This pumpkin ginger soup is easy to make and full of wholesome ingredients. In this recipe fresh pumpkin is cooked with onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and ginger. Pair with a piece of crusty bread for a light, satisfying dinner.
If you’re a fan of pureed soups try a creamy zucchini soup, a luxurious cream of asparagus, or this classic tomato soup. They’re budget friendly and simply delicious.
Ingredients
- Oil – Olive oil or use any oil that is suitable for sautéing.
- Produce – The flavor base for this soup is made with onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Pumpkin is the star of the show. In our local supermarket they sell pumpkin in pieces (like quarters and halves). But if you have to buy more than you need, use the leftovers to make this pumpkin apple soup or this hearty Cuban-style lentil soup.
- Spices – Salt, black pepper, and coriander season the soup simply and fresh ginger adds warmth and a spicy kick.
- Broth – We use vegetable broth to keep the soup vegetarian, but chicken broth will work just as well.
- Garnish – Add a few shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas) and chopped parsley for garnish, if desired.
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, cook gently for 4-5 minutes, stir frequently.
Next, Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, salt, and pepper to the pot. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir often.
Add the pumpkin and vegetable broth. Raise the heat to high, bring the broth to a boil. Then, lower heat to medium to medium-low and cover.
Cook the soup for 25-35 minutes or until the pumpkin and carrots are very tender.
They should break apart easily when gently pressed with a wooden spoon or fork. Stir occasionally and keep the soup at a simmer. Raise or lower the heat as needed.
Remove the pot from the heat. Process the soup with an immersion blender in the pot. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a blender (see note).
Note: Do not fill the blender to the top with hot liquid, process in small batches. Remove the center piece (feeder cap) of the blender lid. Replace the lid (without the feeder cap) and cover with a clean, folded kitchen towel. Hold the towel down while blending. Start at a very low speed and increase gradually if necessary.
Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference we added 1 teaspoon to ours. Serve the ginger spiced pumpkin soup and garnish with chopped parsley and a few pumpkin seeds, if desired.
Top tip
Peeling pumpkin can be a little tricky. It’s oddly shaped with thick skin rendering a peeler practically useless. Here’s how I make quick work of peeling pumpkin.
Cut the pumpkin into several large chucks so they are more manageable. Use a large, sturdy spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh.
Stand a piece on a cutting board making sure at least one side sits flat on the cutting board. Cut off thin sections of the peel at a time (pare). Repeat with the remaining pieces.
Cut the peeled pumpkin into 1-2 inch pieces.
Storing
This creamy soup is perfect to make ahead and have ready for a quick lunch. Or serve it with a side salad for a quick and light dinner.
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To freeze the soup, cool it quickly and place in airtight containers that are appropriate for freezing. Remember to leave an inch or two to allow for expansion. Freeze for 2-3 months.
For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
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📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Ginger Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil or any oil suitable for sautéing
- 1 Small Onion diced
- 2 Carrots cut into ¼ inch rounds
- 1 Celery Rib sliced into ¼ inch pieces
- 1 Garlic Clove minced
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger minced
- ½ teaspoon Coriander
- ½ teaspoon Salt plus extra at the end if needed
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 3-3½ pounds Pumpkin seeded, peeled, and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- 4 cups Vegetable Broth
- Pumpkin Seeds for garnish optional
- Chopped Parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, cook gently for 4-5 minutes, stir frequently.
- Next, Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, salt, and pepper to the pot. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir often.
- Add the pumpkin and vegetable broth. Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil (will take about 4-5 minutes). Then, lower heat to medium to medium-low and cover.
- Cook the soup for 25-35 minutes or until the pumpkin and carrots are very tender. They should break apart easily when gently pressed with a wooden spoon or fork. Stir occasionally and keep the soup at a simmer. Raise or lower the heat as needed.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Process the soup with an immersion blender in the pot. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a blender (see note).
- Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference we added 1 teaspoon to ours.
- Serve the soup and garnish with chopped parsley and a few pumpkin seeds, if desired.
Notes
- Do not fill the blender to the top with hot liquid, process in small batches. Remove the center piece (feeder cap) of the blender lid. Replace the lid (without the feeder cap) and cover with a clean, folded kitchen towel. Hold the towel down while blending. Start at a very low speed and increase gradually if necessary.
- Hold off on adding too much salt to the soup until the end. The broth contains salt already, you can always add more at the end if needed.
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
Kay
Are you using a pie pumpkin?
The picture of the cut up pumpkin peel is green?
Elizabeth Rodriguez
It's a type of cooking pumpkin. It's what they typically have in my neighborhood market. Any cooking pumpkin will work.
Janie
Can I substitute canned pumpkin for the fresh and if so how much?
Elizabeth Rodriguez
Hi Janie, I've never made it with canned pumpkin so I can't speak to the results, especially the texture at the end.