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Loaded with pumpkin, carrots and spices, this pumpkin carrot soup recipe is a healthy and creamy soup perfect for the fall.
With fall here, that means soup season is upon us - from turkey dumpling soup to southern homemade chili to loaded potato soup.
But let's be honest, when we think of October, pumpkins are what come to mind. And this pumpkin carrot soup eases those cravings.
Why This Recipe Works
- Flavorful - you get the nuttiness from the pumpkin, the earthiness from the carrots and the warm notes from the spices.
- Color - by cooking both pumpkins and carrots, you get a bright orange color that just looks like fall.
- Freezer friendly - you can make a big batch of this soup and freeze to use later.
Jump to:
Ingredient Notes
- Veggies - while pumpkin and carrots are the stars here, you also get additional flavor from onion, garlic and ginger.
- Spices - the combination of cumin and cinnamon adds warmth and a slight heat to the soup.
- Broth - when making soup I always use broth. Broth is made from vegetables or the meaty parts of chicken. Broth is something you sip where stock is something you cook with.
- Cream - adds some richness to the soup and more mouth-feel.
- Pumpkin seeds - adds some crunch and flavor to the soup.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can switch things up if needed. Some variations include:
- It is called pumpkin soup, but you can use butternut squash or sweet potato as well.
- If you don't have sweet onions, white, yellow or red onions will work as well. They all high slightly different flavors.
- While I use broth, stock will work as well. It just has a richer flavor. And while I like vegetable broth, chicken broth can be used.
- I like heavy cream for the creaminess, but dairy-free milk or even coconut milk can be substitute.
- I'm a fan of honey to sweeten the soup, but maple syrup works too.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Cook the onions with butter until translucent before adding the garlic and ginger in the last 30 seconds. Add the broth, spices, salt, pepper, pumpkin and carrots. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 20-25 minutes.
Turn the heat off and puree with immersion blender until smooth. Add the cream and honey and stir. Taste and adjust for seasoning before serving.
FAQs
Yes there are more pumpkins than what you see on the front porch that are carved out. All have slightly different flavors but all will work for this dish. Some options include:
• Cheese pumpkin - squat/pale pumpkins that are often used as displays but have great flavor.
• Cinderella pumpkin - looks like the pumpkin that transformed into Cinderella's coach.
• Connecticut Field pumpkin - what you think of when you see Halloween pumpkins, but can be used to eat as well.
• Pie pumpkin - smaller and denser than carving pumpkins.
No. I just like the combination of pumpkin and carrots with this soup, but you can easily just use 1 ½ lbs pumpkin.
If you have some cornstarch, just take 1 tablespoon cornstarch and whisk with 2 tablespoon water. Then add to the soup and stir until combined.
You’ll want to do this when the soup is still simmering as that helps activate the cornstarch to help thicken it. You can also control the thickness by how much you puree everything.
There is nothing wrong with having a big batch of soup to use whenever you need.
To store in the fridge, just let come to room temperature and place in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To store in the freezer, place in airtight container in freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, let that overnight in the fridge.
Just place the soup in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming. No need for it to come to a boil. You can also warm up in a microwave.
Benefits of Pumpkin
Like many vegetables, pumpkin comes with a ton of benefits, including:
- High in nutrients but low in calories
- Rich in vitamins and minerals
- Contains disease-fighting antioxidants
Equipment
The equipment you use is important to how the pumpkin carrot soup turns out. What is needed is the following:
- Stock pot/Dutch oven - you want something large enough to cook the soup.
- Chef's knife - you want a quality knife to dice everything.
- Immersion blender - helps puree everything. Can also use a blender in batches.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Make sure you use a pumpkin that is best for eating, not carving.
- Use quality low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth. Remember a lot of the flavor will come from the broth.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables. It is much easier than adding to the blender in batches.
- Do not skip on adding the heavy cream as it adds richness and mouthfeel you wouldn’t get otherwise. If you don’t want to use heavy cream, you could try coconut milk.
Other Soup Recipes
If you’ve tried this pumpkin carrot soup recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Pumpkin Carrot Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 sweet onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 3 cups pumpkin (about 1 lb), peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 ½ cups carrots (about ½ lb), peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon thyme, diced
- roasted pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onions and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the pumpkin, carrots, broth, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until vegetables are tender, which should take about 20-25 minutes. Turn the heat off and puree with a handheld immersion blender until smooth. You can also add to blender in batches and puree.
- Add the heavy cream and honey and stir. Bring to simmer and taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. If you need to thin the soup, just add some water. Serve in bowls and top with some thyme and pumpkin seeds.
Notes
- Make sure you use a pumpkin that is best for eating, not carving.
- Use quality low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth. Remember a lot of the flavor will come from the broth.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables. It is much easier than adding to the blender in batches.
- Do not skip on adding the heavy cream as it adds richness and mouthfeel you wouldn’t get otherwise. If you don’t want to use heavy cream, you could try coconut milk.
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