This Easy Pumpkin Soup recipe comes together in a mere 15 minutes, thanks to using canned pumpkin puree and only a few other ingredients! It’s lusciously creamy, flavored by fresh (or dried) sage and warming pumpkin pie spice, and is a perfect savory pumpkin recipe for the fall (though you can add some maple syrup to the soup if sweet’s your thing).
I hope you’ll forgive my diving face-first into fall recipes here at the beginning of August. There is a chill to the air in New England already, and if the past year and a half has taught me anything, it’s to embrace what I love when I want to embrace it. So I won’t be waiting until September to partake in fall recipes – my favorite season in which to cook and eat! Feel free to avert your eyes and make a Caprese pasta salad if you’re still in summer eating mode.
There are a lot of pumpkin soup recipes out there – many involve roasting a fresh pumpkin, some use a lot of different kinds of ingredients to flavor. I wanted to develop an easy, minimalist, creamy pumpkin soup recipe that doesn’t skimp on flavor. And I wanted to make savory pumpkin soup recipe, since we’re often so bombarded with sugary sweet pumpkin recipes in the fall.
Fresh sage, pumpkin pie spice mix (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, etc.), and onion sautéed in butter create a simple flavor base that pairs so well with the sweet, earthy pumpkin. As for fresh pumpkin? You don’t need it. Canned pumpkin puree works perfectly well without all the hassle (but if you’re feeling up to it, you certainly can use fresh if you prefer).
Ingredients in Pumpkin Soup (and Substitutions)
- Canned Pumpkin Puree – you can certainly use homemade pumpkin puree if you like, or a fresh pumpkin (more on that below).
- Fresh sage – or dried (thyme or rosemary would also be delicious).
- Pumpkin pie spice mix – I use homemade pumpkin spice, but you can find it pre-mixed at the grocery store or online.
- Onion – yellow, white, or sweet will do
- Butter – or olive or coconut oil for a vegan version
- Heavy cream – or half and half or whole milk for a lighter version, or coconut milk for a vegan option
- Chicken or Vegetable Broth
- Salt and Pepper
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
How to make pumpkin soup with canned pumpkin
- First, sauté the onions in butter in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the pumpkin spice and fresh sage and sauté for a little while longer.
- Then, add chicken or vegetable broth and canned pumpkin puree. Bring to a boil.
- Puree the soup using an immersion or standing blender, so it’s smooth without any onion or sage pieces.
- Turn off the heat, then stir in the heavy cream and season to taste! Viola! You’re all done.
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Tips and Tricks for Creamy Pumpkin Soup
- When you stir in the heavy cream, make sure you’ve turned the heat off. When you boil cream, it can separate and curdle.
- On a similar note, when you reheat the soup, try not to boil it too vigorously so the texture remains nice and smooth and creamy (but don’t worry, it will still taste great if you do!).
- Use an immersion blender, or stick blender, to puree the soup directly in the pot. It’s so much easier than a standing blender to clean!
FAQs
Yes! Use olive or coconut oil instead of butter (or a vegan butter substitute), vegetable broth, and a can of full-fat coconut milk instead of cream. This will also make it dairy free, paleo, and whole30 compliant.
Yes! Just put it in an airtight container and you can freeze it for up to 6 months. I like to run hot water over the container to dislodge it, then plop the whole block of frozen soup in a pot with a little extra water and heat it up from there.
This is a savory pumpkin recipe, but if sweet’s your thing, you can certainly add 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup (or honey, or brown sugar) when you add the broth and pumpkin puree.
Pumpkin soup is pretty light, so it works well for a first course, or paired with a good loaf of crusty bread with salted butter.
That’s fine! Dice your onions as small as possible, and it will be fine as is.
Pumpkin is a healthy vegetable and this soup is packed full of it! You can make it lighter and lower in calories by swapping out the heavy cream for whole milk or half and half if you prefer.
Other pumpkin recipes
- Chai Spiced Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
- Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pudding
- Pumpkin Fettuccini Alfredo
Did you know commenting and rating recipes is one of the best ways you can support your favorite food bloggers? If you made this recipe or have a question, please click the stars below to comment and Rate this Recipe and/or share photos on social media using the hashtag #bowlofdelicious or tagging @bowlofdelicious!
Easy, Creamy Pumpkin Sage Soup (with canned pumpkin)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion diced (yellow, white, or sweet)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 30 oz. pumpkin puree (two small or one big can, or homemade)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- more fresh sage, heavy cream, and fresh cracked pepper for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt the butter (2 tablespoons) over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until softened and starting to brown. Add the chopped fresh sage (1 tablespoon) and pumpkin pie spice (1 teaspoon) and stir until onions are coated and spices are fragrant.
- Add the chicken or vegetable broth (4 cups) and the pumpkin puree (30 oz.). Bring to a gentle boil. Turn off the heat and puree the soup, using an immersion blender or standing blender. Stir in the heavy cream (½ cup). Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Serve, garnishing with fresh cracked pepper, fresh sage, and a swirl of heavy cream if you like.
Notes
- Make it vegan: make sure to use vegetable broth, use olive oil or coconut oil instead of butter, and use a can of full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream.
- Leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 6 months, or refrigerated for up to 3-5 days.
- Soup too thin or thick? If it’s too thin, let it simmer for a while (before adding the cream) until it thickens. If it’s too thick, just add more broth or some water.
- Use fresh pumpkin by peeling and dicing it and adding it to soup after bringing the broth to a boil. Simmer until the pumpkin is tender then use your immersion blender or standing blender to puree it. You can also roast the pumpkin and then add it to the soup as well.
- Like things sweet? Add 1-2 tablespoons of honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar to the soup to add a hint of sweetness.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
Amy
The first time I ever had pumpkin soup was in Germany. I haven’t found a recipe that comes close to replicating the flavors… until now! Yum!! Thank you!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Heather
The first time I made this, I some how measured out the pumpkin spice twice, so it was a disaster. But the second time I made it, it was PERFECT! I made shredded rotisserie chicken and Gouda grilled cheese sandwiches on brioche (I used garlic and herb butter to toast), and it was a very satisfying and delicious meal. My son even took leftovers to school for lunch. This pumpkin soup is the new family favorite.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Karen
I am going to make it today. Easy and so looking forward to pumpkin delights!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hope it turns out great for you! Happy pumpkin season!
Diana Herranen
Great flavor!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
DJ
Do I have to add the cream or milk to this recipe?
Elizabeth Lindemann
It does help bring everything together, and while I’ve never left it out, I’m a big fan of cooking things however you want to. I say give it a try and see how it is! If it needs a bit of creaminess and you don’t want to do dairy, you may want to try canned coconut milk. Hope that helps!
phyllis whitley
my soup needed a little honey for flavor
Elizabeth Lindemann
Thanks for this feedback! A little honey added sounds delicious – or maple syrup!
Melissa Mello
Thank you for this amazing recipe. It was delicious. I did add a few ingredients only because I love them in my pumpkin soup and they fit into this recipe perfectly I added some lump crab meat and blended it with the rest of the soup and at the end on top I added a few extra pieces of whole lump crab meat and some roasted pumpkin seeds. It was so delicious thank you again.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! Love the idea of adding crab meat – this makes the soup into a complete meal. Yum!
Jaye Munger
I searched and searched for my OLD FAVORITE RECIPE for Pumpkin Soup, or close to it ! FINALLY I SWITCHED SEARCH ENGINES to YAHOO !!
This is just like I ALWAYS made many years ago, at 78 you forget the recipes you didn’t write down!! Thanks I’ll be following this site for other great ones !!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!!
Taylor
Delicious hearty soup for a cold winters night! I added carrots that I sauteed along with some cilantro and bay leaf in the beginning. The recipe is extremely simple and versatile so you can add in other veg or seasonings you might like. I also used a bit of brown sugar, and a few other seasonings I had on hand to make it even more robust since I didn’t have sage but it was delicious without it all the same.
Great recipe!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! Thanks for adding your modifications, everything sounds delicious.
Denise
Delicious and easy soup but it was thick. I added additional broth and some additional spices. I also added crispy sage to the top. It was delicious when after it sat overnight.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Love the idea of adding crispy sage! Glad you liked it. Adding more broth is a great way to thin it out if it’s too thick, or even water with some more seasonings. It may turn out thicker or thinner depending on a few factors, like the brand of canned pumpkin used, or even the kind of pot used if as it simmers, steam escapes.
Ahabot
Amazingly rich and hearty bowl of soup! Because I prefer a bit more body in my pumpkin soup, I reduced the amount of broth to 3 cups. And by skipping the puree step, the soft diced onion texture added a good contrast to the smooth textured soup. I also incorporated a teaspoon of fish sauce (or Worcestershire sauce works too) for some more depth. Accompanied with freshly baked soda bread, the pumpkin soup made one hecka satisfying meal.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! What a delicious meal served with fresh soda bread. YUM!