Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Walnuts (Easy Pumpkin Soup!)

Celebrate fall with this recipe for Easy Pumpkin Soup; you’ll love that this creamy soup is made with basic pantry ingredients, like canned pumpkin. This creamy pumpkin soup is delicious and savory. Plus, the added soup toppings of toasted walnuts and blue cheese are delicious!

Making This Creamy Pumpkin Soup Recipe

This recipe for Harvest Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Walnuts and Blue Cheese was AMAZING. And incredibly quick to prepare.

Dinner was done and on the table within just a little over 30 minutes, and that was with a five- and three-year-old helping me.

It was kind of nice to have the kids cooking dinner with me. They’re usually more into the baking, but Madeline especially has been interested in anything that involves stirring lately.

She is pretty good at sautéing (of course I still supervise closely). Because Logan is still as picky as ever I am always happy when he shows an interest in helping cook savory dishes. That child has such a sweet tooth.

My only complaint about this recipe was that the original recipe said it served 4-6. I was hoping for some leftovers for the next night, but we only got about 3 servings as a main course out of it.

There was just enough left for lunch the next day. If you’d like leftovers plan on doubling the recipe.

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Ingredients for This Easy Pumpkin Soup

I made this pumpkin soup with canned pumpkin to save myself the time and hassle of roasting and pureeing an actual pumpkin.

Here’s a quick overview of the simple ingredients you’ll need for this pureed soup recipe:

• Butter
• Leeks
• Carrots
• Celery
• Fresh Garlic Cloves
• Herbs and spices
• Chicken Broth or Chicken Stock
• Canned Pumpkin Puree
• Maple Syrup
• Half and Half
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper
• Walnuts (for garnish)
• Blue Cheese (for garnish)

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

Ingredient Substitutions for this Easy Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Missing and ingredient or have food allergies? Here are answers to commonly asked ingredient substitution questions for this recipe:

What Can I Substitute for Walnuts when Making this Soup?

If you have a nut allergy or simple don’t like walnuts, toasted pumpkin seeds are a great alternative for the garnish. We like these roasted pumpkin seeds and these raw, sprouted pumpkin seeds.

What Can I Substitute for Leeks in this Recipe for Easy Pumpkin Soup?

I love to use leeks in recipes; they have a delicious, mild flavor. However, if you don’t have any or cant find them, you can substitute yellow onion instead.

What Can I Substitute for Half and Half in this Canned Pumpkin Soup?

You can make your own half and half by combining equal parts heavy cream and whole milk.

How to Make Easy Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin

I love making pureed soups like this canned pumpkin soup because you basically just toss everything into a pot, cook, and then blend it up. Easy!

1. Melt the butter in a medium dutch oven pan over medium heat. Add the leeks, carrot, and celery and cook until softened. Stir in the garlic, herbs, and spices.
2. Stir in the broth. Bring the soup to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the pumpkin and syrup and cook an additional 10 minutes.
4. Puree the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender for this.
5. Stir in the half and half. Season to taste with salt and pepper and heat gently over low heat until hot.
6. Garnish individual bowls with walnuts and blue cheese.

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

Tips for Making Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin

• Note that this recipe calls for pure pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling. Pure pumpkin puree is 100% pumpkin with no additional spices or sweeteners in it.
• Be sure to properly prep and wash the leeks before adding them to the soup pot.
• You’ll need to use 100% pure maple syrup for this recipe and not pancake syrup.

Homemade Pumpkin Soup Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Use Fresh Pumpkin?

This pumpkin soup recipe is a great way to use pumpkins leftover in the grocery store after Halloween. You’ll need to make sure they’re sugar pumpkins; they’re the ideal type of pumpkin for cooking with.

Check out my how to make homemade pumpkin puree tutorial for information on how to make diy pumpkin puree.

Can I Make This Easy Pumpkin Soup Ahead of Time?

Absolutely! Leftovers reheat well on the stove or in the microwave. If making in advance, wait to garnish with walnuts and blue cheese until you’re ready to serve the soup.

Can I Make this a Vegetarian Soup?

Use your favorite vegetable broth or vegetable stock in place of the chicken broth

How Can I Make this a Vegan Pumpkin Soup?

I haven’t tried making a dairy-free pumpkin soup version of this recipe, but I recommend that you use your favorite vegan half and half replacement in place of the dairy. You’ll also want to omit the blue cheese from the garnish. For extra flavor, garnish with caramelized onions with the walnuts.

What to Serve with Easy Pumpkin Soup

Served with a slice of crusty bread, this is a pretty filling meal, which surprised me because with only a 1/2 cup of half and half in the recipe there isn’t much in terms of heavy ingredients. Here are some other sides you could serve with this canned pumpkin soup:

• Rustic Rosemary Garlic Bread
• Savory Scones
• Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
• Chile Cheese Cornbread Scones
• Classic Cornbread Muffins

This would be the perfect fall soup for any Autumn evening, but I think it would be a nice, unexpected starter or side for Thanksgiving dinner as well.

Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more recipes.

How to Store Leftover Pumpkin Soup

Got leftovers of this cozy soup? Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat your leftover soup in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave.

Want to freeze your pumpkin soup to stock your freezer for soup season? Check out this How to Freeze Soup tutorial.

This is the Best Pumpkin Soup Recipe!

Here’s what readers are saying about this delicious pumpkin soup:

• “I made this for dinner tonight… and wow! It was fantastic!!” -Jessica
• “I made this soup for Thanksgiving and it was amazing! Definitely a recipe to keep.” -Sakre
• “This was absolutely delicious! In spite of the fact that I had to do 3 substitutions since I didn’t have all the ingredients and live remotely.” -Christi
• “I have been searching for a perfect pumpkin soup and I think I have finally found the best recipe!” -Jen

Try this Pumpkin Soup Recipe!

Next time you’re looking for simple pumpkin soup recipe with a lot of flavor, give this Easy Pumpkin Soup a try! This comforting soup is a great change of pace during the fall season!

Did you love the savory pumpkin flavor? Leave a comment below and give it a star rating for others to see what you thought of this fall soup recipe.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of this soup!

More Fall Recipes with Pumpkin:

This Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal is a great make ahead baked oatmeal to make all fall and winter.

This Easy Pumpkin Pudding is the perfect way to celebrate fall with your kids!  It is easy to prepare, super creamy and full of all your favorite fall spices.

These Pumpkin No Bake Cheesecake Jars are so good and so easy! They feature yummy layers of gingersnap crust and no bake pumpkin cheesecake filling.

Want to try more savory pumpkin recipes? Pumpkin and Turkey Black Bean Chili is a great fall chili recipe with tons of flavor. Even better, it’s super easy to make!

Be sure to check out these 25 Pumpkin Recipes to Try this Fall if you love trying new delicious recipes made with pumpkin.

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Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Walnuts

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Celebrate fall with this recipe for Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Walnuts. This cozy pumpkin soup is delicious and savory. Plus, you’ll love the added soup toppings of toasted walnuts and blue cheese!

Print

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 medium leeks, white and pale green parts only, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
• 1 rib celery, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 cups chicken broth, plus extra for thinning
• 1 - 15 ounce can pure pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup half and half
• salt and pepper, to taste
• walnuts and blue cheese for garnish

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a medium dutch oven pan over medium heat. Add the leeks, carrot, and celery and cook until softened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, coriander, and nutmeg. Continue to saute and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Stir in the broth, making sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the soup to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin and syrup and cook an additional 10 minutes.
3. Working in batches, if necessary, puree the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Return the soup to the dutch oven.
4. Stir in the half and half and additional broth to adjust the soup's consistency (I didn't have to add any extra liquid). Season to taste with salt and pepper and heat gently over low heat until hot. Garnish individual bowls with walnuts and blue cheese.
5. To toast the walnuts: toss them with a bit of olive oil and saute in a small pan or toast in the toaster oven for 3-5 minutes, or until fragrant.

Notes

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated: Soups, Stews and Chilis

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 268Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 950mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 5gSugar: 24gProtein: 6g

GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.

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