This pumpkin soup with canned pumpkin is an easy and quick comfort soup that's perfect for busy weeknights. It's savory from finely chopped onion and sweet, thanks to a combination of maple syrup and apple cider.
What makes this creamy soup special is the steamed heavy cream (or half and half) that's whipped up until super-frothy, like a cappuccino, and then stirred into the soup.
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When fall is in the air I crave pumpkin more than any other food. Whether it's this easy pumpkin soup, Pumpkin-Apple Sauce Muffins, or these cake-like Pumpkin-Coconut Cookies topped with a Cream Cheese Frosting. I'm all in.
Also, a can of pumpkin puree is a handy ingredient to keep in your pantry to add to your next batch of Black Bean Chili to add some nutrition for your family.
This soup is a perfect fall soup that only needs a green salad and some crusty bread for a light dinner. And it makes a great starter for a Thanksgiving dinner.
You can make it vegan (see the below tips) and it's already gluten-free.
Other soups to enjoy this fall season include a hearty cauliflower and white bean soup with pesto or my harvest white bean soup that won first prize in a national contest run by Whole Foods.
👩⚕️ Pumpkin Nutrition Facts
Pumpkin is high in carbs, no lie. After all, it boasts 19 grams of carbohydrates per cup of cooked pumpkin but 7 of those grams are fiber. So don't turn your nose up at this healthy vegetable or you'll miss out on some excellent nutrition
1 cup of canned pumpkin contains:
- 137 calories
- 12 grams net carbs
- 3 grams protein
- 7 grams fat
- A wide variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to boost immunity and the health of your eyes, skin, and heart.
As a note, pumpkin seeds are also loaded with nutrition, so think about pan-roasted pepitas as a finishing garnish for the soup.
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- This easy pumpkin soup recipe is perfect for busy weeknights.
- This soup mostly uses basic pantry ingredients you likely have on hand.
- Although this is a pureed soup, you don't need a fancy high-powered blender to make it. And since this recipe calls for canned pumpkin, puréeing the soup is optional.
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
This list only covers ingredients that require some notes. For all of the ingredients, measurements, and directions for this easy pumpkin soup recipe, go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.
- Yellow onions - white onions or Vidalia onions are acceptable substitutes, but not red onions.
- Canned pumpkin puree - be sure to get pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Vegetable broth - either homemade vegetable broth, store bought, or Better Than Bouillon - Roasted Vegetable Paste. If you use Better Than Bouillon, do not add any additional salt.
- Apple cider - I prefer filtered apple cider, but I imagine unfiltered will work.
- Maple syrup - Make sure it's 100% pure maple syrup, Grade A.
- Ras-el-hanout spice - a Moroccan spice blend that can be made up of as many as 50 spices (see below for more information). If you don't have it, use pumpkin pie spice.
- Heavy cream - or Half and Half for a lighter creamy flavor.
- Balsamic vinegar reduction - this is optional, but it contributes a deep umami flavor that's very nice with the pumpkin. You can substitute balsamic vinegar.
🤓 What is Ras-el Hanout?
Ras-el-hanout is a spice everyone should have in their pantry IMO. Think of it as a Moroccan version of pumpkin pie spice. And like pumpkin pie spice, it's a spice blend of aromatic spices.
Ginger, cardamon, cinnamon, mace and nutmeg are often included. But not always. In fact, the original versions featured as many as 50 different spices so there are many varieties.
Legend has it that North African spice dealers would mix together the best of what they had to offer, thus creating an aromatic signature blend. It's a perfect combination with any squash, and particularly in this pumpkin soup.
👩🍳 How to Make Pumpkin Soup
If you want to make an easy pumpkin soup recipe, used canned pumpkin soup. There's only 15 minutes of meal prep plus 15 minutes of cook time. Roasting a whole pumpkin isn't difficult, but it adds more meal prep time to turn it into a soup.
There are only 5 steps to making pumpkin soup with canned pumpkin:
Step 1: Start with sautéeing aromatics for the flavor base. This recipe begins with yellow onion.
Step 2: Add the puréed pumpkin.
Step 3: Stir in liquids. This recipe uses both vegetable broth and apple cider.
Step 4: Add sweetener and spices. I used maple syrup as the sweetener and ras el hanout spice mix.
Step 5: Blend (optional), stir in cream (if using), and balance flavors.
💡 Ideas for Possible Variations
- Have fun with the spices. Use warm spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg (or short cut this with pumpkin pie spice). Go Indian with some curry powder. Add a little heat with cayenne pepper.
- Try out one of the below vegan suggestions.
- If you have a garden and grow your own pumpkins, you can make your own pumpkin puree. Sugar pie pumpkins (sugar pumpkins) are best for making this soup.
- Stir in a dollop of sour cream at the end in place of the cream.
🥬 Make it Vegan
- Use full-fat coconut milk in place of the cream. You can either heat it up and finish the soup with a drizzle of coconut milk or whip it up like cream.
- The best way to make whipped coconut cream is to use only the solids at the top of the can when you open it. Refrigerating the can overnight makes this even easier. I do this often to make whipped cream for dairy-free friends.
- Heat up full-fat oat milk and whip it using a stick blender or other handheld blender
🙋♀️ FAQ
Yes, the flavors only get better if you make this soup a day ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Not when using canned pumpkin. The only different is that the sautéed onion won't be blended into the soup, so be sure the onion is very soft before adding the pumpkin purée.
More Puréed Soups
Below are more puréed soups you may want to try. Click on the photos to go to each recipe. Or go to this Soups Recipes page for a full listing of all of my soups.
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Spiced, Creamy Pumpkin Soup (with Canned Pumpkin)
Equipment
- countertop blender or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion sliced, or coarsely chopped
- 2 15-ounce cans of pumpkin puree or when measured, 3 cups
- 1 cup vegetable broth or Better Than Bouillon - Roasted Vegetable Paste
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoon ras el hanout spice or pumpkin pie spice
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (half that amount of sea salt) (use 1 teaspoon if using Better Than Bouillon)
- ½ cup heavy cream or Half and Half
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar reduction (optional)
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the onion. Cover the pot and sweat the onion until very tender, 5 - 10 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin puree and the remaining ingredients except for the heavy cream. Simmer on low for 5 minutes. It will be very thick since it doesn't yet have the cream stirred in.
- Use an immersible blender to blend the onions into the soup, or use a large blender or food processor and puree . If you use a blender or food processor, pour the soup back into the same pot to keep warm after it's puréed.
- Heat up the heavy cream without bringing it a boil. I use the microwave oven for this. Whip it with an immersible blender (or hand held mixer) until it becomes super-frothy and either stir into the soup or wait until you serve the soup.Stir in the balsamic vinegar reduction if using.
- Pour the soup into bowls (or large coffee cups for fun) and top with the frothy milk.
Liz
I'd love one of your gorgeous mugs full of this delicious pumpkin soup. I'll be searching for ras el hanout---so fun to try new spices. And I'm envious of all your terrific travel experiences 🙂
Jenni
Sounds like both of your recent trips were spectacular, Susan! I'm so glad you guys had such a wonderful time! I am loving this cappuccino soup idea--for pumpkin or any soup. So cool. I think it would even be a great way to serve oatmeal! Yum. =)
Ansh
What a fun way to see a new place! I am glad your trips were awesome and that you brought back a delicious pumpkin cappucino soup recipe for us. Looks so dreamy and creamy.
Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living
I love the name - pumpkin cappuccino! Perfect for Halloween night!
Heather | All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
So does the cappuccino in the name come from the frothy milk finish on top then? I really thought I was going to see some coffee in the recipe. Sounds delicious! 🙂
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen
This sounds like my kind of soup! So rich and flavorful. I love the connections we make while traveling, always so interesting!
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen
What a beautiful soup! It's always fun to travel and get inspired to cook new things!
Laura @MotherWouldKnow
What an incredibly easy and delicious-looking soup. I happen to have ras el hanout, which I bought last year and have never used (despite all my good intentions) - this recipe could alleviate my guilt every time I see it in the spice drawer, as well as make an incredible first course for a chilly fall night's dinner.
GiGi Eats
OMG so much better than PSL! 😮
cheri
Hi Susan, love all the spices that you used in this soup.
macronutrient calculator
I love the fact that it's in a mug 😀 great concept!
Aditi
Awesomoe one. gonna try this soon, Thanks for sharing
Kayla DiMaggio
This pumpkin cappuccino soup was so delicious! I loved how cozy and warm it was!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thank you so much! I'm so happy you liked it!
Anaiah
This looks wonderful and such a great way to enjoy soup! I've never heard of cappuccino soups but I mean, why not? It's so much more convenient drinking it out of a mug lol!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
My husband got me hooked on drinking soup from a mug. So I guess it's a mug soup, lol!