Easy pumpkin soup recipe

This easy pumpkin soup is a delicious, low-fat soup recipe that's perfect for cold days and nights when you're looking for a warming meal.

This version is so simple to make - it takes about 20 minutes to do all the prep, then you just leave it to bubble away for a little under half an hour. This recipe is suitable for vegetarians and even vegans if you use the soya alternatives for milk and cream which we have recommended in the ingredients list. The results is a delicious, silky autumn soup. Serve with bread rolls, or if you want to do something a little special for Halloween, try our simple bready broomsticks.

Ingredients

• 2tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 700g (1lb 6oz) pumpkin flesh, roughly chopped (can use butternut squash instead)
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1.2l (2pts) water or vegetable stock
• 200ml (7fl oz) milk or soya light alternative to milk
• 4 tbsp cream or soya alternative to cream

For the 'broomsticks':

• 4 part-baked breadsticks
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes to soften.
2. Add the pumpkin and sweet potato and cook for a couple of mins, then add the water or stock. Season with salt and ground black pepper, cover and bring to the boil, then simmer for 25 mins until the pumpkin and sweet potato are really tender.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Cut the bread in half lengthways, then make several cuts one third of the way up the length to look like broom bristles. Repeat with the other bread, put onto a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 5-8 mins until golden.
4. Stir the soya light into the soup, whiz everything together in blender or processor in batches until smooth. Return to the pan and gently warm through. Pour into bowls and finish with a swirl of soya alternative to cream.

Top tip for making easy pumpkin soup

To spice up your pumpkin soup, crumble in a pinch of dried chilli when you're cooking the onion.

How can I thicken up my soup?

If you’ve made up your easy pumpkin soup and it's just a little too thin for your liking, you can thicken it up by adding some flour or corn flour. Don't add it directly to the soup - mix it with a couple of tablespoons of lukewarm water to make a paste, otherwise it will make your soup lumpy.

How should I store any leftover soup?

It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Pumpkin soup can also be frozen - great if you’ve made a big batch. Once completely cooled, pour into a freezable bag or container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Leave to thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat in the microwave or on the hob until piping hot.

How can I make this soup more exciting?

To give your pumpkin soup an extra kick of flavour, add a stock cube while it's cooking. Use a vegetable one if you're serving to vegetarians, or otherwise a chicken one. You could also add in a crushed garlic clove or a pinch of extra spices such as paprika or chilli powder. If you want to use up the pumpkin seeds as well, roast them on a oven tray, tossed in a little olive oil, and sprinkle them over the top as a crunchy garnish. 

You might also like...

• Gordon Ramsay's pumpkin soup (opens in new tab)
• How to use up leftover pumpkin (opens in new tab)
• Healthy homemade soups (opens in new tab)