthy tomato soup recipe
- Slow cooker lentil soup
Healthy Pumpkin Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 medium onions chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves chopped
- 1 tbsp oil for frying
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 cups vegetable broth low sodium
- 2 x 14 oz cans pumpkin puree 3 cups
- 14 oz can coconut milk full fat or low fat
- 1 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp soy sauce I used Bragg’s liquid aminos
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds optional
Instructions
- Preheat medium size pot on medium-high heat and swirl oil to coat. Add onions and garlic, saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pumpkin pie spice and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Add broth, pumpkin puree, coconut milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and using an immersion blender, blend until smooth and creamy. Add soy sauce to taste and stir.
- Serve hot topped with roasted pumpkin seeds if you like.
- Optional Roasted Pumpkin Seeds: Preheat medium size skillet on low heat, add pumpkin seeds and cook until toasted, stirring occasionally. Add soy sauce, quickly stir to coat and toast for a few more seconds. Remove from heat.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate covered for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: In a glass airtight container for up to 3 months.
This soup was so easy and so delicious. Just polished off a bowl for lunch and wanted more!
Love your recipes, and thank you for the gluten free ones.
You are very welcome, Donna!
Hi, I’m new here… LOVE your philosophy on food & approach. I, too, swore to never diet all my life & just ate good food. My children were given the right to like or dislike anything after 3 bites whenever something was served.. no matter how many times it was served. Somehow they grew up without eating disorders and they eat and try everything. I’ve never been more than 20+ lbs of my optimal range for my height all my life (which was a small percentage of time) outside of pregnancy…. and I have obese siblings.
So glad you are enjoying the recipe and the site!
Comfort food at its best!
Wonderful!
This is sooo good. I would like the nutritional info so I can put it in my fitness app. Does anyone know at least the calorie content?
Hi Pam! We are in the process of updating our website software, so that is why the nutritional info was missing. I have added it for the pumpkin soup!
Excellent, simple recipe. I used the pumpkin from our pumpkin carvings, substituted onion powder for the chopped onions and doubled the recipe. Enough for a dinner of 4 and to freeze for a future meal. Everyone enjoyed the soup.
So fantastic to hear Laura!
Made the Healthy Pumpkin Soup for the first time today. It is absolutely delicious, so much better than I anticipated. Yum, yum, yum! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe.
You are very welcome Anne!
Can you use real pumpkin instead of the can pumpkin
Absolutely!
My first attempt at pumpkin soup. Thanks for including it can frozen. It was delicious, so glad it was also healthy.
Awesome! It is fabulously easy and delicious healthy soup.
I made your soup. And followed your ‘moving house’ story…. both turned out all well. I also moved to Vanc Island… you made a huge step towards your dream!
Glad you liked the soup. Thank you, Denise. One day it will be worth it. Right now it’s a blur of plumbing nightmare and who do I go after first. One day at a time.
I would never think this pumpkin soup is healthy. Tasted like a heavy cream version. Delish!