Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Wide shot of pumpkin soup in a bowl with a spoon, sprinkled with seeds and olive oil, with pumpkins and a fall napkin in the background.

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This easy pumpkin soup is velvety and rich from coconut milk, with a subtle kick from cayenne. Finished with toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch, it’s a fresh and flavorful take on fall comfort food!

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 50

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 303kcal

Author: Nicole Gaffney

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling
1 medium onion diced
Kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
2 teaspoons ground coriander seed
¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper more or less to taste
8 cups diced winter squash or pumpkin such as calabaza, sugar pumpkin, cheese pumpkin or butternut squash
5 cups vegetable broth or chicken stock
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
sugar or honey to taste, optional
¼ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds) for serving, optional

Instructions

Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium high heat.
Add the onion and cook with a pinch of salt until translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about a minute more.
Add the coriander and cayenne and sauté for 30 seconds, then add the squash and cook, stirring occasionally for another minute.
Cover with the broth and coconut milk, then season generously with salt and pepper.
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for or about 20-25 minutes.
When the squash is very tender, use an immersion blender to puree the soup until totally smooth. Alternatively, you can use a regular blender and blend the soup in batches, but be extremely careful whenever blending a hot liquid and do not use a bullet style blender.
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, adding more salt, pepper or cayenne as needed and a little bit of sugar or honey if your pumpkin is lacking sweetness.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, then top with a few pepitas and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.

Notes

Always taste and adjust seasoning at the end.
Roast your pumpkin first before making the soup for extra depth of flavor.
Add sugar, maple syrup or honey if your squash isn’t naturally sweet.
Always blend until silky smooth for the best texture. Strain through a fine mesh sieve if you want it even smoother.

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