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Pumpkin Spice Soup

by:
August 26, 2021
4.4
5 Ratings
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 1 hour
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

As I wake up to the first day of fall, there it is, lingering in the dark corner of my bedroom, the faint smell of pumpkin spice. Just like a magic switch, the first raindrops of the fall have washed away all the things summery. Instead of ice coffee and tea, we will be sipping pumpkin spice latte and pumpkin spice tea. The Flower Power IPA—so yesterday—instead, the Pumpkin Spice Ale is our beer of the moment. Goodbye lime pie, hello pumpkin pie. And as for the soup...wait, it doesn't seem that there's anything like pumpkin spice soup. At least according to Google. And Google is to be trusted. Just in case, I double-check other food sites...nada! There's spicy pumpkin soup, and spiced pumpkin soup, and pumpkin soup with spices, but believe it or not, despite all things pumpkin spice around us, mankind has yet to come up with pumpkin spice soup.

And so here it is, my small contribution to the mankind... —QueenSashy

Test Kitchen Notes

This fall-forward soup represents everything you'd want for a warm pick-me-up. Sometimes when the color of the leaves start changing and you're swapping out skirts for sweatpants, all you want is a big, delicious, hearty bowl of soup. With roasted pumpkin and lots of spices, you'll find yourself making this easy soup recipe over and over again whenever you're craving pumpkin or have one in your kitchen that you need to use up. Definitely reserve the pumpkin seeds for roasting later on for a delicious snack. The soup features all our favorite spices that you crave when the temperatures start dropping: cumin, coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and cardamom. If you don't have all of them in your pantry, add a little more of what you have and taste as you go. This soup is very forgiving and versatile. You can also increase the garlic, or even add a shallot or two. We love all of the spices, but you can adjust to your and your guests' own particular preferences.

After letting the soup cool, you can purée it with an immersion blender, a traditional blender, or food processor, whatever you like. Just make sure it's not super-hot in case it splatters. A touch of cream at the end adds a luxurious texture and is an easy way to provide an extra dose of comfort. You'll love the savory, sweet fresh pumpkin plus the incorporation of the cream and spices—plus, another perk: Prep and cleanup are about as easy as it gets. —The Editors

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Pumpkin Spice Soup
Ingredients
  • 1 small (3- to 3½-pound) Sugar Pie pumpkin
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable or sunflower oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 pinch ground cardamom
  • 1 pinch ground cloves
  • 6 cups chicken broth (plus more if needed for thinning)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Halve the pumpkin, remove the seeds, and cut into 8 to 10 slices. Reserve the seeds for another use (such as roasting in the oven). Arrange the pumpkin slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until softened and gently caramelized. Let cool slightly, then remove the skin and cut the flesh into 1-inch pieces.
  2. In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, coriander, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the broth and pumpkin cubes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes.
  3. Remove the pot from the heat. Let the soup cool slightly. Transfer to a food processor and purée until smooth.
  4. Return the soup to the pot, bring to a gentle simmer, and add the cream. (If the soup is too thick, you can add an extra cup of broth to thin.) Stir to combine and let the soup simmer for 1 to 2 minutes more; season with salt and pepper. Divide the soup among bowls and serve.
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Aleksandra aka QueenSashy is a scientist by day, and cook, photographer and doodler by night. When she is not writing code and formulas, she blogs about food, life and everything in between on her blog, Three Little Halves. Three Little Halves was nominated for 2015 James Beard Awards and the finalist for 2014 Saveur Best Food Blog Awards. Aleksandra lives in New York City with her other two halves, Miss Pain and Dr. V.

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