Looking for the perfect fall comfort food that won’t keep you in the kitchen all day? This creamy pumpkin soup is your answer! Rich, velvety, and bursting with cozy autumn flavors, it comes together in just one pot with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.

Whether you’re meal prepping for busy weeknights, need something warming after a day of apple picking, or want to impress guests without the stress, this recipe delivers every time. The best part? It’s ready in under an hour and tastes like you’ve been simmering it all day.

Plus, we’ll share the secret to getting that perfectly smooth, creamy texture without any of those dreaded lumps that can happen when adding dairy to hot soup. Ready to make your new favorite fall recipe?

Easy Pumpkin Soup Recipe (using fresh pumpkin for best flavor)

Recipe by Salvia

Servings

4-6

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

This recipe focuses on bringing out the natural deliciousness of pumpkin with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1.2 kg / 2.5 lbs pumpkin (any type like sugar pumpkin or butternut squash), peeled, deseeded, and chopped into 1-inch pieces
4 cups (about 1 liter) vegetable or chicken broth/stock, low sodium
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional, but recommended)
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional, for a slight kick)
1/4 cup heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk (optional, for extra creaminess)
Optional garnishes: toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), a swirl of cream or coconut milk, fresh thyme or chives

Directions

Sauté Aromatics: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil or butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Add Pumpkin and Liquid: Add the chopped pumpkin to the pot. Pour in the broth/stock. Add salt, black pepper, and nutmeg (if using).
Simmer: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the pumpkin is very tender when pierced with a fork.
Blend: Remove the pot from the heat. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup directly in the pot until smooth and creamy. If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the soup in batches to a standard blender (ensure the soup cools slightly and do not fill the blender more than halfway to prevent hot liquid from expanding and blowing off the lid). Blend until smooth.
Finish and Serve: Return the pureed soup to the pot if you used a standard blender. Stir in the heavy cream or coconut milk (if using) and the pinch of cayenne pepper (if using). Heat gently for a few minutes until warmed through, but do not boil after adding cream. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds, a swirl of cream, and fresh herbs if desired. Serve hot.

Why Cream Sometimes Curdles in Soup (And How to Fix It!)

Ever added cream to your soup only to watch it turn into a lumpy, grainy mess? Don’t panic – it happens to the best of us! Here’s what’s going on and how to prevent it.

What Causes Curdling: When dairy hits high heat or acidic ingredients, the proteins clump together and separate. The result? Those unappetizing white bits floating around instead of the silky smooth soup you were dreaming of.

Simple Ways to Prevent It:

Add cream at the very end – after your soup is fully cooked and off the heat
Keep it cool – reduce heat to low before adding any dairy
Try tempering – mix a spoonful of hot soup into your cream first, then add it all back. This prevents temperature shock
Use heavy cream – it’s more stable than milk or half-and-half
Don’t boil after adding cream – just warm it through gently

Pro tip: If your soup has acidic ingredients like tomatoes or wine, be extra careful with the temperature when adding dairy.

Follow these simple steps and you’ll get that perfectly smooth, creamy soup every time. No more fishing out mysterious white chunks!