This delicious pumpkin soup without cream is truly magical! It is dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan and uses canned pumpkin to keep things simple. If you're a pumpkin fan, this recipe will become a go-to during the fall and winter season.
Pumpkin is always popular during the fall months, especially for Thanksgiving! I bring this dairy-free pumpkin soup to my Friendsgiving almost every year. It is perfect for holiday get-togethers and pairs nicely with roasted brussels sprouts with raspberry-balsamic glaze, apple cider margaritas and vegan mashed potatoes!
This delicious vegan soup is so cozy and comforting. This recipe uses coconut milk instead of heavy cream to embody that rich, creamy flavor while keeping it dairy-free.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It’s dairy-free, gluten-free and vegetarian/vegan since it’s made without cream.
- This soup is made with simple ingredients! The recipe uses canned pumpkin to keep it easy. You don’t have to roast a whole pumpkin for this soup (but you totally can if you want to).
- Pumpkins are healthy and full of fiber!
- This soup can be served as an appetizer or main dish! It’s hearty enough to be the star! In my opinion it is the best pumpkin soup recipe ever!
Equipment Notes
I highly recommend using a hand held immersion blender. I LOVE my immersion blender because I can blend soup in the same pot it cooks in. This makes for less mess and is easier to clean up.
Alternately, you can also transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and blend it in batches if necessary. Blending the soup ensures it will get a silky smooth consistency.
Ingredient Notes
- Olive oil - you can also use coconut oil or canola oil.
- Green apple - this adds a nice zing to the soup. I recommend using Granny Smith apples because they tend to be more tangy than red apples.
- Aromatics - fresh ginger, garlic and onion. The ginger adds a gentle spice to the soup and brings about the fall flavors. The onion and garlic are necessary in bringing the flavors together.
- Canned pumpkin - this can usually be found in the baking aisle of grocery stores. I recommend buying a few cans at a time to stock up! You will need two 15 oz cans for this recipe.
- Vegetable broth - use store bought or homemade vegetable scrap broth. You can also substitute in chicken broth if you’re not vegetarian or vegan.
- Full fat coconut milk - this is what makes the pumpkin soup super creamy without using real cream.
- Spices - salt, cinnamon, turmeric, nutmeg, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and freshly ground black pepper.
- Optional Garnishes - fresh sage adds even more depth of flavor. Dried cranberries or pepitas are also delicious in this soup. Add a drizzle of coconut milk or olive oil and drag a toothpick through it for a fun swirl on top!
Substitutes and Variations
- Spicy - add a minced jalapeno in with garlic and ginger. Use jalapeno slices as a garnish.
- Low-fat - use lite coconut milk, oat milk or regular milk. You can also omit the milk and add more vegetable broth or water in place.
- Low-sodium - use low sodium vegetable broth and reduce the salt in the recipe by ¼ to ½ teaspoon.
- Non-vegan - you can sub in chicken or beef broth for the vegetable broth.
Step by Step Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large pot. When the oil is hot, add the diced onion and apple. Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5-8 minutes.
Add the minced garlic, ginger and spices and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Be careful not to burn it.
Add the canned pumpkin and vegetable broth and stir until combined. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, until the apples can be pierced with a fork.
Blend the soup using a hand held immersion blender until smooth. Alternatively, carefully transfer the soup to a stand blender or food processor and work in batches to blend until smooth. Return the soup to the pot (keep the heat on low).
Stir in the coconut milk until combined.
Serve in soup bowls and garnish each bowl with pepitas/pumpkin seeds, fresh sage and a drizzle of olive oil.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure to blend the soup well so it becomes extra creamy. This will also make the soup smooth and silky!
- Save time by leaving the skin on the apple! It will get blended up anyway.
- Pumpkin soup without cream is great for meal prep! Simply portion it into smaller containers for the week.
- Make a double batch and freeze half of it for a future meal!
Storing and Freezing
Let the soup cool down to room temperature before storing. Store the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat pumpkin soup on the stovetop for a few minutes or in the microwave.
Freeze the soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Make sure to leave a bit of space at the top of the container because the soup will expand when it freezes!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes it is common to make pumpkin soup without cream. You can substitute in coconut milk to keep it dairy free. You can also use regular milk or other plant milks to keep the soup lighter.
This recipe contains 245 calories per serving. For more nutritional information see the nutrition facts at the bottom of the page.
Pumpkin Soup Without Cream
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 green apple diced
- 4-6 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 ½ tablespoon ginger root minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 (15) oz cans of pumpkin
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 (15) oz can full-fat coconut milk
Optional Garnish:
- Pepitas or pumpkin seeds
- Fresh sage
- Drizzle of high-quality olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced apple and onion. Saute for 5-8 minutes until onions are translucent.
- Add the garlic, ginger, salt, cinnamon, turmeric, nutmeg, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the pumpkin and vegetable broth. Stir to combine. Bring the soup to a boil then immediately decrease the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 minutes until the apples can be pierced with a fork.
- Blend the soup using a hand held immersion blender until smooth. Alternatively, transfer the soup to a stand blender or food processor and work in batches to blend until smooth. Return the soup to the pot.
- Stir in the coconut milk. Keep the soup on low heat until ready to serve.
- Serve in soup bowls and garnish each bowl with pepitas/pumpkin seeds, fresh sage and a drizzle of high-quality olive oil. Enjoy!
Notes
- You do not need to peel the skin of the apple since everything will be blended.
- Be careful when blending, the soup will be hot!
- Add another cup of vegetable broth for a thinner soup.
- This can be served as an appetizer or main dish.
Lynn Imler says
Can cashews be used instead of coconut milk?
Emily Toshiko says
Yes you can use cashew milk instead of coconut milk!
Karen E Wolkowski says
Delicious. Didn't have nutmeg so left it out. Didn't have turmeric so subbed curry powder. Will make this again. Thank you.
Emily Toshiko says
Hi Karen! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Anonymous says
This soup is delicious! It’s easy to make and tastes like fall in a bowl.
Cathy says
Delicious soup! I love the fresh ginger in this recipe. This is a keeper!
Emily Toshiko says
Thank you! It is the perfect cozy soup for this time of the year.