Pumpkin Soup Without Cream

🎃 Ingredient notes

Pumpkin puree – while you could make this vegan pumpkin soup using fresh pumpkin meat, I decided to only include pumpkin puree in the recipe. This allows you to make it all year long. Even in September, I have a hard time finding fresh pumpkins to make this soup – and that’s when the weather starts to turn and I crave it!

Vegetable broth – use homemade broth or stock, or store-bought. I included measurements for store-bought vegetable broth.

Onions – use yellow or white onions; do not use red onions in this dish.

Garlic – as always with garlic, I like to add a little more than most people. Feel free to use one clove more or less than what the recipe calls for. I also keep the garlic cloves whole while sautéing, since they will be pureed with a hand blender in the end. But you can mince the cloves for sautéing if you prefer.

You’ll need three main fall spices for this soup: Nutmeg, Paprika, and Cinnamon. Don’t go too heavy on the cinnamon and don’t skimp on the paprika. I use the sweet paprika instead of smoked paprika.

Salt – use kosher salt and be sure to taste and season as it cooks.

Sage – fresh sage leaves crisped in oil are the crispy savory icing on top of this beautiful dish. While you can go without, I highly recommend including crispy sage on top of each serving. It adds flavor and texture that really makes this soup!

Coconut cream – I use canned coconut cream, but you can also use the cream skimmed off the tops of canned coconut milk. Just be sure it adds up to about a half cup.

✅ Step-by-step instructions

Full instructions and measurements are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here are some cooking tips to help you along the way.

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add the sage leaves and sauté until they are nice and crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Watch them carefully and make sure you take them out while crispy, but before they start to turn brown.

Remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon and let rest on a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.

To the oil in the pot, add the onions and garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, just to soften them up. Then add the spices – the nutmeg, paprika, and cinnamon – and stir and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the pumpkin puree, vegetable broth, and coconut cream to the pot. Stir well to combine. Continue stirring occasionally as you let the soup simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Then use an immersion blender to carefully puree the onions and garlic into a creamy sauce. Blend until no more larger pieces of onion or garlic are found.

Serve immediately, topped with crispy sage on each serving.

👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQ

🍽Serving ideas

I like to add flavorful toppings to each serving of soup. In addition to a sprinkling of the crispy sage leaves, consider these flavorful ingredients to top the soup:

• a spoonful of sour cream
• sprinkling of pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

This hearty vegan soup tastes delicious with any of these side dishes:

• Garlic Rosemary Focaccia Bread
• Lemon Garlic Asparagus
• Garlic Parmesan Knots

🥘 Kitchen tools and equipment

To make this Vegan Pumpkin Soup, you’ll need:

A Dutch oven or large stockpot – I use my turquoise cast iron Staub 4-quart Cocotte. It’s the perfect size for soup for 4 to 6 people! If you are increasing any of the quantities and making soup for 6 to 8 people, I recommend something like my Staub Coq au Vin 5.75-quart Cocotte.

Immersion blender – While this soup is creamy thanks to the use of pumpkin puree, an immersion blender (hand blender) helps incorporate the onions and garlic into the soup to make it extra creamy!

Cutting board
Knife
Slotted spoon