This easy and brightly colored Spiced Carrot and Pumpkin soup recipe is a family favorite that will warm you up on a cold day. Made with sweet butternut squash and carrots, then gently spiced, this delicious pumpkin carrot soup will become one of your go-to winter recipes.
If you love soup in the winter or fall (and who doesn't?) you'll adore this cozy and bright carrot and pumpkin soup. It's made with easy-to-find ingredients, and can be amped up with spices or coconut milk or cream. It's perfect for lunch or dinner on cold days, and the topping possibilities are endless. Think croutons, toasted pumpkin seeds or fresh herbs.
This easy recipe has actually been inspired by one of my other favourite soups- Pumpkin Soup without Cream, which I love to make especially around pumpkin season! Alternatively if you fancy a heartier soup, try this Carrot and Butterbean soup. Of course it's practically mandatory to serve soup with some crusty bread. I suggest this easy Air-Fryer Vegan Garlic Bread.
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🥕Ingredients
The ingredients for this soup are pretty simple. Find the quantities in the recipe card, and a list of extras and alternative ideas in the 'Substitutions and Variations section'
- Fresh Carrots- Use good crunchy carrots. I use 4-5 medium carrots, but adjust if you have smaller or larger carrots.
- Fresh Pumpkin or Squash - I used butternut squash, however hokkaido pumpkin, or any another chunky flavorful squash such as Queensland Blue squash will also be perfect.
- Vegetable Stock- a good quality vegetable stock, or alternatively powdered vegetable boullion or a stock cube.
- Curry Powder/Garam Masala: I like to add a little warming spice in the form of garam masala. You can leave this out if you wish.
- Chili Powder or Chili Flakes: to taste. I think a little heat is welcome with the sweetness of the carrot and pumpkin.
- Thyme and/or Oregano: Fresh or dried thyme and/or oregano both have savory herbal notes that pair particularly well with sweet pumpkin and carrot.
- White onion or yellow onion: Either is fine. You could also use a leek.
- Garlic Cloves: Fresh garlic is best, measured with your heart. You could also use jarred or frozen garlic.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: enough oil to sautee the garlic and onion, then to bloom the spices.
- Apple Cider Vinegar OR lemon juice OR white wine vinegar. - A little acid in the form of any of these creates a balanced flavour and prevents the soup from being overly sweet.
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste.
See recipe card for quantities.
👩🍳Instructions
Follow along with these how-to photos for the perfect soup!
- First, chop the garlic and onions.
- Then peel the carrots and pumpkin and chop both into 3-4 cm chunks.
1. Sautee the onion and garlic in the olive oil until the onion is translucent and softened.
2. Stir in the chunks of carrot and pumpkin, as well as the chili or garam masala and herbs. Let the spices bloom, and caramelise for a tasty soup.
3. Add the vegetable stock to the carrot and diced pumpkin and simmer on a medium-low heat the until soft.
4. Using a handheld immersion blender blend the soup until creamy. You can also use a food processor or jug blender, just let the soup cool first.
Serve the soup with your favourite toppings, such as drizzle of plant based cream, some toasted seeds or fresh herbs.
Hint: If you want a chunkier soup, just blend half the soup and leave it chunky to server.
🌶️Substitutions & Variations
Here are some alternatives and additions you could add to make this carrot pumpkin soup recipe to your own tastes.
- Extra Creamy- add some coconut cream or plant based sour cream to the soup after blending, then bring it back to simmer before serving.
- Ginger- Ginger has an affinity for pumpkin and carrot. Add some grated or finely chopped fresh ginger to the soup at the same time you add the spices.
- Mustard Seeds- Sizzle these with the curry powder for an extra spicy punchy soup
- Pumpkin Puree- instead of using fresh pumpkin, you can also use a can of pumpkin puree.
- Extra toppings: Toast the pumpkin seeds in a little oil with some salt and sprinkle on top.
- Fresh herbs: Add fresh cilantro/coriander or parsley to the top of the soup.
🔪Equipment
You will need a few key pieces of equipment to make this carrot and pumpkin soup.
- A good knife for cutting
- A decent sized heavy based saucepan or stove top safe casserole dish or dutch oven.
- A hand held immersion blender or jug blender to blend the soup for the creamy texture.
🥫Storage
Like most soups, this carrot pumpkin soup stores well. Store leftover pumpkin soup in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. It also freezes perfectly for up to 3 months.
❗Top tip
If you want to make a big batch of the soup, be sure to freeze it in one or two person portions so it's easy to have a quick meal when you want something cozy to eat. Reheat leftover soup from frozen on the stovetop or in the microwave.
❓FAQ
Butternut squash is a great alternative for pumpkin in soups and stews. It's sweet and nutty and cooks in the same way as pumpkin.
More soups
Want to find more soup recipes like this? Try these:
More Carrot Recipes
Love carrots? Me too, try these recipes with carrots!
📖 Recipe
Easy Spiced Carrot and Pumpkin Soup
Equipment
Ingredients Note:
For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.
(Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)
Ingredients
- 500 g (1 lb) pumpkin (Peeled, deseeded and chopped into 2cm cubes. (or butternut squash) )
- 500 g (1 lb) carrots
- 200 g (1 cups) onion (about 2 medium onions or 1 large onion.)
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (and/or oregano)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala (or curry powder)
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 800 ml (3 ⅓ cups) vegetable stock (or 2 teaspoons vegetable boullion or stock powder in 800ml water. )
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- Flakey Sea Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel and finely chop the onion and the garlic.
- Peel remove the seeds from the pumpkin or squash. Chop into 3cm (1.5") cubes.
- Peel the carrots and chop into 2 cm chunks.
- In a large saucepan, add the oil, then sautee the onions and garlic over a low heat.200 g onion, 6 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the pumpkin and carrot pieces. Sautee until the onion is translucent , and the squash and whole garlic cloves are starting to colour a bit on the edges.500 g pumpkin , 500 g carrots
- Add all the spices to the pan and stir for a minute. This allows all the flavour of the spices to release their aromas.1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- Add the stock/boullion and simmer the whole lot until the pumpkin is soft. Add extra water if you need it.800 ml vegetable stock
- If you are using an immersion blender, gently put the blender in and blend until creamy. If you are using a jug blender, allow the soup to cool, then blend in batches until creamy.
- Now is the time to test for salt and add any extra chilli or cream in if you like. Add the apple cider vinegar to taste. If the soup is too watery, let it simmer some more. If the soup is too thick, add water.Flakey Sea Salt and black pepper to taste, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Serve hot with crusty bread, croutons, a drizzle of coconut or tahini cream to taste.
Notes
- If you struggle to peel and chop a pumpkin or squash, pop it in the oven for 20 mins, or in the microwave for 5 mins. This softens the skin enough so you can chop right through it.
- Don't skip the step where you add the spices in and turn in the hot pan, before adding the stock/veggie boullion. Toasting the spices really brings out their flavour, creating the best pumpkin and carrot soup!
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