Pumpkin Curry Soup is a vegan pumpkin soup recipe made with pumpkin puree and warming spices like curry powder, garam masala, and aromatics. The result is a creamy, flavorful, and cozy soup made with simple ingredients that’s perfect for lunch or a meatless dinner, as it doesn’t require a lot of time to make. It’s a simple recipe that’s ready in less than 30 minutes.
*This post is an update from the original one I published in November 2016. The recipe is now vegan, and the images and article are new.*
What Ingredients Do I Need to Make Pumpkin Curry Soup?
Pumpkin curry soup is made with mainly pantry ingredients such as pumpkin purée, onion, garlic, ginger, vegetable broth or stock, curry powder, Middle Eastern Spice Blend (or garam masala), salt, cayenne pepper (or black pepper), and finished with coconut milk.
Cook the pumpkin curry soup in a 4 or 6-quart dutch oven or large soup pot. I also use an immersion blender to blend my pumpkin curry into a thick, smooth soup.
How Do I Make Pumpkin Curry Soup?
Heat olive oil in the dutch oven over medium-high heat to begin your pumpkin curry soup.
Add the onion, garlic, and ginger to the pot once the oil begins to shimmer. Sauté the aromatics for 3 minutes, stirring them around frequently to keep the garlic, especially, from burning.
What’s the Best Pumpkin to Use For Soups?
What’s the Best Pumpkin to Use For Soups?
Add the pumpkin puree, Jamaican curry powder, Middle Eastern Spice Blend (or garam masala), salt, cayenne, and vegetable stock to the pot with the aromatics. The cayenne gives the soup a spicy kick, so if you’re not a fan of spice, you can omit it.
I prefer to use homemade pumpkin puree in this recipe, but you can use canned, packed pumpkin puree for convenience’s sake.
Sugar pumpkins, butternut squash, or Kabocha squash are great for making pumpkin curry soup.
What’s the Difference Between Jamaican and Indian Curry Powder?
Jamaican curry powder is milder in flavor and pungency than Indian curry powders like garam masala or Madras. The latter have more assertive spices like cardamom, cinnamon, fenugreek, and/or curry leaves. Jamaican curry powder is mostly turmeric with additional warm spices like allspice (pimento), nutmeg, and sometimes thyme.
Can I Replace Any of the Spices?
You can replace the Middle Eastern Spice Blend with garam masala, pumpkin pie spice, or chai spice blend. Use Madras or more garam masala to create a more assertive flavor in your pumpkin soup.
Stir the ingredients together in the pot.
Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce the cooking temperature to medium-low and cover the pot.
Can I Make This With Fresh Pumpkin?
I use my pumpkin puree to make this recipe, which is made from fresh pumpkins. Canned is also convenient in case it’s not pumpkin season.
To make this with fresh pumpkin, you can boil the chunks pumpkin flesh in the vegetable stock from the recipe after sautéing the aromatics in the pot. Add the spices and puree the contents of the pot once the pumpkin is fork-tender.
You can also use roasted pumpkin chunks roasted for 30-35 minutes on a sheet pan at 400°F (204°C) or until fork tender. Add the fruit to the pot along with the spices and vegetable stock and puree for as long as desired.
How Long Does the Soup Have to Cook?
Simmer the soup for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
Turn the heat off after 15 minutes of simmering, and use an immersion blender (or hand blender) to puree the pumpkin soup for the creamiest results. You can skip this step and leave the soup chunkier if you prefer more texture.
Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the coconut milk. If you add the coconut milk while the soup is still heating, it’s likely to curdle. You can use canned coconut milk, but I love the lightness of fresh coconut milk in this recipe.
How Do I Serve Pumpkin Curry Soup?
Serve pumpkin curry soup garnished with fresh chopped cilantro or fresh parsley and a drizzle of coconut cream (not cream of coconut, which is sweet). You can also use sour cream or heavy whipping cream if your meal doesn’t have to be vegan. A handful of my Chai-Spiced crunchy pumpkin seeds are also a perfect way to garnish this silky soup.
I enjoy this recipe with toasted naan, but you can also serve it with a side salad and crusty bread, crackers, or warm pita bread.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Refrigerate leftover pumpkin curry soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
You can reheat the leftover soup for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until warmed through or on the stove until heated through.
Can I Freeze This Pumpkin Curry Soup?
You can freeze pumpkin curry soup for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
Allow the soup to cool completely, transfer it to a container, and freeze. Thaw the soup in the fridge overnight, or use the defrost/thaw setting on your microwave for a quick thaw.
Pumpkin Curry Soup is a great way to add a simple dinner to your Meatless Monday meal plan.
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments below. Don’t forget to pin it to your soups board and share it with your crew as well.
Pumpkin Curry Soup
at Sense & EdibilityEquipment
- 6-quart dutch oven
- immersion blender
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) olive oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion peeled and roughly chopped (about 1 cup or 120 grams)
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped (2 tablespoons or 20 grams)
- 2 inch piece ginger peeled and chopped (1 1/2 tablespoons or 15 grams)
- 3 cups (750 milliliters) vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon (7 grams) curry powder Jamaican preferred
- 1/2 tablespoon (1 gram) Middle Eastern Spice Blend or garam masala
- 2 teaspoons (12 grams) kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne optional
- 1 3/4 pounds (820 grams) pumpkin puree or 1 29-ounce can (822 grams) packed pumpkin
- 1 1/2 cups (375 milliliters) coconut milk
Garnishes
- chopped cilantro leaves
- coconut cream (not cream of coconut)
- toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
Instructions
Sauté the Aromatics
- Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart dutch oven over medium-high heat.Add the onion, garlic, and ginger to the pot once the oil begins to shimmer. Sauté the aromatics for 3 minutes, stirring them around frequently to keep the garlic, especially, from burning.
Simmer the Soup
- Add the pumpkin puree, curry powder, Middle Eastern Spice Blend, salt, cayenne, and vegetable stock to the pot with the aromatics.Stir the ingredients together in the pot.
- Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce the cooking temperature to medium-low and cover the pot.Simmer the soup for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
Blend the Soup (Optional)
- Turn the heat off after 15 minutes of simmering, and use an immersion blender to puree the pumpkin soup until it's as smooth as you want. Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the coconut milk.
- Serve the pumpkin curry soup in soup bowls garnished with fresh chopped cilantro and a drizzle of coconut cream.Enjoy this recipe with toasted naan, crusty bread, crackers, or warm pita bread
Notes
Swaps and Substitutions:
- Using canned pumpkin can be used if fresh pumpkin is not in season.
- You can replace the Middle Eastern Spice Blend with garam masala or chai spice blend.
- Use Madras or more garam masala to create a more assertive flavor in your pumpkin soup.
- You can omit the cayenne if you don't like a spicy flavor.
- Use canned coconut milk instead of fresh coconut milk.
- You can garnish the soup with sour cream instead of coconut cream if your meal doesn't have to be vegan.
Tips and Techniques:
- Sugar pumpkins, butternut squash, or Kabocha squash are great for making pumpkin curry soup.
- You can skip this blending the soup for chunkier texture.
- If you add the coconut milk while the soup is still heating, it's likely to curdle.
- Make sure you garnish your soup with coconut cream and not cream of coconut, which is sweet.
To Use Fresh Pumpkin:
- To make this with fresh pumpkin, you can boil the peeled chunks of fruit in the vegetable stock from the recipe after sautéing the aromatics in the pot. Add the spices and puree the contents of the pot once the pumpkin is fork-tender.
- Or roast the peeled pumpkin chunks for 30-35 minutes at 400°F (204°C) or until fork tender. Add the fruit to the pot along with the spices and vegetable stock and puree for as long as desired.
Storage Instructions:
- Refrigerate leftover pumpkin curry soup in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.
- You can reheat the soup for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until warmed through or on the stove until heated through.
Freezing Instructions:
- Allow the soup to cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container
- Freeze the soup for up to 3 months.
- Thaw the soup in the fridge overnight before reheating, or use the defrost/thaw setting on your microwave for a quick thaw.
Nutrition
Deeelicious! Didn’t bother to blend it, I was so anxious to eat it, so I just dove right in & was not disappointed! Then I promptly sent the link to a friend…
LOL!! I’ve been there! There have been a few times when I didn’t bother to blend this pumpkin curry soup either. It tastes just as good. Thanks for commenting.