Creamy Pumpkin Soup (without Cream)

Pumpkin soup without cream is just as creamy, delicious, and rich as it is with cream. You might not believe it until you try it, but you don’t need to add cream to pumpkin soup for it to be smooth and silky.

I’ve had pumpkin soup both ways and I’ve really come to believe that it doesn’t need cream at all. The pumpkin, when pureed well, turns very silky and cream on its own. But if you want to add something extra to make it a bit creamy without adding dairy, you can add coconut milk.

If you’re looking for other soups without cream, give this mushroom soup without cream a try!

Why You’ll Love It

• Light yet Satisfying: Enjoy the creamy texture and rich taste of pumpkin soup without the heaviness of cream, making it both comforting and light.
• Health-Conscious Choice: Skipping the cream means fewer calories and less fat, perfect for those monitoring their dietary intake.
• Versatile Flavors: The absence of cream lets the pumpkin’s natural sweetness shine, offering a canvas for a variety of spices and herbs to tailor the soup to your liking.

For more delicious pumpkin recipes check out these 15 Delicious Pumpkin Recipes for Fall.

Ingredients You Need

• Pumpkin: The main ingredient of this soup is pumpkin. You can easily get a cooking pumpkin from any grocery store or farmers’ market. Don’t get a carving pumpkin. They are different. When buying a pumpkin, make sure it is free from bruises or cracks. It should be heavy than its size and should have a fresh orange color. Cut it in half, remove the seeds and peel it. Make sure you cut it into equal pieces for even cooking.
• Olive oil: You will need olive oil for cooking. It is a healthy choice for oil. However, you can use canola oil or any other cooking oil as well.
• Onion: Finely chopped onions set the base for this soup. You can use white or red onions for this recipe. I prefer using white onions because of their savory flavor.
• Garlic: Garlic adds a depth of flavor to this soup.
• Chicken or vegetable broth: If you are making a vegan version, go for vegetable broth. If not, you can use chicken broth. It will add more flavor to this soup. Make sure you choose low sodium broth. You can also add vegetable or chicken bouillon in water. It will give the same tastes.
• Seasonings: Salt and ground black pepper are enough to do the magic.
• Toasted pumpkin seeds: Use for garnish, if you want.

Helpful Tips

• Serve this soup in a hollowed out pumpkin for extra effect. Whole, small pumpkins cook quickly and easily in the Instant Pot.
• If you must use canned pumpkin in place of fresh, you will need 2 cans of pumpkin puree.
• Blending the soup longer will make the consistency of the soup creamier.

How to Make Pumpkin Soup Without Cream

Step 1: Sauté the veggies

Add the oil to a pot and place it over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onions and sauté for a minute or two.

Add the garlic and continue to sauté it until the garlic is fragrant, just about 30 seconds. If you cook the garlic for much longer, there’s a risk of it burning, which isn’t very tasty, so do keep an eye on it.

Add the diced pumpkin to the pot and cook for about five more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 2: Cook the soup

Now pour the chicken or vegetable broth into the pot and season it with salt and black pepper.

Stir and cover the pot with a lid. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.

Step 3: Puree

Remove the pot from the heat and, using a hand blender, mix it until you get a creamy consistency. The longer you blend it, the creamier it becomes. This is the reason that you don’t need to add any cream. If you haven’t reached that creamy consistency yet, keep going. You’ll get there. Don’t stop until you do.

Serve the soup hot by garnishing it with roasted pumpkin seeds.

Serve This Soup In A Pumpkin!

You can make a small whole pumpkin to use as a bowl to serve soup in. We love doing that for dinner parties. It’s an impressive serving display that everyone loves.

The only prep involved to cook a whole pumpkin in the Instant Pot is to cut the top off, then scoop out the seeds and pulp from the inside. Then it takes about 5 minutes to come up to pressure, 7-12 minutes to cook, and another 5 minutes to depressurize.

When the soup has been blended to the desired consistency, ladle it into the cooked pumpkin. Garnish it with roasted pumpkin seeds and serve. Wow your guests by cooking the top of the pumpkin, then place it back on top to serve.

Storing & Reheating

Allow the soup to cool to room temperature. Transfer the cooled soup into airtight containers and store it in the refrigerator. It should last for up to 5 days. For longer storage, pour the soup into freezer-safe bags or containers, leaving some space for expansion. Label with the date, and it can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Reheating

Pour the soup into a pot and reheat it over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s heated through. Or you can transfer the soup to a microwave-safe bowl, cover it with a microwave-safe lid or vented plastic wrap, and heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between until hot.

If the soup is frozen, ideally thaw the frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight. For a quicker method, you can use the defrost setting on your microwave. Once thawed, reheat the soup on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, or in the microwave as described above for refrigerated soup.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I add to make the soup creamier?

The joy of this recipe is that when you blend it with an immersion blend, it becomes super creamy on its own. There shouldn’t be a need to make it any creamier, to be honest. But if you want, you can add coconut milk, cream, half and half, soy milk, or Greek yogurt.

Can I use pre-made pumpkin puree instead of fresh pumpkin?

Yes, you can use pumpkin puree. If you are looking for a quick fix, adding pumpkin puree is a good choice. It doesn’t need to be cooked to tender, like the fresh pumpkin does, so you can skip the 15 minutes that you need to boil the pumpkin.

Can I make pumpkin soup in an Instant Pot?

Yes, you can make pumpkin soup in an Instant Pot as well. In fact, it will cook faster than on a regular pot. Try this recipe. It can be done in about 30 minutes in the Instant Pot.

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