Warming Spiced Pumpkin Soup

Every October, pumpkins start appearing everywhere. They’re piled up in supermarkets, sitting on doorsteps and waiting to be turned into Halloween lanterns. But there’s something rather satisfying about turning a pumpkin into dinner instead, especially when it becomes a bowl of warming spiced pumpkin soup.

This warming spiced pumpkin soup is a lovely way to use the flesh, particularly if you’ve been carving a lantern and don’t want all those pumpkin pieces going to waste.

The soup gets its flavour from fennel seeds and turmeric, along with onion and garlic. It’s a little different from the usual pumpkin soup, with warming spices that make it particularly welcome on a chilly autumn day.

And if you’ve ever stood in the kitchen surrounded by pumpkin pieces, wondering quite how one vegetable managed to take over the entire worktop, at least there’s a good bowl of soup waiting at the end of it.

It’s just the thing to come home to after an evening of trick-or-treating or standing outside watching the Bonfire Night fireworks. The soup has a lovely velvety texture, with gentle warming spices that make it especially comforting on a chilly autumn evening.

Warming Spiced Pumpkin Soup In Brief

Warming spiced pumpkin soup is a comforting autumn recipe made with fresh pumpkin, onion, garlic, fennel seeds and turmeric. Everything is gently simmered in stock, then blended until thick, smooth and creamy.

The fennel seeds and turmeric add a gentle warmth without making the soup hot or fiery. It’s a lovely way to enjoy seasonal pumpkins, whether you’ve bought one especially for cooking or saved the usable flesh while carving a Halloween lantern.

From Swede Lanterns to Pumpkin Soup

I love pumpkin lanterns, there is something magical about the way they cast their light on the walls and ceiling when they are lit at night. It makes the house feel cosy and safe.

When I was little, we carved swedes for Halloween rather than pumpkins, hollowing them out and putting candles inside. Pumpkins weren’t something you commonly saw in the shops then, and carving a swede was quite a job!

These days, pumpkins seem to appear everywhere as soon as October arrives. They’re certainly easier to carve, and there’s the added bonus of having plenty of flesh left over to make soup.

The first time I made this warming spiced pumpkin soup, I’d carved a Halloween lantern and wanted to make something with the leftover pumpkin rather than throw it away.

This time, I bought a pumpkin especially for the soup. You don’t need to carve a lantern first, of course, but it’s a lovely way to make the most of pumpkins while they’re in season.

Why You’ll Love This Warming Spiced Pumpkin Soup

• Warming without being too spicy. Fennel seeds and turmeric give the soup a gentle warmth without making it hot.
• A lovely way to use seasonal pumpkins. Whether you’ve bought a pumpkin for cooking or have flesh left over from carving a Halloween lantern, this soup makes good use of it.
• Thick and creamy. Once the pumpkin is soft, blending creates a lovely smooth soup without needing to add cream.
• Simple ingredients. Apart from the pumpkin, you only need a few everyday ingredients and spices.
• Easy to adapt. Vegetable stock keeps it vegetarian, but chicken stock works too if that’s what you have in the cupboard.

Equipment Needed

You don’t need any special equipment to make this pumpkin soup, just a few kitchen basics.

• Large saucepan or soup pot: Big enough to hold the pumpkin and stock.
• Sharp knife and chopping board: For preparing the pumpkin, onion and garlic.
• Wooden spoon: For stirring the vegetables and spices.
• Blender or food processor: I used a food processor, allowing the soup to cool sufficiently before blending. You can also use a suitable blender. Always follow your appliance’s instructions for processing warm liquids.

How to Prepare a Pumpkin for Soup

Preparing a pumpkin can be a little messy, but it’s worth the effort. Whether you’re using a whole pumpkin or saving the flesh from a Halloween lantern, you’ll need to remove the seeds and tough outer rind before making the soup.

Preparing a Whole Pumpkin

Wash the outside of the pumpkin and place it on a sturdy chopping board. Carefully cut it in half using a large, sharp knife.

Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy centre. Cut the pumpkin into smaller wedges, carefully remove the tough outer rind, then chop the flesh into roughly even-sized pieces.

Don’t worry about making perfect cubes. The pumpkin will be blended into soup, but keeping the pieces a similar size helps them cook evenly.

Using Pumpkin from a Halloween Lantern

If you’re making a Halloween lantern, cut around the top of the pumpkin to make a lid. Scoop out the seeds and stringy centre, then use a sturdy spoon or pumpkin-carving tool to hollow out the pumpkin.

Save the usable flesh as you go, removing any tough pieces of rind before chopping it into chunks for the soup.

Make sure you collect the flesh while carving, before the lantern has been displayed or had a candle burning inside it.

What About the Pumpkin Seeds?

Don’t throw the seeds away! You can clean them and roast them for a crunchy snack.

Don’t throw the seeds away either. You can roast them for a crunchy snack or soup topping. BBC Good Food has a useful guide to making the most of leftover pumpkin.

If you don’t fancy toasting the seeds, why not try planting some? With a little luck, you might have your own pumpkin patch next year. Save a few seeds from a ripe pumpkin, dry them and keep them somewhere cool and dry until spring.

How to Make Warming Spiced Pumpkin Soup

Making this soup is straightforward. The important thing is to cut the pumpkin into roughly even-sized pieces so they cook at the same rate, and make sure they’re completely soft before blending.

1. Prepare the Vegetables.

Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Remove the pumpkin seeds and skin, then cut the flesh into roughly even-sized chunks.

2. Soften the Onion and Garlic

Heat approximately two teaspoons of oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook gently for about five minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

3. Add the Spices.

Stir in the fennel seeds and turmeric and cook for about a minute to release their flavours.

4. Add the Pumpkin and Stock.

Tip the pumpkin pieces into the pan and stir until coated in the spices. Pour in enough vegetable stock to cover the pumpkin. I used about 1.4 litres.

5. Simmer until Tender

Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for approximately 30 minutes, depending on the size of your pumpkin pieces. Check several pieces with a fork to make sure they’re completely soft.

6. Blend the Soup

Allow the soup to cool sufficiently before transferring it to a food processor. Blend until thick, smooth and creamy, following your appliance’s instructions. You can also use a suitable blender. If any pieces of pumpkin are still firm, return the soup to the saucepan, cook until tender, then cool sufficiently before blending again.

7. Season and Serve

Taste the soup and add salt as needed. Ladle into bowls and decorate with pumpkin seeds. I arranged four seeds into a little flower on each bowl, but you could also add a swirl of cream.

Tips for Making the Best Pumpkin Soup

• Cut the pumpkin into similar-sized pieces. They don’t need to be perfect cubes, but keeping them roughly the same size helps everything cook evenly.
• Make sure the pumpkin is completely soft. Test a few pieces with a fork before blending. Any firm pieces can leave little lumps in your soup.
• Adjust the thickness if needed. This soup should be thick and creamy, but if it’s thicker than you like, stir in a little extra stock or water after blending.
• Gentle warming spices. The fennel seeds and turmeric give the soup a subtle, aromatic flavour without making it hot or fiery.
• Taste before adding salt. Stock can already be quite salty, so season the soup at the end, once it’s blended.

What to Serve with Warming Spiced Pumpkin Soup

I served this warming spiced pumpkin soup with bread, which is lovely for dipping into the thick, creamy soup. A slice of crusty bread or a warm bread roll would work beautifully.

For a more substantial lunch, serve a smaller bowl of soup alongside your favourite sandwich. A cheese sandwich or cheese toastie would go particularly well with the warming spices.

For a little decoration, I arranged four pumpkin seeds into a flower shape on top of each bowl. You could also add a swirl of cream if you fancy something a little richer.

Storing and Freezing Warming Spiced Pumpkin Soup

In the fridge: Allow the soup to cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate promptly. It should keep for up to three days.

In the freezer: Pumpkin soup generally freezes well, although I haven’t frozen this particular batch. Once cooled, divide it into freezer-safe containers, leaving a little room for expansion. Freeze for up to three months for best quality.

Reheating: Defrost frozen soup in the fridge overnight, then reheat gently in a saucepan until piping hot throughout. Stir occasionally, adding a splash of water or stock if the soup has become too thick.

Only reheat the portion you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Warming Spiced Pumpkin Soup Recipe

More Warming Recipes to Try

If you enjoyed this warming spiced pumpkin soup, here are a few more comforting recipes for chilly autumn days.

Have You Tried This Warming Spiced Pumpkin Soup?

Do you make soup with your Halloween pumpkins, or do you have a favourite way to use up the leftover flesh?

I’d love to hear your ideas! Leave a comment below and let me know how your soup turned out.

Pin This Warming Spiced Pumpkin Soup for Later

Fancy making this soup when pumpkin season arrives? Save it to your Pinterest board so you can find the recipe when you need a warming autumn lunch.