What To Serve With Pumpkin Soup And How To Make It
In this post, I share some great ideas of what to serve with pumpkin soup and how to make it in a step-by-step easy tutorial. Pumpkin soup is one of my favorite soup recipes! Roasted pumpkin is sweet, creamy, and bursting with pumpkin flavor- taking this soup to the next level. Caramelized onions, cardamom, and fresh ginger along with a few spices bring the flavors to life.
It can be mixed with both savory and sweet spices making this a perfect main course or a great side dish. Move over tomato soup, homemade pumpkin soup & grilled cheese is a match made in heaven!
The History Of Pumpkin Soup
The history of pumpkin soup dates back to the ancient Egyptians, who used to make a soup made from pumpkin, onions, and garlic. The soup was believed to have medicinal properties and was often served to the sick. Pumpkin soup was also popular in Europe during the Middle Ages, and it was often served as a main course.
The soup was made with a variety of ingredients, including pumpkin, bread, meat, and spices. Pumpkin soup is still popular today, and it is often served as a starter or a light meal. It is a delicious and healthy soup that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
Fresh Or Canned Pumpkin
You could use either canned or fresh pumpkin, but I enjoy the texture and flavor of fresh pumpkin. There is something so creamy and colorful about fresh pumpkin. It is so easy to make this soup even when pumpkins are not in season by storing fresh puree in the freezer.
Every year I decorate my home with pumpkins of all shapes and colors. And most people throw them out. Not me I roast all of them to make all things pumpkin. It is great to have pumpkin puree on hand whenever you need it
That means I have tons of homemade pumpkin puree to make pies, pumpkin muffins, bread, and soup, and to add to my pasta sauces. This particular pumpkin I roasted for this recipe yielded 10 cups of pumpkin pumpkin purée. The soup takes 5 cups, a pie takes 2 cups, and I usually use around 1 cup in all of my tomato-based sauces as one of my secret ingredients. It freezes beautifully for long-term storage. I wrote a whole post on how to make homemade pumpkin puree here.
Pumpkins are cut into wedges with the seeds scooped out. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray, rub with olive oil, or line with parchment paper and place wedges cut side up. This lets the moisture drain away from the meat onto the pan. Roast at 400 degrees until the pumpkin flesh is fork tender 30-45 minutes. Scoop out the meat, puree and there you go – homemade pumpkin puree.
Canned pumpkin would work in this recipe – you will need 5 cups. Canned pumpkin puree is not as vibrant in color and the flavor is a bit lacking. You might find you need to add more seasonings but this is a great alternative to use for this creamy soup.
So Many Pumpkins To Choose From
How do you choose the right one? Pie pumpkins are an obvious and easy choice. They are readily found in grocery stores during the fall and are easy to roast because of their smaller size. However, almost any pumpkin or squash will give you beautiful and tasty puree when roasted.
In a nod to sustainability, those unique fantasy pumpkins that adorn our doorways or tables are delicious to eat! After you are done enjoying them for the season, give them new life as wonderfully prepared food. Roast, blend the meaty insides with an immersion blender, and weigh out portions into freezer containers.
Try Cinderella pumpkins, Jarradale pumpkins (bluish), bright red warty ones like the one in this post, sugar or pie pumpkins, cushaw green striped pumpkins, and Casper or Cherokee bush pumpkins. They all have amazing flavors. You could also use squash to make acorn or butternut squash soup.
Pumpkin Soup Add-Ins
This creamy pumpkin soup recipe is the perfect base for any number of food additions to mix in or put on top of your soup. Here are some of the best options:
Mix In
- Smoked sausage
- Polska kielbasa
- Ground Italian sausage
- Shredded chicken
- Ham chunks
- Spinach
- Sauteed and diced bell peppers
- Maple syrup
- Sour cream
- Brown sugar
Top
- Crumbled goat cheese
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Toasted pepitas or pumpkin seeds
- Oyster crackers
- Dust with cinnamon (my favorite)
- Grated Fontina or Gruyere cheese
- Croutons and crushed tortilla chips for crunchy toppings
- Whipped cream
- Crispy bacon
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Drizzle of coconut milk
- Toasted pine nuts
- Cheddar cheese
- Sunflower seeds
- Fresh Herbs
- Sprinkled with Cardamom or Nutmeg
- Parmesan cheese
What To Serve With Pumpkin Soup
There are so many side dishes and different snacks that pair perfectly with a bowl of pumpkin soup. It is a delicious fall favorite to serve at any dinner party. This classic recipe makes a great main course or a perfect side dish. My favorite accompaniment is these no knead artisan dinner rolls.
- Grilled cheese sandwiches
- Artisan Dinner Rolls
- Sourdough bread
- Irish soda bread
- Crackers
- Pecans and walnuts
- Crusty bread
- Brussels sprouts make a great side
- Best baked chicken breasts
- Pulled pork
- Easy French tomato tart
- Indian lima bean curry
- Artichokes
- Lasagna with mascarpone
- Fresh salad
- Chicken salad
- Roast beef
- Burgers
- Texas toast
Ingredients For Pumpkin Soup
This delicious soup is made with a handful of simple ingredients and flavorful spices.
1. 5 cups of fresh pumpkin puree
2. 3 cups of vegetable broth
3. 3 tablespoons butter
4. 1 medium onion, diced small
5. 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
6. 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
7. 1/4 teaspoon coriander
8. 1/4 teaspoon cumin
9. 1/4 teaspoon ground curry
10. 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
11. 1/4 teaspoon salt
12. 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
13. 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Notes
-To make this dish dairy free you can leave out the cream at the end or substitute coconut milk (full fat is best)
-I used a bright red warty-looking pumpkin to roast, they have a wonderful sweet flavor.
-Fresh ginger really makes the flavor of the pumpkin come alive, but you can substitute ginger powder.
-This is just the right amount of cayenne to make the soup have a warm spice. If you don’t like heat, just leave it out.
– I have garlic in the pictures for this recipe and sometimes I add it and sometimes I don’t. I did not put it in this batch of soup and it was delicious.
– Homemade vegetable broth is what I usually use for soup, but you could add a low-sodium chicken broth.
– I love the texture the little caramelized onions add, but if you prefer a smooth soup, then use the immersion blender right before you add the cream.
Instructions On How To Make Pumpkin Soup
1. Make pumpkin puree – use an immersion blender to make it extra smooth.
2. Melt the butter in a 6-quart Dutch oven. Chop up the onion into a fine dice and add to the pot. Sprinkle with a little salt to help the onions release their moisture and begin to brown.
3. Cook the onions for 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring often until they caramelize (turn translucent and light brown).
4. Add the grated ginger and stir for about one minute.
5. Add in the pumpkin puree. 5 cups of it. Put all the seasonings in too and stir well.
6. Partially cover and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.
7. Pour in the heavy cream and stir.
8. Serve hot and enjoy!
How To Store And Reheat Pumpkin Soup
To store this delicious pumpkin soup, I like to put it in quart-size mason jars and into the refrigerator. It takes up less space than large containers. Any soup that you are not going to eat within 3-4 days can easily be frozen in freezer storage containers. Pumpkin soup will last in the freezer for 6-9 months.
Reheating pumpkin soup is simple. A great option is to use a saucepan and reheat it on the stovetop on medium-low heat until hot. Likewise, the microwave can make quick work of making hot soup. Use a microwave-safe container, cover, and heat at 30-second intervals until the desired temperature.
Wrapping Up What To Serve With Pumpkin Soup And How To Make It
Pumpkin soup is a delicious and versatile dish that showcases the flavors of fall all year round. It is a great way to use up leftover pumpkin, and it can be easily customized to your taste. This recipe for pumpkin soup is simple to follow and yields a creamy texture. It’s a flavorful soup of fresh ingredients that are perfect for a winter meal. It is a naturally thick soup that is easy and quick to make.
The best part of this bowl of soup is the perfect way it goes with everything. This pumpkin hearty soup is a delicious way to eat lunch, brunch, snacks, and as a main course for dinner. I hope you enjoy this easy pumpkin soup recipe and the best pumpkin soup sides, I can’t get enough. This is one of the best soups of fall, and it’s a good reason to decorate with lots of pumpkins!
Cheers,
Sarah
Recipe Card For What To Serve With Pumpkin Soup And How To Make It
What To Serve With Pumpkin Soup And How To Make It
Ingredients
- 5 cups of fresh pumpkin puree
- 3 cups of vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion diced small
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground curry
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Instructions
- Make pumpkin puree – use an immersion blender to make it extra smooth.
- Melt the butter in a 6-quart Dutch oven. Chop up the onion into a fine dice and add to the pot. Sprinkle with a little salt to help the onions release their moisture and begin to brown.
- Cook the onions for 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring often until they caramelize (turn translucent and light brown).
- Add the grated ginger and stir for about one minute.
- Add in the pumpkin puree. 5 cups of it. Put all the seasonings in too and stir well.
- Partially cover and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Pour in the heavy cream and stir.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Looks delicious
A heartfelt thank you for this blog—it’s a ray of sunshine in my day!
What a nice post. Looks yummy!
I would def try this!