Pumpkin carrot soup is a savory vegan soup that's both hearty and comforting. Filled with warming spices like ginger, cumin, and turmeric, this pureed soup is just what you need on a cool fall day.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: The perfect combination of savory, sweet, and spicy in a creamy, smooth blended soup.
Vegan friendly: This recipe happens to be vegan as written so it's perfect for a variety of guests.
Serves: 6 people
Similar to: Irish Potato Soup, Spring Vegetable Soup
Jump to:
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil - Can be substituted with any cooking oil you have on hand.
- Carrots - Carrots can be fresh, frozen, or canned. If using canned or frozen carrots, make sure they're plain (unseasoned and unsweetened). As a reminder, canned vegetables contain about 30 to 40 percent water in the listed weight so you may want to grab an extra can to make sure you have enough carrots for the recipe.
- Pumpkin - You'll need one 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree or an equal amount of fresh cooked pumpkin. Have raw pumpkin on hand? Simply cube and add to your soup as directed, cooking until the pumpkin and carrot can be pierced through easily with a fork. Cooking time may increase.
- Broth - Vegetable broth is recommended if you'd like to keep your soup vegan. Use chicken broth if desired for a non-vegan soup.
- Flavor - Onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, red pepper flakes, and salt add flavor and a hint of heat to your soup. For a milder soup, replace the red pepper flakes with black pepper.
How to make Pumpkin Carrot Soup
- Brown onions over medium heat, then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add broth, pumpkin, carrots, and spices, stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 8 to 12 minutes, or until carrots are fork tender.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Carefully blend until thick and smooth. Serve warm.
Tips and tricks
Using an immersion blender: Remove soup from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Use an immersion blender to blend soup in the cooking pot until smooth.
Using a regular blender: Allow soup to cool slightly. Remove the center cap and have a towel ready to lightly cover the hole to allow steam to escape while blending. Don't fill your blender more than halfway full and start on low speed, slowly increasing until soup is blended to your desired texture.
Frequently asked questions
- Use a food processor: Blend in small quantities, making sure not to fill the processor above the liquid fill line.
- Use a potato masher: Cook your carrots until they fall apart when pierced through with a fork then use a potato masher to gently mash until desired consistency is reached.
- Use a fine mesh sieve: Carefully press veggies through a fine mesh sieve. This method will take a bit of elbow grease and potentially a few passes through the sieve to achieve a semi-smooth consistency
Here are a few of my favorite toppings: croutons, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sliced green onion, chives, parsley, a drizzle of heavy cream or coconut milk, or red pepper flakes.
Pumpkin carrot soup will keep for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator and reheats well on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Yes! Once your soup has cooled to room temperature, transfer to any freezer-safe container. Leave a little space to account for expansion when freezing.
Pumpkin carrot soup will keep for 3 months or more in the freezer. To thaw, transfer to the refrigerator overnight or transfer sealed container to a warm water bath to thaw quickly.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Carrot Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 32 ounces vegetable broth
- 15 ounces canned pumpkin puree
- 16 ounces carrots, sliced into ½" discs
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon salt, add more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a stock pot over medium heat, add olive oil. When hot, add onions and cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until they begin to brown around the edges.
- Add garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.
- Add broth, pumpkin, carrots, and spices, stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 8 to 12 minutes, or until carrots are fork tender. Cooking time depends on the size of your carrot pieces.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Use an immersion blender and blend until smooth, or transfer soup in batches to a standard blender to process until smooth (remove the center cap from the lid and lightly cover with a kitchen towel to allow steam to escape. Never fill a blender more than halfway full with hot soup).
- Finished soup will be thick. Add water as desired to reach your preferred consistency.
- Serve warm with your favorite soup toppings, like chopped parsley, croutons, pumpkin seeds, or sliced green onion.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Serves: Recipe makes about six 8-ounce appetizer servings.
- Storage: Leftovers will keep for about 3-4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator, or for about 3 months in the freezer.
- Fresh pumpkin: If substituting canned pumpkin for fresh, raw pumpkin, cook soup until pumpkin is fork tender. Cooking time may increase depending on size of pumpkin cubes.
Comments
No Comments