Vegan Pumpkin Soup
on Oct 01, 2022
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If you’re looking for some ways to use canned pumpkin, you’ve got to try this creamy Vegan Pumpkin Soup! It starts with a base of onions, garlic and ginger and gets lots of flavor from a dash of ground coriander, tamari and a little bit of maple syrup for balance. The result is creamy, savory and healthy soup recipe that you’ll want to make again and again this Fall!
When I think of Fall, healthy soup recipes like this one always come to mind. There’s something cozy about an easy, one pot dinner and the way the house feels when a pot of homemade soup is simmering away on the stove. This creamy soup can be served as a meal with a few slices of crust bread for dipping, but it also makes a nice appetizer for Thanksgiving or easy meal prep recipe for quick weekday lunches.
However you choose to enjoy this plant-based pumpkin soup recipe, I hope you enjoy the silky-smooth texture and zesty kicky from the ginger and black pepper. The onions offer a touch a sweetness, the garlic adds a savory quality and the ginger adds a zippy, punchy, peppery note that infuses the creamy pumpkin broth. It’s creamy, savory and ever-so-slightly sweet, which really highlights my favorite ingredient of the season: pumpkin.
Ingredients to Make Vegan Pumpkin Soup
- Canned Pumpkin – look for canned pumpkin puree. The only ingredient on the label should be pumpkin.
- Onions, Ginger, Garlic – a sweet and savory aromatic base in this soup recipe.
- Ground Coriander, Black Pepper and Kosher Salt – a sprinkle of these three seasonings is all you need to bring this soup to life!
- Coconut Milk and Veggie Broth – this combo makes the a smooth and silky broth.
- Tamari – for depth and umami
- Maple Syrup – to help balance the savory spices and the natural bitterness of the pumpkin
- Almond Butter or Sunflower Seed Butter – the secret ingredient that makes this soup so delicious!
- Fresh Lime Juice – a squeeze of lime adds a bit of edge and freshness to this soup!
How to Make Pumpkin Soup from Scratch
This soup is very easy to make! I start by sautéing onions, fresh ginger and garlic – a combo instantly makes the kitchen smell incredible! Then I add the spices and let them toast in the pan for a few minutes.
Next I add the tamari, maple, pumpkin, coconut milk, veggie broth and almond butter and then turn off the heat to allow the soup to cool slightly.
Once cooled, it’s time to blend! This is such a satisfying step in the process because this soup blends down into an incredibly rich and silky consistency. Then I transfer the soup back to the pot to warm it through and finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
I always say, toppings are not just garnish! They sometimes (most of the time) make the recipe because they add texture and extra flavor. So before serving, top each bowl with dollop of coconut yogurt, a drizzle or Sriracha and a handful of pumpkin seeds.
Tips for Making Perfect Pumpkin Soup
Allow the veggies to cook down before adding the other ingredients. It’s tempting to add everything to the pot quickly, but taking a few minutes to sweat the onions and and ginger down for a few minutes adds incredible flavor. Don’t rush this step!
Gently cook the the aromatics on low heat, because if they brown or start to burn, that flavor will carry through the whole soup and it won’t taste very good.
Blend in batches if you have a small blender like I do to make your life easy! I have (and LOVE) this powerful NutriBullet Blender and I quite literally use it almost every day. But the one down side is that the blender is relatively small so I usually use two instead of trying to fill one of them past the max point. If you have the same blender, using two instead of one is so worth it.
RECIPE FAQs
Can I make this nut-free?
Yes and no actually. You can make this recipe with sunflower seed butter instead of almond butter and it’s delicious! The directions for that are in the recipe card notes below. But the broth contains coconut milk which is a tree but so be aware of that if you’re allergic.
Is this a good make ahead soup recipe?
Yes, this is very meal prep friendly and it’s actually better the next day after the flavors have had more time to develop. Like most soups, it will thicken a bit in the fridge so thin it out with a small splash or water or plant-milk when reheating.
Is this recipe freezer friendly?
Yep. Allow the soup to cool completely and then freeze in an airtight container. To reheat, simply thaw in the fridge and reheat until warmed through or place the container under running water to loosen the soup from the sides of the container and then transfer the soup to a saucepan.
More Vegan Soup Recipes to Try!
- Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
- Pasta e Fagioli
- Tuscan Ribolliita
- Pumpkin Samsoa Soup
- Pumpkin + Potato Stew
- Easy Vegan Chili
Vegan Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ large yellow onion
- 1½ tbsp diced fresh ginger , peeled, about 1" piece of ginger
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ¾ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste, I use Morton's
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp low sodium tamari
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 15oz can of pumpkin puree
- 1 15oz can coconut milk
- 1 cup low sodium veggie broth
- ¼ cup almond butter
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Toppings
- 4 tbsp coconut yogurt
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- Sriracha and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
Prep
- Start by dicing the onions, chopping the ginger and mincing the garlic and then set aside.
Cook
- Add the olive oil to a large stockpot and set to medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the ginger and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Next add the garlic, coriander, salt and pepper. Lower the heat slightly as needed so that the onions and garlic do not burn, and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Next add the tamari, maple syrup and pumpkin and mix well.
- Finish with the canned pumpkin, coconut milk, veggie broth and almond butter. Then turn off the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly.
Blend
- Transfer the soup a blender and blend until very smooth and creamy.
Heat
- Pour the soup back into the pot and simmer until warmed through. Then add the lime juice and mix well.
Serve
- Ladle the soup into a bowl and top with coconut yogurt, Sriracha and pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!
Notes
I’m trying this for sure, but I’m not using canned pumpkin when so many fresh sugar pumpkins and other varieties are available (musquee de provence is a personal favorite).
I made the soup yesterday with butternut squash and it came out delicious 😋 Another great recipe and just in time for the fall! Thanks 😊
Thank you so much for letting me know Iris! I love that you used butternut squash! I’ll try that next time too 🙂 So glad you liked this recipe!
This is so delicious and cozy!
This is the best new soup recipe I’ve tried all year and one of the best pureed soups I’ve ever eaten! This is definitely going into my regular soup rotation. Not just a cozy fall soup, but one I could eat all year round, along with old favorites like minestrone or chickpea noodle.
I love that I had everything to make it already in my pantry, except for the almond butter. I don’t know if it’s creaminess or flavor it’s supposed to add, but I substituted 2 Tbsp each of peanut butter and tahini, and it was fine. I love the notes of lime, and ginger, and the richness of the pumpkin and coconut.
The only note I have is the base recipe says this yields 4 servings. I barely got three bowls, but then again, I do love a big bowl of soup! I will surely double the recipe next time.
Bless you for this recipe, Nicole!
P.S. The recipe says to add the canned pumpkin in Step 3 and then again in Step 4. This is just a typo, right?
Delicious, thick & creamy. Love the subtle flavor and all the suggested toppings just made it that much better. Nice portion size for a soup and even better yet, can be frozen! Thank you!
I added curry powder. Used lite coconut milk. Served with a dash of Sriracha and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds. Delicious! Will definitely be making this again soon. Thank you.
Yum! That sounds great! So happy you liked this recipe 🙂 Thanks for letting me know, it really means a lot!