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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
- 2½ pounds leeks, white and light green parts only, washed well and thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
- 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
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This was so good! I paired it with some cheddar chive sourdough from a local bakery and wow! I also used aleppo pepper instead of the cayenne in the same amount, but next time I’ll use a little more, as my aleppo wasn’t powdered and has more flavor and a little less heat. Also would cut down on the syrup, but still absolutely delicious! One tsp. salt was plenty for us (for those looking/needing to cut down on sodium.) Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Hi Jenn! Any ideas to reduce the sodium from 702 mg per serving without compromising the flavor? My max intake is 1500 mg/day per my physician.
Many thanks and love your recipes!
Hi Brenda, the only thing that adds significant sodium to the soup is the added salt, so feel free to reduce it as needed. Enjoy!
Hello, Jen. I’m new to cooking with apples. What variety of apple would you recommend to use in this recipe? Thanks! -Carie
Any tart-sweet variety (like Gala, Honeycrisp, or Jonagold) will work nicely. Enjoy!
Can I use coconut milk instead of cream? Coconut cream is a bit sweet.
Yes, Carolyn, that’s fine. Just keep in mind that it may give the soup a very subtle coconut flavor.
you have the best recipes
❣️
Would I be able to sub the heavy cream with something else (more heart healthy)?
Hi Martha, you can omit the cream or use half and half or milk instead.
Hi Jen,
I have made many of your recipes and they have all been delicious.
I have leftover fresh tarragon from Thanksgiving. Do you think it would work instead of the other fresh herbs?
Thanks!
Hi Andrea, so glad you like the recipes! Tarragon will add a slightly different flavor, but it should be delicious. Enjoy!
How would this be with curry powder? Would I just replace the cumin w curry powder or add more than the amount called for?
Hi Kay, I think it would be nice with curry. You can replace the cumin with it or just add curry into the mix. I’d suggest 1/2 to 1 teaspoon.
I just made the soup and it is delicious. I tried a sprinkle of curry in a small bowl of the soup and that was good, too. My question is: what can I do to make it more orange? Right now its a golden yellow and I think it would be more appetizing if it were orange. AI suggests adding annato, but I’ve never used that before. How much to add to avoid affecting the flavor? I think turmeric would just make it more yellow.
I’m making another batch for a bridal shower and wonder if I should replace 1/2 of the pumpkin with mashed carrots or sweet potatoes, but I really do like the flavor as is. I’d appreciate any suggestions!
Hi Kay, Glad you like the soup! I don’t recommend adding anything to it to make it more orange, but if you want something that’s naturally a bit more orange, I’d try my carrot sweet potato soup.
The trimmed leeks at Trader Joes come on a six ounce package and sliced make four cups, so you need a package and a half. Have made it many times DELICIOUS Always leave out the sage and yesterday used half and half instead of cream. Just fine Freezes well