This creamy pumpkin soup is a delicious fall soup made with pumpkin purée (homemade or canned), cauliflower, milk, and cheese.
We've been a little pumpkin crazy around here.
I've been whipping up all things pumpkin-- roasted pumpkin purée, Instant Pot pumpkin purée, vegan pumpkin soup (an Instant Pot and oven version!).
And of course, I haven't forgotten my favorite pumpkin drink-- a pumpkin spice latte with real pumpkin.
In the midst of my pumpkin madness, I started thinking about another fall soup I make.
A thick, creamy (fairly healthy) butternut squash soup.
And I wondered-- could I simply swap the butternut squash for pumpkin purée?
Would it still be wonderful?
Happily, the answer is yes.
This creamy pumpkin soup is a slightly tweaked version of my butternut squash soup and is perfect for fall!
Want more pumpkin in your life? Check out all my pumpkin recipes!
How to Make Creamy Pumpkin Soup
In this soup, the secret ingredient is cauliflower. It adds flavor, plus it makes the pumpkin soup rich and creamy with zero cream added.
You'll lay the cauliflower and some onion slices on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil, and then sprinkle with salt and spices.
Roast them until everything is tender.
Next, you'll add the roasted veggies to a blender along with pumpkin purée, milk, and cheese.
Blend until it's smooth and creamy, and then pour into a pot to warm it all up.
It's that simple.
Can I Use Fresh Pumpkin Instead of Puréed?
You can.
If you prefer, grab a sugar pumpkin (or pie pumpkin) at the store.
You'll usually find them right next to the other winter squash.
Then, follow the directions in this recipe for roasted pumpkin purée.
The pumpkin roasts at the same temperature as the vegetables in this soup, so you can do it all at the same time.
After your pumpkin roasts, you can either purée it separately (like in the recipe) or simply scoop out the pumpkin and blend it with the cauliflower, onion, and coconut milk.
It's up to you.
Can I Make This Creamy Pumpkin Soup in an Instant Pot?
Yes, you can!
Follow the Instant Pot directions for this vegan pumpkin soup, use either the coconut milk (from the vegan recipe) or the cow milk (from this recipe), and add the cheese from this recipe at the end.
Can I Freeze This Soup?
I don't recommend it.
Dairy doesn't always freeze well.
Eat this soup immediately, or store it in the fridge and reheat it within a few days.
Serve this creamy pumpkin soup on a crisp fall day, and enjoy!
Want even more pumpkin? Try this pumpkin bread with crumb topping from Striped Spatula!
Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cauliflower head (medium-sized), broken into florets
- 1 onion, cut into about 8 thick slices
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 ½ cups milk (2% or whole), plus more if desired Alternatively, use coconut milk (from a carton, not can)
- 15 ounces pumpkin purée (homemade or canned) About 1 ¾ cups pumpkin
- 2 ounces sharp cheddar or smoked Gouda, freshly shredded
- 2 ounces Parmesan, freshly shredded
- pepita seeds, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Arrange the cauliflower and onion on a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and then sprinkle the salt, paprika, and chili flakes over the veggies.
- Put the veggies in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
- Add pumpkin, milk, broth, and cheese to a soup pot. Use an immersion blender and blend until creamy. Alternatively, add the ingredients to a blender basin, and work in batches if your blender is too small.Note: Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to work in batches. Add more milk if desired.
- Warm soup in the soup pot until heated through. Do not boil the soup (boiling could result in curdled milk).Alternatively, heat on low in a slow cooker until warm, and keep slow cooker set to "warm" until ready to serve.
- Leftovers / Make Ahead: This soup reheats well, and will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Leave a Comment: