I am the only house on the block without a big, orange pumpkin on my front porch. I promise there has been plenty of pumpkin happening inside my home, this creamy and healthy Pumpkin Curry Soup included.
Email Me the Recipe!
From time to time, we'll send you the best of Well Plated. Already registered? Log in here.
This easy vegan pumpkin soup cooks in a single pot and carries deep flavor notes of Thai curry, coconut, and peanut.
It’s healthy, happens to be gluten and dairy free, and is also ready in 30 minutes flat, thanks to the use of a super speedy shortcut ingredient, canned pumpkin.
Between friends, I’ve had the idea for a spiced Thai Pumpkin Curry Soup floating about in my brain for a long while but avoided it for two reasons.
- One, I was worried that the only way to make a richly flavored, satisfying pumpkin soup was to roast an actual, whole pumpkin. I had visions of an enormous, Cinderella-sized squash becoming lodged in my oven, breaking a sweat while attempting to slice it, and stringy pumpkin goo coating every surface of my kitchen. Nightmare.
- Two, I felt that if I avoided the above scenario by using canned pumpkin instead of a whole, fresh pumpkin, I was somehow cheating.
I’m not sure where I got the idea that making pumpkin soup with canned pumpkin is cheating—after all, I use it for Healthy Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin French Toast, Pumpkin Energy Balls, and every single one of these pumpkin recipes without blinking—but it took a night of hungry desperation to set me straight.
It was 7:45 p.m., and I was staring down a butternut squash, willing it to peel, dice, and puree itself for soup. Not surprisingly, the squash did not grant my request.
WHY, I wondered, does squash not come already prepped, pureed, and in a convenient can so that I can make myself soup in a hurry?
I think you know where this is going.
DUH. Canned pumpkin. You are the answer to my weeknight soup prayers! (I even used it again in this Vegan Pumpkin Soup and this Pumpkin Chili.)
Although pumpkin’s flavor profile is a little different than butternut squash’s, the two share many of the same characteristics. If you are a fan of butternut squash soup (especially this Butternut Squash Apple Soup), I’m betting you’ll love this vegan Pumpkin Curry Soup (and Pumpkin Curry) too!
Since canned pumpkin is fairly bland on its own, I added plenty of rich flavors to make this soup interesting and delicious.
Thai red curry paste does 90% of the lifting. It’s one of my favorite pantry ingredients. With just a few tablespoonfuls, you can infuse a whopping amount of flavor into all kinds of savory recipes. It’s available in the Asian food aisle of almost any grocery store (even Target carries it) or online. If you’ve never had it, it’s more sweet and robust than spicy hot. If you are feeling hesitant, you can always start with a little, then build to taste.
I added a little peanut butter to make the soup extra creamy and filling (to make the Pumpkin Curry Soup Paleo or peanut free, swap almond butter), fresh ginger to wake it up, and coconut milk to make it silky.
The recipe is flexible, so feel free to adjust the spices to suit your individual taste.
In other pumpkin news, I plan to (finally) pick up a few pumpkins from the big bin at the grocery store to decorate my porch later this week.
They might not be fresh from the patch, but as this Pumpkin Curry Soup can attest, there’s no harm in a little shortcut every now and then.
What Should I Serve with Pumpkin Soup?
- Bread. The ultimate soup side! Serve a loaf from your local bakery or try this Rosemary Olive Oil Bread.
- Veggies. For a healthy meal, pair this soup with a side of Roasted Zucchini.
- Salad. Serve this soup with a simple and fresh salad like this Anytime Arugula Salad.
More Easy Pumpkin Dinner Recipes
Recommended Tools for Making Pumpkin Curry Soup
- Dutch oven: I own and love this one. This is another excellent, affordable option. I also love this brand.
- Immersion blender
- If you love the idea of serving pumpkin soup inside a pumpkin but aren’t ready to go in for the whole squash, this looks like a perfect (and pretty!) solution.
Pumpkin Curry Soup
email me the recipe!
From time to time, we’ll send you the best of Well Plated. Already registered? Log in here.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ cups chopped sweet yellow onion about 1 medium
- 3 cloves garlic minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 2-3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or low-sodium chicken broth if the soup being vegetarian is not a concern, divided
- 2 tablespoons almond butter or peanut butter, I used natural drippy peanut butter
- 2 cans pumpkin purée (15 ounce cans) not pumpkin pie filling
- ½ tablespoon coconut sugar or light brown sugar. Do not omit, as it balances the flavor of the soup
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper plus additional to taste
- 1 can light coconut milk (14 ounces)
- For topping: chopped roasted peanuts or pepitas chopped fresh cilantro, coconut cream or plain nonfat Greek yogurt
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 additional minute, until fragrant. Stir in the Thai curry paste.
- In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together 1/3 cup of the vegetable broth and the almond butter or peanut butter until smooth. Add the mixture to the pot. Add the pumpkin, coconut sugar, cumin, salt, pepper, cayenne, and 1 2/3 cups of the remaining vegetable broth. Stir until well combined.
- With an immersion blender, puree the soup until completely smooth, adding a little of the coconut milk if it is too thick to blend smoothly. Alternatively, you can ladle the soup carefully into a blender or food processor and puree it in small batches. Stir in the remaining coconut milk. If the soup is too thick for your liking, add additional vegetable broth until you reach your desired consistency.
- Taste and add additional salt, black pepper, and/or cayenne pepper as desired. (My batch needed an extra pinch of salt; this will vary based on you vegetable broth). Serve hot with desired toppings.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Join today and start saving your favorite recipes
Create an account to easily save your favorite recipes and access FREE meal plans.
Sign Me Up
No comments (yet). Help our readers and give a thumbs up to any comment you found helpful!