Easy Vegan Pumpkin Soup (Without Coconut Milk)

Pumpkin Soup with Pumpkin Seed Butter
I had an abundance of canned pumpkin hanging out in my cupboards, which inspired this soup. I can’t think of a more appropriate recipe for the fall or winter months — when pumpkin spice everything is showing up everywhere you look.
I have an affinity for soup making. A passion, really. This one is easy, comforting, and incredibly delicious.


My Pumpkin Soup is:

• creamy (read below for the secret ingredient!)
• healthy
• flavourful
• spiced with fresh ginger, cinnamon, coriander & cumin
• sweetened with maple syrup
• gluten free
• dairy free

The creamy factor comes from pumpkin seed butter — my proud little discovery! I spotted it in the organic section at the grocery store, knowing I’d be making this soup, and quickly connected the dots. I often use peanut butter in my African Peanut Stew, so this seemed like the perfect parallel. It is.

To flavour the soup, I add fresh ginger and those cozy spices above — cinnamon, coriander, cumin, and a touch of maple. You could easily bring your own twist with curry powder or whatever you love most, but I’m happy with this blend.
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Serve it with crusty multigrain bread, or if you want a treat, buttery biscuits. The soup is rich in the best way, so smaller portions work beautifully as a starter, or as a main with your favourite salad.
For garnish, I keep it simple: toasted pumpkin seeds. That’s it. I tried parsley once — it distracted from the awesomeness. Toast, chop, sprinkle. C’est tout. (Okay, occasionally I add a drizzle of lemon oil.)
 

My Tips For Pumpkin Soup Success. 

1. Make this pumpkin soup a day ahead. It needs time for the flavours to meld. Same day soup is never as good!
2. You don't want it to be too thick. So often people serve their soups so thick it is more like a vegetable puree, not a soup. Add water as needed. It doesn't want to be watery thin, it will still be a thick and creamy soup, but just saying, I am super picky about the final consistency. (of course, to each their own​)  If you add too much water, no problem, you just gently simmer it until it reduces again. 
3. The day after you make it, reheat the entire soup. You'll probably add a splash of water as it thickens in the fridge. 
4. Give it a taste for balance.​ I ended up adding another squeeze of lemon (the right amount of acid is so important; it will cut the richness and act like salt to enhance flavour). I added in a tiny bit more ginger and another pinch of coriander (adds brightness). I find this type of tweaking quite necessary most of the time in soup making. Even if you don't do it, it will still be delicious, but this is my approach. 
5. Use a homemade veg stock. I just fill a stock pot with scraps of veg that I save in my freezer. I add water to cover the scraps, and simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour. Then strain and reserve liquid. I don't use a recipe because this is a zero-waste method using up things that typically end up in the bin. To my freezer bag I add scraps of onion (the peel and all), celery, garlic, carrot, mushroom, parsley, thyme, & tomato. If you don't want to do all that- no problem. Use your favourite store bought vegetable stock. 

Can I freeze this Pumpkin Soup?

YES! This pumpkin soup freezes beautifully. For reheating, I just thaw it either in the fridge overnight, or for awhile on the counter. I often plop a container of frozen soup into my pot with a few splashes of extra water. The trick is to keep the heat low and to thaw the soup slowly as it heats up again. Give it a stir here and there. Adjust your consistency with some water as needed. 

Where do I find Pumpkin Seed Butter?
I buy mine at the local grocery store. In the organic section with other nut and seed butters. Alternatively you could find it online, on amazon. OR I haven't done this at home yet, but you could undoubtedly make your own the same way one makes peanut butter, tahini etc. Toast pumpkin seeds (green ones, not the white ones still with shell on!), and blitz them in a food processor until they turn into butter. (This can take awhile, when I make cashew butter it's at least 10 minutes of blending until it breaks down enough to become butter) The brand I use it pictured below. 

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Step by Step Instructions

1. Sweat onion, garlic and celery in a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until softened. Season with salt and pepper part way.
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​2. Add garlic and ginger, and chili flakes, sweat for a few more minutes. 

3. Add cumin, coriander and cinnamon. Stir and cook for a couple more minutes. 

4. Add pumpkin puree, veg stock, and water. Season with another pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. 

5. Using an immersion blender, blend in adding pumpkin seed butter, maple, and lemon juice. Continue blending until the soup is as smooth as you can get it. Taste, adjust salt, pepper and lemon.