Pumpkin Soup
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Flavored with leeks, maple syrup and spices, this pumpkin soup is the ultimate fall comfort food.
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 velvety 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 wrote to me that it was one of the best soup recipes she’s tried in 53 years of marriage! I know canned pumpkin feels like cheating, but it’s a great shortcut; if you don’t mind turning on the oven, you can roast and purée fresh pumpkin (you’ll need 1¾ cups).
“One of our all-time favourites! The hint of spice with the sweetness of the maple syrup and comfort of the chicken broth and pumpkin make it a full 5 stars.”
What You’ll Need To Make Pumpkin Soup
- Butter: Adds a rich flavor base and helps soften the leeks and garlic.
- Leeks And Garlic: Provide a savory depth, balancing the sweetness of the pumpkin and apple.
- Pumpkin Purée: Creates a smooth and sweet base that defines the soup’s comforting flavor. I use canned pumpkin, but if you’d prefer to use fresh pumpkin, opt for smaller varieties like sugar, cooking, or pie pumpkins. For guidance on making pumpkin purée, check out this detailed piece from King Arthur Flour.
- Apple: Adds a slight tartness that complements the pumpkin and spices.
- Chicken Broth: Forms the soup’s liquid base, balancing flavors and providing a rich, savory undertone. Opt for low-sodium broth here.
- Maple Syrup: Adds a subtle sweetness that complements the spices and pumpkin.
- Cumin And Cayenne Pepper: Season the soup, adding warmth and a hint of heat.
- Fresh Thyme And Sage: Infuse earthy, aromatic flavors that highlight the soup’s autumnal essence.
- Heavy Cream: Adds richness and a creamy texture.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Before starting, it’s important to wash the leeks well — they are notoriously dirty. To clean them, cut off the dark green portions and slice the leeks in half lengthwise. Run under water, pulling the layers apart to wash off any dirt, sand, and grit stuck between the layers.
Thinly slice the leeks.
Melt the butter in a soup pot, then add the leeks.
Cook, until the leeks are softened, about 10 minutes. Stir them periodically so they cook evenly.
Add the pumpkin purée, apples, herbs, salt, and spices.
As well as the chicken broth, then bring to a boil.
Simmer for about 20 minutes.
Add the cream and, using a stick blender (or regular blender), blend until smooth.
Ladle the pumpkin soup into bowls and top with a swirl of cream and more thyme.
Freezer-Friendly Instructions
The soup can be frozen, without the cream, for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the fridge for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. Once heated through, add the cream and bring to a simmer before serving.
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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.
- Note: To add a swirl of cream that floats on top of the soup, whip a few tablespoons of cream with a whisk until ever so slightly thickened. Then use a teaspoon to drizzle and swirl the cream over the soup.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be frozen, without the cream, for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. Once heated through, add the cream and bring to a simmer before serving.
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.
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I have been searching for a savory pumpkin soup and this one is excellent. Due to dietary restrictions, I substituted the butter for oil and omitted the cream, to make it non-dairy. My pumpkin was home-prepared and was more watery than usual, to resolve this issue, I added 1/3 cup red lentils which worked very well.
Thank you for creating wonderful recipes and for suggesting tweaks for those of us with dietary restrictions.
Is there an alternative for leeks?
Hi Lori, I’ve only used leeks in this soup, but yellow onion should work also. Enjoy!
This is one of the best soups I have ever made in the 53 wonderful years of our marriage!
I couldn’t quite picture the combination of these ingredients but, after blending them, I had to taste and it was over the top. Thank you, Jen.
If I were to use pumpkin to make my own puree, would I need the same weight in chopped fresh pumpkin?
You’ll need 15 oz/425 grams of pureed pumpkin. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Such an amazing recipe – followed the recipe to a T!
Hello from Toronto, Canada Jenn!
I just made this soup last night, as I bought 3 different types of squash this week, tis the squash season! I opted to sub the butternut squash for the pumpkin. I roasted it first – it was just over 2 lbs, so it did come out to more than 1 & 3/4 cups, more like just over 2 cups. Leeks here are usually sold in bunches of 3, and after I thinly sliced all the white plus lighter green parts, I had WAY more than 6 cups! But I added it all anyways, as what harm would extra leek flavour do? I tell you, absolutely AMAZING flavours, combined with the huge Honey Crisp apple I added. I only had dry thyme and sage, so used 1/2 tsp of each plus the cumin. I added a full 1/8th tsp of cayenne and the heat turned out just right: not too much but enough to pleasantly notice it. I whipped it up so well with my immersion blender that it did not need any cream. So tasty and so healthy! (I could not stop ‘sampling’ it last night!) Thanks again for another great soup recipe. I have now tried 3 of them from your site!
Best,
Janet
p.s: what do I do with the dark green parts of the leeks? anything?
So glad you enjoyed this! I usually discard the dark green part of leeks, but they’d be a great ingredient for making vegetable stock. 🙂
This was just delicious! I expected it to be good, but this went well beyond expectation. Thanks!
Outstanding! Not only for me, the best pumpkin soup ever!
There is absolutely no need to change anything…. the taste is unbeatable…
Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes with us!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have made this twice in two weeks and love it! It’s wonderful as is, and, for some extra garnish, I’ve also eaten it with some goat cheese and salted, roasted pumpkin seeds (and some chicken if I’m really wanting some extra protein). The creamy, tart goat cheese goes wonderfully with this.
Wow …. this is soooo good and very easy. Great flavor punch and makes you feel warm and fuzzy!! I love Jenn’s recipes!