Vegan creamy pumpkin soup recipe for a comforting Fall dinner that can be made either on the stovetop or in the pressure cooker just like our Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup. It’s keto, gluten-free, low calorie, quick and easy, and so delish… just like our Autumn squash soup!
Table of Contents
It’s pumpkin season again… Let’s celebrate with the best pumpkin Soup ever served by itself or with a hard-crusted bread.
If cooked in the Instant Pot, this vegetarian soup is ready in just 20 minutes. If you are not on a vegan or dairy-free diet, use Greek yogurt or heavy cream instead of canned coconut milk.
It’s one of those one-pot meals that is also budget-friendly yet nutritious.
Don’t you love cozy dinners on cold nights of Autumn like this?
About Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a fruit (not a vegetable like many think) that harvest in the mid-Fall.
It is healthy and full of nutrients such as vitamins A and C, potassium, magnesium, fiber, and antioxidants.
It is so versatile that can be used to prepare savory dishes such as these roasted pumpkin seeds and easy pumpkin soup and desserts like our pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread.
How to make vegan pumpkin soup
On the stovetop:
- Heat a medium pot over medium heat, add the oil, sweat the onion for 3 minutes, and then cook the pumpkin for 2 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, and vegetable broth.
- Cook on medium-high heat for about 5-8 minutes (or until the pumpkin is fork-tender if starting from raw). Purée the pumpkin mixture in a blender or with an immersion blender until creamy.
- Let it cook over medium heat for 5 additional minutes.
- Add the coconut milk (or yogurt or heavy cream), and cook for an additional minute.
- Remove this creamy pumpkin soup from the heat. Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and roasted and salted pepitas (and Parmesan cheese if you are not on a vegan diet). Enjoy!
In the Instant Pot:
- Press the sauté function and let it heat for about 4-5 minutes. Add the oil, sweat the onion (and one chopped green apple if you want to) for 3 minutes, and then cook the pumpkin for 2 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, and vegetable broth. SEE PICS. 1 and 2
- Cancel sauté, lock the lid, and secure the valve. Press the soup button and manually set it to 10 minutes. It will cook at high pressure. As soon as the cooking time comes to an end, do a quick release. SEE PIC. 3
- Purée the pumpkin mixture in a blender or with an immersion blender until creamy. SEE PIC. 4 Stir in coconut milk (or yogurt or heavy cream). SEE PIC. 5
- Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and roasted and salted pepitas (and Parmesan cheese if you are not on a vegan diet). Enjoy! SEE PIC. 6 Take a look at how pressure cookers work for making variations of this soup and other recipes.
Cooking tips for creamy pumpkin soup
- This is the best pumpkin soup recipe ever because it is healthy — this means, it is nutritious. If you are not on a vegan diet, you may use Greek yogurt instead of heavy milk for a reduced-fat soup.
- If you want an even more savory soup, you may add 2-3 of chopped garlic cloves when sautéing the pumpkin.
- To add a touch of sweetness to this soup, stir in 1 tablespoon of real maple syrup when adding the coconut milk or heavy cream.
- To prepare in a slow cooker, either sauté the onion and pumpkin in a skillet over medium heat or dump all the ingredients, except the coconut milk, in the crockpot, cover, and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 5-6 hours. Then stir in the coconut milk, cover, and let cook for additional 20-30 minutes. Serve!
- You may make this pumpkin soup with canned pumpkin instead. If cooking with fresh pumpkin, check out how to cut and peel pumpkin before adding to the soup is a must.
- If you want, substitute pumpkin for butternut squash or acorn squash.
- Lentils or sweet potatoes make great add-ins to this simple pumpkin soup recipe but you will have to adjust the cooking time especially if cooking it on the stovetop.
Variations
- Spicy pumpkin soup – add ½ to 1 teaspoon of hot sauce or a good pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Jamaican pumpkin soup – add a whole scotch bonnet pepper or ¼ teaspoon cayenne plus ¼ teaspoon allspice along with the broth. After the soup is cooked, remove the pepper before blending.
- Thai pumpkin soup – add 1 chopped lemongrass stalk and 1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger when sautéing the onion.
- Roasted pumpkin soup – before preparing the soup, mix the cubed pumpkin with 2-3 tablespoon of olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper, spread onto a baking sheet in one layer, and roast it in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 35-45 minutes or until tender. Then follow our pumpkin soup recipe.
Vegan Pumpkin Soup: Storage
Store leftovers for this homemade vegan pumpkin soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months if not using dairy!
Once thawed and reheated, dairy can make this creamy soup gritty. If you intend to freeze it, let the dairy out and add only when reheating over low heat.
Other pumpkin recipes:
- Curried pumpkin deviled eggs
- Pumpkin spice Nutella
- Pumpkin pie spice pull-apart bread
- Easy pumpkin pie flan
- Breakfast chilaquiles with pumpkin jalapeno salsa
- Flourless pumpkin muffins
PIN & ENJOY!
Vegan Creamy Pumpkin Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Pot or Instant Pot
- Blender or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 1-½ pounds pumpkin seeded, peeled, and cut into cubes (pumpkin can be precooked or raw)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth or chicken broth if not on a vegan diet
- ½ cup canned coconut milk plain yogurt or heavy cream if you are not on a vegan diet
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese OPTIONAL (only if not on a vegan diet)
Instructions
- On the stovetop: Heat a medium pot over medium heat, add the oil, sweat the onion for 3 minutes, and then cook the pumpkin for 2 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, and vegetable broth.
- Cook on medium-high heat for about 5-8 minutes (or until the pumpkin is fork-tender if starting from raw). Purée the pumpkin mixture in a blender or with an immersion blender until creamy.
- Let it cook over medium heat for 5 additional minutes.
- Add the coconut milk (or yogurt or heavy cream), and cook for an additional minute.
- Remove the soup from the heat. Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and roasted and salted pepitas (and Parmesan cheese if you are not on a vegan diet). Enjoy!
- In the Instant Pot: Press the sauté function and let it heat for about 4-5 minutes. Add the oil, sweat the onion for 3 minutes, and then cook the pumpkin for 2 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, and vegetable broth.
- Cancel sauté, lock the lid, and secure the valve. Press the soup button and manually set it to 10 minutes. It will cook at high pressure. As soon as the cooking time comes to an end, do a quick release.
- Purée the pumpkin mixture in a blender or with an immersion blender until creamy with the coconut milk (or yogurt or heavy cream).
- Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and roasted and salted pepitas (and Parmesan cheese if you are not on a vegan diet). Enjoy! Take a look at how pressure cookers work for making variations of this soup and other recipes.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
Post first published on October 27, 2014.
Josiah - DIY Thrill says
This creamy pumpkin soup is perfect for those chilly Fall nights!
Denise Browning says
Indeed! A healthy and creamy soup ideal for chilly Fall nights.
2pots2cook says
Sounds great ! Pinning to make ! Thank you and be safe ! 🙂
Denise Browning says
Thank you! I hope you have enjoyed our vegan pumpkin soup.