This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This comforting pumpkin soup is easy enough for a weeknight dinner but special enough to serve at a holiday gathering. And since it can be made ahead, it’s a great choice for entertaining or easy lunches throughout the week.
Photo by Johnny Miller, Clarkson Potter 2021
When we think of pumpkin recipes, we usually think of autumn sweets, like pumpkin pie, and pumpkin bread, but pumpkin’s earthy flavor is wonderful in savory dishes, too. This easy pumpkin soup recipe is flavored with leeks, apples, and maple syrup, so it has those sweet undertones that work so well in squash soups, but smoky cumin and spicy cayenne pepper balance out the flavor. If it sounds like an unusual combination, have faith—one reader told me that in 53 years of marriage and a whole lot of home cooking, this was one of the best soups she’d ever made!
“What a wonderful symphony of flavours dancing around in my mouth. Deeeelicious.”
What You’ll Need To Make Pumpkin Soup
- Butter, leeks & garlic: Melted butter softens the leeks and garlic, removing any sharpness while building the soup’s savory base. Starting with these aromatics ensures the soup has a rich foundation and balances out the sweetness of the pumpkin, apple, and maple syrup.
- Pumpkin purée & apple: Pumpkin gives the soup its velvety body and earthy sweetness, while the apple lightens things up with a hint of tart fruitiness. Together, they make the soup taste more layered than pumpkin alone. I use canned pumpkin, but if you’d prefer to use fresh pumpkin, opt for smaller varieties like sugar, cooking, or pie pumpkins.
- Chicken Broth & Heavy Cream: The broth forms the soup’s liquid base, balancing flavors and providing a rich, savory undertone (opt for low-sodium broth here). The heavy cream adds a touch of richness and a creamy texture, and also tops off the soup for a pretty finish before serving.
- Maple Syrup: Adds a subtle sweetness that complements the spices and pumpkin.
- Cumin, cayenne pepper, thyme & sage: This spice-and-herb mix warms up the flavor. Cumin adds depth, cayenne gives a gentle heat (you can adjust to taste), and thyme and sage bring that classic earthy fall vibe that pairs perfectly with pumpkin.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How to make Pumpkin Soup
Clean the leeks: Before starting, wash the leeks thoroughly—they’re notoriously dirty. Trim off the dark green tops, slice them in half lengthwise, and rinse under running water, pulling the layers apart to remove any grit.
Pro Tip: Another option for cleaning the leeks is to thinly slice them first and then swish them around in a big bowl of water. The grit sinks to the bottom, and you can lift the clean leeks out.
Cook the leeks and garlic: Melt the butter in a soup pot or large Dutch oven, then add the leeks and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are softened.
Simmer: Stir in the pumpkin purée, apples, herbs, seasoning and broth and bring the soup to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Finish the soup: Stir in the cream, then purée the soup with an immersion blender (or in batches in a regular blender) until smooth.
Pro Tip: If using a regular blender instead of an immersion blender, remove the center knob from the lid and cover it loosely with a clean kitchen towel. This prevents steam from building up and causing hot soup to splatter.
Serve: Ladle into bowls and garnish with a swirl of cream and extra thyme.
Make-Ahead and Freezing Instructions
This pumpkin soup is perfect for making ahead, as the flavors only get better with time. Prepare the soup up to 2 days in advance, let it cool, and store it in a covered container in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat until hot.
The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months, but be sure to leave out the cream. Let the soup cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight, freezer-safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 12 hours, then reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. Stir in the cream, bring the soup to a simmer, and serve.
Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 cups thinly sliced leeks (white and light green parts only; from about 2½ lb/1 kg whole leeks)
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 15-oz can pumpkin purée
- 1 apple, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 5 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
- 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh sage
- ¼ cup heavy cream, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin, apple, broth, maple syrup, salt, cumin, cayenne pepper, thyme and sage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes more.
- Add the heavy cream. Use a stick blender to purée the soup until completely smooth. (Alternatively, cool the soup slightly and use a blender to purée in batches. Be sure to remove the center knob on the blender and cover with a dishtowel to avoid splatters.)
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a swirl of cream (see note below) and fresh thyme leaves, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you’re following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
What to Serve with Pumpkin Soup
This creamy pumpkin soup makes a nice light lunch or a cozy starter for dinner. Serve it with warm buttermilk biscuits or a baguette for dipping. For a heartier meal, add a grilled cheese sandwich, or pair the soup with a kale, apple, and pancetta salad. The crisp apples, salty pancetta, and tangy dressing are especially delicious alongside the soup’s smooth, velvety texture.
More Cozy Fall Soups To Add to Your List
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
So I had a pie pumpkin sitting around since Thanksgiving and I was determined not to toss it.
I baked it whole, scooped it out and used it in this excellent recipe with leeks, maple syrup, garlic, cumin and some fresh ginger. I made it vegan with almond milk and it was incredible!
A new family favorite thanks to you, Jenn!
I made something of an approximation of this using what I had on hand. Instead of a can of puree, I roasted a pie pumpkin, and since I was roasting, I threw the garlic in with it. Also, I had some apple cider on hand, so I threw that in as well. Herbs and spices weren’t exact, but same-ish warm flavors. The result was savory and sweet and deep and perfect.
So, I got my leeks from Trader Joe’s, they came with the green part trimmed off. I thinly sliced them until I got 2.25 lb worth. It was A LOT! Probably 10 cups, and filled my entire medium sized pot. The soup turned out the consistency of apple sauce and tasted good, but the leek smell was very strong – I am not motivated to eat it again because, tmi, I basically smelled like leek the next day… By chance, when you measure 2.5 lbs of leeks are the green stems still on? Then when you go home you cut them off and slice the rest to about 6 cups?? Or are you using 2.5 lb of sliced leek?
The 2.5 pounds of leeks assumes that the dark green stems will still be on so if they were removed when you bought them, it makes sense that the soup was very strong in flavor as the white and light green parts are the most pungent. Also, When you buy them, you should purchase 2.5 pounds (versus having 2.5 pounds after slicing them). Hope that clarifies!
A wonderful soup! Absolutely love this recipe. Our local supermarket was selling off Halloween pumpkins for 10p so I have a freezer full and I suspect a lot of this soup will be made over the winter months. Thanks Jenn!
Delightfully surprised! I was looking for a little sweeter than the usual savory pumpkin soup and have found it! I used only 1/2 t. sage, per a reviewer’s comments; I didn’t have leeks, so I subbed caramelized onions; and I used half and half instead of heavy cream (and added at least 1/2 c. instead). Perfect for a chilly fall day. I’ll be back to try more recipes. Thank you!
I’ve made this one other time and it turned out perfect, creamy and delicious. This time less creamy as if I put too much broth in. Is there a way to thicken this up?
Sure, you can simmer it, uncovered, until it gets to your desired thickness.
Made this tonight and it was fantastic! I made my own puree and it was very easy! My daughter (who is very picky) said we can make this again. Highly recommend.
I just made your pumpkin soup. Everybody loved it.
Jenn, I have made so many of your recipes and have saved many more. Is there a way to organize my recipe box. It may be obvious to some, but as my son tells me, I’m technologically challenged.
Hi Kathy, Glad you like the soup! As of now, there’s not a way to organize the recipes in your recipe box – I’m sorry! I will add that to my list of features to potentially add to the site.
I meant to give your soup 5 stars. The last one didn’t stick. I couldn’t find a way to edit it.
Hi. I organize my recipes using an app called Paprika. It clips the recipe. You can organize them with tags. It’s well worth the cost. In fact I paid to have it on my tablet, my phone, and my PC.
Soup tastes amazing! I followed recipe exactly and have blended soup in my Vitamix. My only concern is the texture of the soup is not smooth like the photo…it looks more like baby food? I’ve made lots of soups but have never had this issue. Any ideas for how to solve the issue before my party tonight? Thanks!
Hi Cate, I’m obviously weighing in too late to help, but it sounds like it would’ve benefitted from adding a bit more broth to thin it out. Hope it turned out okay!
One of our all-time favourites! The hint of spice with the sweetness of the maple syrup and comfort of the chicken broth and pumpkin make it a full 5 stars.