Name: From Scratch Pumpkin Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 (2 to 3 pound) sugar pumpkin (seeded and quartered); 1 tablespoon olive oil; 3 tablespoons salted butter; 1 white onion (diced, or yellow onion); 4 medium carrots (sliced); 3 celery ribs (sliced); 4 cups vegetable broth; 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste); 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1 cup heavy cream

As the temperatures drop and the leaves fall, I can’t think of a better way to warm up than with a bowl of creamy pumpkin soup. Made with roasted pumpkin, sautéed vegetables, and heavy cream, this soup will quickly become one of your go-to fall meals.

If you’re looking to get more of your pumpkin fix, try our homemade pumpkin puree, our pumpkin cheesecake thumbprint cookies, or our pumpkin muffins.

Why Our Recipe

Starts with roasting a sugar pumpkin. No cans of pumpkin puree here!
Heavy cream is added for a velvety smooth creamy finish.
Tips for freezing your soup so you can enjoy it in the future without all the prep work.

A close up view of a ladle scooping out a serving of homemade pumpkin soup.

The best part of making homemade pumpkin soup is choosing your desired level of smoothness. You can enjoy your soup with a bit of chunkiness or make it velvety smooth. No matter how you decide to prepare it, pumpkin soup is the perfect meal or side dish for any fall gathering.

Ingredient Notes

An overhead view of the ingredients needed to make pumpkin soup.

Pumpkin: Choose a sugar pumpkin (pie pumpkin) for best taste and texture. They are about 2-3 pounds and sold in grocery stores during the fall.
Butter: We like to use salted butter but you can use unsalted butter and add salt to taste.
Carrots: Peel your carrots before slicing for a smoother texture.
Vegetable Broth: Keeps things vegetarian, but chicken broth would also work. Use a reduced-sodium option to best control the flavor.
Heavy Cream: Either heavy cream or whipping cream will work. Half-and-half can also be used.

The Pumpkin You Choose Matters

If you’ve never made homemade pumpkin soup before, you might not realize that the type of pumpkin you use matters. For this recipe, we use a sugar pumpkin, also known as a pie pumpkin. These are different from the large pumpkins typically used for carving (Jack-o’-lantern pumpkins). Sugar pumpkins are much smaller, weighing between 2 and 3 pounds, and are specifically grown for baking and cooking. They offer a sweeter flavor and have fewer stringy bits than larger pumpkins.

You can usually find sugar or pie pumpkins in the produce section of your grocery store during the Fall season (typically from September to November). It’s also worth checking your local farmers’ market, as they often carry these pumpkins in the fall as well.

An overhead view of a bowl of pumpkin soup.

Pureeing Pumpkin Soup

To achieve a creamy, smooth pumpkin soup, you’ll need to puree the ingredients. An immersion blender is our favorite tool for this, but you can also use a food processor or a vented blender. Blend until you reach your desired consistency.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

Refrigerate any leftover pumpkin soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freeze leftover portions of the roasted pumpkin soup without the heavy cream, as cream can develop a strange texture when defrosted. Let the soup cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight, freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Reheat single servings in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through, or in a saucepan on your stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through, about 10-15 minutes.