Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup
Easy slow cooker pumpkin soup recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Thick, smooth, creamy. Full of fresh pumpkin, carrots, onion, garlic, ginger. Flavored mildly with cinnamon and nutmeg.
It’s that time of the year again where we get to enjoy Fall flavors! For many, this is their favorite time of the year simply because of the delicious spices that come with it. This soup is no exception! It’s a nice, warm soup that everyone can enjoy. Come fall in love with these other soup recipes to warm your home and fill your belly: Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup and Slow Cooker Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup.
How to make slow cooker pumpkin soup recipe from scratch?
- Sauté vegetables– This includes onions, carrots, and garlic.
- Transfer mixture– To crockpot.
- Add other ingredients- This includes pumpkin, broth, ginger powder, nutmeg powder, cinnamon powder, paprika, red chili flakes, salt, pepper.
- Mix– Until combined.
- Cover- And cook.
- Puree- Until smooth.
- Add final touches- By stirring In heavy cream and garnishing.
What sides to serve with best easy creamy pumpkin soup?
Although this soup can stand alone as a light dinner, it is also great when paired with breads, salads, or meat for a more filling, well-rounded meal. Here are some ideas:
Meat–
- Slow Cooker Roast Beef
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast
- Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast
- Slow Cooker Ham
- Rotisserie chicken
- Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
- Steak
- Baked or grilled chicken
Breads–
- Artisan bread
- Breadsticks with garlic and/or cheese
- Various dinner rolls
- Biscuits
- Toast
Why is my pumpkin soup bitter?
It is likely the pumpkin you used was bitter. Pumpkins are part of the Cucurbit family. When a pumpkin grows in extreme temperatures or receives irregular watering, then it can cause an excess of cucubiticans, a chemical that makes your squashes taste bitter. To soften that bitterness, just add a bit of cream and sugar.
Soup toppings
- Bacon bits
- Fresh herbs, such as green onions, parsley, oregano, basil, chives, thyme, cilantro, or rosemary
- Various freshly shredded cheeses, like cheddar or mozzarella
- Toasted nuts/seeds, like pumpkin seeds, walnuts, or pecans
- Sour Cream
- Croutons
- Chili oil
- Heavy cream
- Full fat Green yogurt
Roast pumpkin soup
Add some extra flavor by first baking your pumpkin in the oven with herbs and spices of your choice. Then add it in the crockpot but be sure to decrease the cook time.
Variations
Healthy/ Vegan soup without cream- You can omit the cream altogether, but I suggest replacing the heavy cream with coconut cream so that you still get a more smooth and creamy consistency.
Spicy soup– Like to give this recipe a kick? Add more heat with cajun spice, or cayenne pepper.
Curry soup- Add curry powder to make this into a delicious Indian-inspired dish with a side of steamed basmati rice.
Add lentils- Give a healthy variety to your soup by adding in lentils of various colors. You will need to adjust the amount of liquid in the recipe because lentils absorb a lot of liquid.
Add meat- For an extra hearty meal add Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken. You can also mix in diced or shredded rotisserie chicken), cooked ground beef, or cooked mini meatballs.
Add other vegetables- Like zucchini, yellow squash, sweet potatoes, potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, or carrots.
Tips and Techniques
How to thicken soup? If you find your soup is too watery, you can mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water or soup. Whisk it altogether until smooth. Another option is to let the soup simmer on stovetop until the moisture evaporates out.
How to make soup thinner? Simply add in more water or broth and mix well until the soup has reached your desired consistency.
Why is my soup grainy? How to fix it? This can happen if you don’t allow the pumpkin to cook long enough to become tender. If this happens, try blending it more with an immersion blender and then simmer for a bit longer. This can also happen if the heavy cream separates, which can happen at a high temperature or if something is cooked for too long. That’s why always remember to gently stir in cream at the very end.
How to puree soup without blender? I recommend using a hand-held immersion blender, because it is easier, safer, and works really well! Instead of transferring the soup into a regular blender a little at a time, you can leave the soup in the crockpot and blend it altogether. However, either option works!
What pumpkin to use? Can I use canned pumpkin? You really can use any type of eating pumpkin, just keep in mind each one may have a slightly different flavor. Also, you can substitute fresh pumpkin for canned pumpkin at a one-to-one ratio. You may need to add more water if you use the canned pumpkin, because the fresh pumpkin will naturally have more moisture in it. I recommend using fresh pumpkin, because it has the best flavor and texture.
Too salty? Be sure to use unsalted ingredients, such as unsalted butter and low sodium broth to avoid a dish that is inedible.
Adjust spices– Taste your soup near the end and add desired spices as needed to match your preference.
Storage
Refrigerator- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave.
Freezer- If you need to freeze this soup to serve for a later day, I recommend leaving out the cream, because dairy products tend to separate upon thawing. You can freeze the rest in a sealed container for up to 1 month.
More Slow Cooker Soup Recipes
- Slow Cooker Cream of Broccoli Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup
- Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
- Slow Cooker Cabbage Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tbsp Butter , Unsalted
- 1 cup Onion, Finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Carrots
- 3 cloves Garlic, Finely minced
- 6 cups Pumpkin , Peeled and Diced
- 3-4 cups Vegetable broth, Low sodium
- 1 tsp Ginger powder
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Red chili flakes, Optional
- Salt, To taste
- Pepper, To taste
- 1/2-1 cup Heavy cream, Can replace with full fat coconut milk, Adjust according to your preference
Topping
- 1/4 cups Pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
Instructions
- Heat oil and butter in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat.
- Add onions, carrots, garlic and saute for a few minutes until garlic is fragrant.
- Transfer this mixture to the crockpot (6 quart or larger).
- Add pumpkin, broth, ginger powder, nutmeg powder, cinnamon powder, paprika, red chili flakes, salt, pepper and mix until combined.
- Cover and cook on Low heat for 7-8 hours or High heat for 4-5 hours or until pumpkin is soft.
- Use a hand-held immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings, per your preference.
- Stir in heavy cream.
- Sprinkle pumpkin seeds and a little bit of paprika. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave.
