Easy Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin

You don't need to spend hours breaking down and roasting a fresh pumpkin this fall - make delicious pumpkin soup with canned pumpkin instead! I love pumpkin soup, and it's so much better homemade, but I don't often feel like breaking down a whole pumpkin. While it can be fun once in a while, the process is time-consuming and messy, not something I want to do on a Tuesday after work.

This recipe is easy, mess free, and perfect for a cozy fall weeknight. If you're like me, and you love pumpkin, this recipe can be enjoyed year-round since it doesn't rely on seasonal fresh pumpkin! I make this recipe, and my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, throughout the year because I love them too much to only eat them in the fall!

My favorite way to serve this recipe is in a sourdough bread bowl! I think that pumpkin and squash soups are the ideal soup for bread bowls. While they are a bit of a novelty, bread bowls really take this soup the next level! Rather than make them myself, I usually stop by a local Panera Bread location to pick up their fresh bread bowls. You can purchase them to go (without soup) from the bakery section (here's where they are online). If you want to make your own bread bowls, there are tons of great recipes to try out online!

How to make Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin:

• In a large pot or dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3-5 minutes.
• Make sure your can of pumpkin is open and ready to go, then add the garlic to the pot. Stir frequently until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Quickly add the canned pumpkin purée (NOT flavored pumpkin pie filling) and mix everything together. (Work quickly so the garlic doesn't begin to burn)
• Add the brown sugar and nutmeg (or pumpkin pie spice), then cook the pumpkin mixture for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until it has thickened.
• Add the coconut milk and chicken stock and mix well to incorporate it into the pumpkin. Then add the chicken bouillon, thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt (per batch), and fresh cracked black pepper (to taste).
• Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the desired thickness is reached (15-20 minutes).
• Optional - Blend the soup. Allow the soup to cool slightly, then blend with an immersion blender or transfer in batches to a regular blender. This improves the consistency of the soup. Bring the blended soup back to a simmer before serving. (If you are inexperienced with blending hot soup in a blender, please see this article for tips to avoid injury)
• Taste and season with more salt/pepper if desired. Serve the soup hot, topped with more fresh cracked black pepper, raw pumpkin seeds, and fresh thyme. Serve in a bread bowl or with crusty bread for dipping!

Key Tips - Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin

Pick up some bread bowls for serving!

• I love to serve this soup in a bread bowl! Rather than make them myself, I usually stop by a local Panera Bread location to pick up their fresh bread bowls. You can purchase them to go (without soup) from the bakery section (here's where they are online).
• If you want to make your own bread bowls, there are tons of great recipes to try out online!
• The soup is also great when served with a side of crusty bread for dipping!

Open up your cans before you start cooking.

• Don't make the same mistakes I did! When you're cooking your garlic, you want to make sure your canned pumpkin is open and ready to go. The garlic cooks quickly, and you'll want to mix in the pumpkin before the garlic starts to burn.
• Once, when making this recipe in the past, I accidentally let my garlic burn while I was struggling to open a stubborn can. I had to throw out the shallot and burnt garlic mixture and start over.

Blend the soup for the best texture.

• The soup doesn't need to be blended, but I think the texture of the pureed soup is a little bit nicer if you do take the time to blend it. If you have an immersion blender (like this one) this step is easy!
• You can also blend the soup in a standard blender. If you are inexperienced with blending hot soup in a blender, please see this article for tips to avoid injury.

Make a double batch!

• This pumpkin soup with canned pumpkin recipe only makes about 3 cups of soup, which is a nice serving for 2 people along with some bread. Double or triple this recipe as needed. A larger batch may need more time to simmer.

This soup is freezer-friendly!

• Allow the leftover soup to cool, then transfer it to an airtight container, such as a freezer zip bag, before placing in the freezer. To reheat, thaw the soup then warm through on the stove top or in the microwave.

Dietary Restrictions

This dish is naturally Gluten-Free.

• Just don't serve it with bread, or opt for gluten-free bread.

Make it Vegan or Vegetarian.

• Use vegetable broth rather than chicken broth.
• Use a vegetarian bullion cube.
• Use vegan butter or olive oil.

Make it Dairy-Free:

• As written, this recipe is already very low in lactose, since it calls for coconut milk rather than heavy cream, and butter is low in lactose. Sub vegan butter to make it completely dairy-free.

A Note On Serving Sizes

Serving sizes are a very personal thing, making it very difficult for me to select a serving size that suits everyone. One batch of this recipe makes 3 cups of soup. For a larger dinner serving, I typically like to split one batch between two people. This recipe can easily be doubled!

If you like this recipe, you may also like...

If you enjoy this pumpkin soup with canned pumpkin recipe, you may also enjoy my Crispy Gnocchi in Pumpkin Sauce, Butternut Squash Pasta with Chorizo, Creamy Potato Soup, or Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins.

Send me pictures of your creations -- it'll make my day! Message @CraftyCookbook on Instagram, email me ([email protected]), or tag me in a post! Please note, tagged posts are only visible to me if your account is public. Did you make any interesting changes or substitutions for this recipe? Tell me about them in the comment section below!