Healthy Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin

This pumpkin soup is made with canned pumpkin and is the perfect cozy, one pot soup to make in the colder months and throughout the holiday season. It’s also freezer-friendly, gluten-free, naturally vegan, and low in fat. Enjoy with your favorite bread for dunking with just 10 minutes of prep!

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When testing this soup, I made this pumpkin soup with canned pumpkin AND coconut milk, but was committed to making a lower fat version that was still creamy, flavorful and soy-free. Plus, not everyone loves the flavor of coconut milk, and I regularly get people asking how they can make recipes lower in fat or fat free.

This pumpkin soup is everything you need and more! It’s perfectly seasoned, creamy, flavorful and reminiscent of fall!

Jump to:

• Can Pumpkin Soup be Made with Canned Pumpkin?
• Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
• Step by Step Instructions
• Slow Cooker Option
• Recipe FAQs
• Storage Instructions
• Tips for Success
• More Recipe Ideas Using Canned Pumpkin Puree
• Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin Recipe

Can Pumpkin Soup be Made with Canned Pumpkin?

YES. Pumpkin soup can absolutely be made using canned pumpkin and is equally as flavorful and delicious as fresh pumpkin. It’s also:

• It’s made using just one pot. Using canned ingredients doesn’t mean they’re not healthy. In fact, canned pumpkin is incredibly healthy and an amazing convenience to have stocked in the pantry during the fall to make your family a healthy, hearty soup!
• Made without cream. Most pumpkin soups are made with cream to make them rich and creamy. I use a secret ingredient to make this soup creamy without the need for any cream at all. If you’ve made my Vegan Leek and Potato Soup or Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup with Roasted Red Peppers, you’ll know exactly what this ingredient is!
• Light and low calorie. If you’re looking for a light dinner idea or a simple side to pair with your main, this pumpkin soup is perfect! It boasts just 200 calories per serving.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Canned pumpkin puree – I prefer using canned pumpkin puree when making pumpkin soup for one reason: it’s quick and easy. However, I include instructions for using fresh pumpkin in the recipe card. If using canned pumpkin puree, be sure to buy puree where pumpkin is the only ingredient. No additives and no sweeteners. Sweet potato puree or butternut squash puree would also work as good substitutes.
• vegetable broth – I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base mixed with water but you can use any kind of broth, homemade vegetable broth!
• cauliflower – Cauliflower is the secret to making this pumpkin soup creamy without cream. Fresh or frozen florets will work here. Just make sure not to omit! It’s really key to thickening the pumpkin soup to the right consistency and adds a boost of flavor.
• onion and garlic – Essential to a flavorful pumpkin soup. Do not skip or reduce the sauté time!
• white wine and balsamic vinegar – Both of these flavors add acidity and brightness to the soup! Great to provide depth of flavor.
• pumpkin pie spice – May sound weird to include in a savory soup, but I promise it works and balances the sweet and savory flavors in the soup!

See recipe card for quantities.

Step by Step Instructions

1. Heat the oil. In a 5+ quart dutch oven or large pot, heat two tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add in the sliced onions and minced garlic
2. Sauté the onions and garlic. Stir frequently to prevent the garlic from burning. Sauté until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the cauliflower, white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice.
4. Sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Coat the ingredients in pumpkin pie spice.

5. Add canned pumpkin puree.
6. Add vegetable broth and water. Stir to combine.
7. Simmer for 20-25 minutes. Reduce the heat slightly, add the lid, and allow to simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until cauliflower florets are fork tender.
8. Blend until smooth. Turn off heat and blend your soup until smooth with an immersion blender. Alternatively , carefully transfer soup in batches to a blender and blend until smooth. Be sure to leave ample room and blend in batches if using a blender as heat expands. 

Slow Cooker Option

Yes! If you prefer to make this pumpkin soup with canned pumpkin recipe in the slow cooker, add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker with the onions on the bottom. Don’t stir so the onions caramelize and glaze on the bottom of the pot during cooking.

Cook for 8 hours on low for best results (or 4 hours on high if needed). Stir to combine, then use the immersion blender to blend completely smooth.

Recipe FAQs

Can pumpkin soup be frozen?

Most classic pumpkin soup recipes won’t freeze well because it is typically made with cream (dairy or non dairy) and cream is known to separate in the freezer. Although you can freeze soups with cream (and I even do sometimes!) it can cause separation and affect texture after thawing.

This pumpkin soup, however, is made with no cream and therefore will not cause any separation. I love freezing soups in my Souper Cubes because you can freeze them in ½ cup, 1 cup or 2 cup portions that are convenient to freeze, and allow you to defrost a single portion at a time.

What is the best cream for pumpkin soup?

To make the best healthy, creamy soup, I recommend full-fat coconut milk. For a less rich, but still rich and creamy soup, use lite coconut milk.

Can you make pumpkin soup with any pumpkin?

Absolutely! I prefer to make my pumpkin soup with canned pumpkin because it is the most simple and convenient and realistic for weeknight dinner. With that being said, roasting a sugar pie pumpkin to blend into your soup would also be fantastic.

If you want to make this recipe with fresh pumpkin, I recommend substituting the canned pumpkin puree with 4 cups of cubed sugar pie pumpkin. Add the cubed pumpkin in at the same time as you would the cauliflower florets and simmer the cubes in the soup for the 20-25 minutes. 

What goes with pumpkin soup?

You can’t go wrong with dunking any kind of bread in pumpkin soup. I particularly like my Vegan Garlic Bread or even Vegan Cheese Bread (Pull Apart Bread) here! You can also serve a light vegetable side dish, such as roasted Brussels sprouts. Or, serve pumpkin soup as the side alongside a heartier main dish such as Classic Beyond Meat Meatloaf.

Storage Instructions

This pumpkin soup will store best in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and the flavor will continue to develop and deepen over time.

For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months.

This recipe was originally published on October 23, 2020 and has been updated on November 21, 2022 with new photos, step by step instructions, tips, and an improved recipe.