Why this recipe?
If you’re lazy like me and the idea of peeling and cutting a pumpkin scares you, then this is the recipe you are going to love. My hands were always incredibly sore after making pumpkin soups, so that’s why I decided to create a simplified version of my favorite soup without compromising the taste. This recipe eliminates the need for peeling all used vegetables (we are going to remove the skin after roasting), and there’s hardly any chopping required either – only one chop to halve the pumpkin, garlic bulb, and onions. The preparation time is less than 10 minutes. After that, you just roast everything in the oven, blend it with broth and coconut cream, and you’re done! It is that easy. And if you don’t have a blender, you can skip the blending part. The resulting flavor is both sweet and deliciously savory at the same time with a strong roasted aroma.
Ingredients & Substitutes
- Pumpkin – Use any edible pumpkin that is available to you, preferably sweet varieties. Another option is to use butternut squash.
- Baby carrots – I prefer baby carrots for their extra sweetness that nicely complement the tone of the soup, but regular carrots or even sweet potatoes (the orange variety) are good alternatives. Don’t worry, the final soup will not taste like carrots.
- Onions – Any type of onion work in this recipe. I usually go for yellow onions.
- Garlic – A full bulb of garlic is required.
- Broth – I use vegetable broth. preferably low in sodium or without added salt. A richer broth adds more depth to the soup. If you don’t have a broth, then use water.
- Coconut milk – It adds the luscious creaminess. I use brand Aroy-D. Soy or rice cream would be a great option as well.
- Olive oil – You can swap it out for another oil of your liking, but I would recommend to avoid coconut oil or butter.
- Maple syrup – Since we’re skipping heavy cream, we miss out on its natural sweetness. Maple syrup gets beautifully caramelized during roasting, giving the soup a deep, sweet flavor. You can substitute it with 2-4 teaspoons of regular sugar
- Spices – Black pepper, thyme and sweet paprika (you can substitute it for regular paprika powder or smoked paprika)
- Salt (optional) – you may or may not want to add salt, depending if you use spices and/or broth with added sodium. Taste the soup and if the flavor feels a bit flat or overly sweet, a touch of salt can make a difference.
Required Equipment
- Knife
- Chopping Board
- Oven
- Baking tray
- Parchment paper
- Regular Blender or Immersion Blender*
How to halve a pumpkin
Pumpkin is a very tough vegetable, so please be really careful. Here are some of my tips on how to make it easier:
- Use a large, sharp knife.
- Don’t cut through the tough stem.
- If the pumpkin is wobbly, cut off the top to create a flat surface before cutting it in half.
- If you can’t cut it all at once, slowly rotate the pumpkin as you cut, similar to cutting an avocado.
Photo Guide
Garnishes & Toppings Ideas
- Cream swirl – If you are able to find really smooth and dense cream, you can make a swirl. For the perfect results, use a toothpick to give it the desired shape.
- Pepitas – Add an amazing crunch.
- Herbs – Some color and additional taste. My choice is dill or parsley.
- Chili flakes – A spicy topping that adds tons of flavor!
- Nutritional yeast: It has a deep savory flavor, similar to cheddar cheese. It works wonderfully if the soup is a little bit dull or if you want to bring out some exciting flavors.
Storing
- Fridge – Store it for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
- Freezer – Freeze it for up to 3 months. The taste can be slightly dull after thawing, so be prepared to add more black pepper or salt. I would also recommend adding some toppings.
Easy Vegan Pumpkin Soup
6
servings10
minutes50
minutes250
kcalPumpkin soup prepared in 5 minutes, requiring no peeling and almost no chopping.
Keep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
2.6 lb 1.2 kg small whole pumpkin
1 lb 450 g baby carrots
-OR-4 large 4 large regular carrots (only if you don’t have baby carrots)
2 medium 2 medium onions
2 small 2 small garlic bulbs
3 1/3 cups 800 ml broth
1 cup 250 ml coconut milk
2 tbsp 2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp 1 tbsp maple syrup
1/8 tsp 1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tsp 1 tsp thyme
1 tsp 1 tsp sweet paprika powder
1/2 tsp 1/2 tsp salt
(optional) garnish
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F
- Give all the vegetables a thorough wash.
- Halve the pumpkin, onions and garlic bulbs. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and strings.
- Arrange the onions, garlic bulbs, pumpkin, and carrots on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Mix olive oil and maple syrup. Add cracked black pepper, thyme, sweet paprika and salt if using. Mix well until everything is emulsified.
- Drizzle the oil mixture over the vegetables. Use your hands to gently massage and coat the veggies thoroughly.
- Turn the pumpkin, onions, and garlic bulbs so that their skin faces upward. This helps protect them during roasting to prevent burning.
- Place the baking tray in the oven and let the veggies roast for about 50 minutes.
- After roasting, check the pumpkin’s softness by poking it with a fork. It should feel as soft as dense pumpkin puree. If needed, roast for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Once done, allow the vegetables to cool down for a bit. (Note: Don’t skip this step, it enhances the taste.) Once they’re cooled, use a spoon to scoop out the pumpkin flesh, peel the skin off the onions and gently squeeze out the roasted garlic bulbs.
- Transfer all the roasted veggies and their juices from the baking tray into a blender*, along with the broth and coconut milk. Depending on your blender’s capacity, you might need to blend in batches. Blend until you reach your desired consistency, usually around 1-2 minutes. If you’re using an immersion blender, it might take a bit more time.
- Give the soup a taste. If desired, add more salt and black cracked pepper. Feel free to also add toppings and garnishes.
Notes
- *If you don’t have a blender, you can still make this soup. After roasting all the veggies, chop up the carrots and onion into very small pieces. The pumpkin should be soft enough to just mash with a fork. Then, just stir all the ingredients together.