Creamy Pumpkin Soup (Printable View)
Velvety pumpkin base seasoned with aromatic spices, finished with crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds.
# Ingredient List:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2.2 lbs pumpkin (Hokkaido or butternut), peeled, deseeded, and cubed
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
05 - 1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
→ Liquids
06 - 3 cups vegetable broth
07 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream
08 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Spices & Seasoning
09 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
10 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Topping
12 - 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds
13 - 1 tbsp olive oil (for toasting)
# How to Prepare:
01 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic; cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
02 - Add chopped carrot, cubed potato, and pumpkin cubes to the pot. Stir and cook for 5 minutes to slightly soften.
03 - Sprinkle ground nutmeg and ground cumin over the vegetables. Stir well to evenly coat the mixture with spices.
04 - Pour in 3 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
05 - In a small frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add raw pumpkin seeds and toast, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes until seeds are golden and start to pop. Remove from heat and set aside.
06 - When vegetables are soft, blend the soup using an immersion blender or transfer in batches to a countertop blender until completely smooth.
07 - Stir in heavy cream. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Gently reheat if necessary but avoid boiling after adding cream.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It comes together in under an hour, which means you can make this on a weeknight without stress.
- The warm spices (nutmeg and cumin) feel like a gentle hug in a bowl, nothing jarring or too bold.
- Those toasted pumpkin seeds turn a simple soup into something that feels intentional and restaurant-quality.
02 -
- Don't skip toasting the pumpkin seeds separately—they stay crunchy and taste infinitely better than seeds added raw to hot soup.
- If your soup tastes one-dimensional after blending, it's not the spices failing you; it's usually that the broth was weak—taste it first and adjust before adding cream.
03 -
- If you don't have an immersion blender, a regular blender works fine—just let the soup cool slightly and work in batches for safety.
- The difference between good soup and unforgettable soup is often in the quality of your broth; buy the best one you can find.