I can’t be the only one excited for soup season, and this spiced carrot pumpkin soup recipe is the perfect meal for fall. Like Instant Pot butternut squash, this one-pot pumpkin soup with carrots simmers for less than an hour.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The onset of cooler weather means homemade soups are in heavy rotation in my home. The well-seasoned carrot pumpkin soup is an easy recipe with a nice bit of heat from the cayenne and white pepper balanced by the sweetness of the carrots and fresh pumpkin. Plus, the fall-flavored soup is vegan and dairy-free!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Coconut Oil: Saute the vegetables in coconut oil, avocado oil, or olive oil.
- Pumpkin: One small, 3-4 pound baking pumpkin works well in this soup. Select one that is firm and blemish-free.
- Carrot: I love the combination of sweet carrots and pumpkin. I use whole carrots, but you can also use a cup and a half of chopped baby carrots.
- Onion: Use yellow onions to complement the natural sweetness of the other ingredients. Shallots are another tasty alternative.
- Garlic: I suggest using four garlic cloves, but measure with your heart.
- Vegetable Broth: Use store-bought vegetable broth, vegetable stock, or vegetable Better than Bouillon and water. You can also use chicken broth if you don’t care about keeping the soup vegan-friendly.
- Bay Leaf: Subtly flavors the dish with a clove-like flavor.
- Spices: Season the homemade carrot pumpkin soup with ground turmeric, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, white pepper, rubbed sage, and black pepper.
- Coconut Milk: Full-fat coconut milk creates an extra creamy soup you will love.
Additions and Substitutions
- Replace the coconut milk with coconut cream, heavy cream, or half-and-half.
- I add cayenne pepper and white pepper to provide a little heat to counteract the sweetness of the carrots and pumpkin. If you’re sensitive to spice, consider adjusting how much you use.
- Replace the cayenne and white pepper with two tablespoons of red curry paste for a Thai twist or try my Cajun Slap Ya Mama Seasoning recipe.
- Incorporate vegetables such as fresh ginger, sweet potatoes, parsnips, cauliflower, or butternut squash.
- Stir in bacon bits, chicken sausage, or kielbasa for additional protein or consider blending canned white beans or red lentils for plant-based protein.
Tools Used to Make this Recipe
You will need a heavy-bottomed pot like a Dutch oven or stock pot, large enough to fit all the ingredients. Use a sharp knife to cut through the pumpkin and dice the other vegetables. Then, puree the soup with an immersion blender or process the soup in batches using a blender.
How to Prepare Pumpkins for Soup
- Cut off the top of the pumpkin and peel the skin using a vegetable peeler.
- Slice the squash in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
- Cut the squash into 1-inch cubes using a sharp knife.
How To Make Carrot Pumpkin Soup
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Warm the coconut oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Then, add the pumpkin, carrots, onions, and garlic cloves. Saute for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Season the cooked vegetables with turmeric, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, white pepper, rubbed sage and black pepper. Continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in the vegetable broth and add the bay leaf. Bring the pot to a boil over medium heat. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
Step 4: Remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. You can also transfer the mixture to a blender if you prefer.
Step 5: Add the coconut milk and whisk to combine.
Expert Tips
- Cut the vegetables the same size to ensure they cook at the same rate.
- Remove the pan from the heat before using the immersion blender to prevent the hot soup from splashing.
- If using a blender, use one designed for hot liquids. And if you have a large quantity of hot liquid to blend, do it in batches so it doesn’t overflow.
Serving Suggestions
- Garnish: Finish the soup with toasted pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, roasted chickpeas, croutons, and fresh herbs like chives or parsley. Or add a dollop of tangy Greek yogurt, sour cream, or creme fraiche.
- Sandwiches: Avocado Toast, BLT Sandwich, Bella Hadid Sandwich Recipe
- Main Entree: Tandoori Turkey
- Sides: Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower
- Bread: Corn Bread Muffin, Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread, Focaccia Bread, Pao de Sal, Garlic Bread
- Salad: Fall Kale Salad, Arugula and Spinach Salad
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store the leftover pumpkin soup in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze – Let the soup cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Carrot pumpkin soup freezes for 2-3 months.
- Thaw – Defrost the leftover soup in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat – Warm the leftovers on the stovetop to serve. Maintain a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Repurpose – Eat leftovers as-is or use the soup to top pasta and roasted vegetables like potatoes or Brussels sprouts. You can also include shredded chicken or cooked spaghetti squash to complete the meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use pumpkin puree?
Carrot pumpkin soup is a great way to use canned pumpkin leftover from fall treats like our Kodiak Cakes pumpkin muffins. Stir the pumpkin puree in with the vegetable broth and simmer as instructed.
What kind of pumpkin should I use?
You can use any eating pumpkin for this recipe. I used a small, sweet sugar pumpkin, a classic choice for making pumpkin soup. It has a fine-grained, smooth flesh and a rich, sweet flavor that works well in soups. Sugar pie pumpkins are often labeled ‘pie pumpkins’ in grocery stores. A small hokkaido pumpkin will work as well.
Can I make this recipe in the Instant Pot?
1. Warm coconut oil in the Instant Pot on saute mode. Then, add pumpkin, carrot, onion, and garlic cloves.
2. Season the vegetables with turmeric, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, white pepper, rubbed sage, and black pepper. Saute for another 1-2 minutes.
3. Stir in the vegetable broth. Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 10 minutes, followed by a 10-minute natural release.
4. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. You can also transfer the mixture to a blender if you prefer.
5. Add the coconut milk and whisk to combine.
More Squash Recipes:
Carrot Pumpkin Soup
- Whisk
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 small pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely diced
- 1 medium white onion, coarsely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 can coconut milk 15-ounce, full-fat
- Warm the coconut oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Then, add the pumpkin, carrots, onions, and garlic cloves. Saute for 10 minutes.
- Season the cooked vegetables with turmeric, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, white pepper, rubbed sage and black pepper. Continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the vegetable broth and add the bay leaf. Bring the pot to a boil over medium heat. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. You can also transfer the mixture to a blender if you prefer.
- Add the coconut milk and whisk to combine.
- Cut the vegetables the same size to ensure they cook at the same rate.
- Remove the pan from the heat before using the immersion blender to prevent the hot soup from splashing.
- If using a blender, use one designed for hot liquids. And if you have a large quantity of hot liquid to blend, do it in batches so it doesn’t overflow.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.