Creamy Pumpkin Soup
A silky soup of sweet autumn pumpkin, butter and cream. Ready in 50 minutes and loved even by children.
In autumn the markets are piled high with pumpkins, and it is not always obvious what to do with them. Creamy pumpkin soup is one of the easiest and tastiest answers. It is bright, velvety and gently sweet, and even children who claim to dislike pumpkin tend to finish their bowls.
Which pumpkin to choose
- Butternut or Muscat is the sweetest, with dense flesh that is perfect for soup.
- Ordinary yellow pumpkin is more watery and gives a thinner result.
- The deeper the colour of the flesh, the sweeter it will be.
Why sauté first?
A few minutes in butter brings out the pumpkin’s sweetness and adds a deeper, slightly caramelised note.
Nutrition
Per serving (≈ 330 g). Approximate values.
How to make it
5 steps · start a timer right inside a step
Prepare the vegetables
Peel and deseed the pumpkin and cut it into 2–3 cm cubes. Finely chop the onion and carrot and crush the garlic.
Sauté in butter
Melt the butter in a pan and cook the onion and carrot for five minutes. Add the pumpkin and garlic and stir for three minutes more so the pumpkin caramelises slightly.
Simmer
Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 18–20 minutes until the pumpkin is tender. Season with salt and nutmeg.
Blend and add cream
Blend the soup until completely smooth. Stir in the cream and warm through for 2–3 minutes without boiling.
Serve
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan. Ladle the soup into bowls, swirl in a little cream and scatter with the seeds.
Cook’s tips
- 1Roast the pumpkin at 200 °C for 25 minutes first for an even richer flavour.
- 2Thin a soup that is too thick with hot milk.
- 3Serve with crunchy croutons.
- 4Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger along with the nutmeg to provide a subtle warmth that cuts through the richness of the cream.
Serving & storage: Ladle into warmed bowls and top with a swirl of cream and the toasted pumpkin seeds. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to maintain the smooth texture.
Variations
Swap the cream for coconut milk to make it vegan. Add ginger and a pinch of curry powder for a warmly spiced version.
The takeaway
Pumpkin soup is autumn in a bowl. Choose a sweet pumpkin, sauté it in butter and never let the cream boil.
