A vibrant and creamy pumpkin carrot soup is the best way to enjoy the delicious, healthy Fall vegetables. This flavourful vegan soup is made with coconut milk, ginger, and warming spices, and it is perfect for cozying up on a chilly evening!
With temperatures falling and the Fall approaching, it’s a sign to look out for my comfort food, which keeps us cozy throughout the season. And there couldn’t be anything better than a bowl of creamy Pumpkin Carrot Soup.
My family has always been fond of soup and never misses a chance to enjoy it, especially during fall and winter. We love my roasted pumpkin soup and instant pot pumpkin soup!
That said, I also want to make a healthy meal, and vegetable soups such as sweet potato soup, butternut squash soup, and pumpkin carrot soup are just perfect! This soup is also great for a special Thanksgiving meal.
Table of Contents
Watch How to Make Pumpkin Carrot Soup
Why You’ll Love Pumpkin Carrot Soup
✔️ Super easy and quick
✔️ Delicious, comforting, and healthy.
✔️ It’s kid-friendly
✔️ There is nothing better than this to crave on chilly nights.
✔️ Can be made in Instant Pot or Stovetop
Ingredients
Pumpkin: Peeled and cut into 1-2 inch cubes. Peeling and cutting the fresh pumpkin is the most challenging part of the soup. Think about the creamy soup, and cutting the pumpkin will be easier 😊. You can also buy pre-cut pumpkins at the store. You can also use butternut squash instead of pumpkin in this soup.
Carrot: Store-bought fresh carrot is most recommended as it not only adds flavor but also brings in the colors along with a hint of sweetness to this soup.
Oil: I prefer olive oil, but you can use any neutral-tasting oil.
Aromatics: Yellow onion & ginger create a flavorful base for the soup.
Vegetable broth: It provides flavor and richness, but you can substitute water if you have none.
Coconut milk: It increases the richness and creaminess of the soup without the use of cream or dairy. This is the best option to make the recipe vegan and dairy-free! I have used full-fat, canned coconut milk.
Spices: You will need basic spices such as cumin, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, thyme, salt and pepper.
How to Make?
Pumpkin Carrot Soup can be prepared effortlessly by following the below steps.
Take a large pot, add the olive oil, and heat it on medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute them. Afterward, add the ginger and garlic and continue sauteing.
Add the diced pumpkin (or butter squash), carrots, and broth. Incorporate the spices and stir them well.
Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover it with a lid, and let the soup simmer until the pumpkin and carrot are cooked properly and have turned soft.
Uncover the lid and blend using an immersion blender to a smooth puree. Be careful while blending to avoid hot splatters.
You can also let the soup cool a bit, then transfer it to a standalone blender to blend to a smooth puree.
Stir in the coconut milk. Keep simmering.
And the soup is ready to be served!
Lastly, serve in bowls and garnish with pumpkin seeds, coconut milk, freshly crushed black pepper, or red chili flakes, as you prefer.
Instant Pot Method
You can also make this soup in the instant pot. Follow the same steps to saute the aromatics, then add the carrots, pumpkin, spices and broth.
Change the instant pot setting to manual or pressure cook mode at high pressure for 10 minutes.
After the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes then release the pressure manually (10 minute NPR).
Then, follow the steps to blend the soup to a creamy texture. Add coconut milk and stir it in. Let the soup simmer on saute mode for 3-4 minutes. Garnish with your favorite toppings and enjoy.
Variations
Spiced Pumpkin Carrot Soup: Instead of the mentioned spices, simplify by using 1-2 tablespoons of curry powder to make this a curried pumpkin carrot soup.
Thai Pumpkin Carrot Soup: To transform it into a Thai-inspired dish, add one tablespoon of Thai red curry paste to the soup and skip other spices.
Roasted Pumpkin Carrot Soup: Roast either a whole pumpkin and carrots in the oven or cubes/slices in the air fryer. Use the roasted pumpkin and carrots in the recipe for a richer depth of flavor.
Pumpkin Puree Carrot Soup: If you don’t want to take the time to peel and cut the pumpkin, you can simplify the process by cooking a whole pumpkin in an instant pot. Extract the puree and use it in this recipe.
Non-Vegan Pumpkin Carrot Soup: While this recipe uses coconut milk, for a non-vegan version, substitute with heavy cream, full-fat milk, or half-and-half.
Pro-Tips
Choose Fresh Ingredients: Opt for fresh, ripe pumpkins and carrots for the best flavor. Fresh produce will give your soup a vibrant taste and color.
Use the right pumpkin: You can use any pumpkin or butternut squash. But do not use Halloween pumpkins used for carving jack-o-lanterns (they are just not as tasty).
Balance Flavors: Taste as you go and adjust the seasoning accordingly. Balance the sweetness of the pumpkin and carrots with savory elements like onions, garlic, and vegetable broth. Add salt and pepper gradually to achieve the perfect balance of flavors.
Blend Until Smooth: For a creamy and velvety texture, blend the soup until completely smooth. Strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve for an extra-smooth finish if desired.
Garnish well: Elevate the presentation of your soup by garnishing it with a variety of toppings. Consider options like roasted pumpkin seeds, fresh herbs, a drizzle of cream or coconut milk, red chili flakes, croutons, or a swirl of flavored oil.
How to Serve?
Soup is great as an appetizer or a meal! It is quite satisfying on its own. Serve roasted pumpkin and carrot soup with garlic bread, focaccia bread, or breadsticks. I love my soup with crusty croutons!
Eat it with a grilled cheese sandwich for a satisfying meal. Roasted potatoes taste great with pumpkin carrot soup.
Pair it with a hearty salad. Some ideas – Wild Rice Salad, Pesto Orzo Salad, Healthy Chickpea Salad, and Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad.
Serve it on your Thanksgiving holiday table along with turkey and other sides.
How to Store?
Any leftovers of this roasted pumpkin soup, keep well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The leftovers taste better the next day. You can easily make a batch in advance.
You can even freeze this soup! Once it is cooled to room temperature, transfer it to a freezer-safe, airtight container and freeze it for up to 3 months.
When ready to eat, reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. If frozen, thaw the soup first.
More Soups You’ll Love
Pumpkin Carrot Soup (Spiced, Creamy & Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Yellow onion , peeled and diced, about 5 ounces
- 1 teaspoon Ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon Garlic, minced
- 1 pound Pumpkin, or butternut squash, peeled, deseeded, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- 1 pound Carrots , peeled and sliced, about 6 medium-sized
- 3 cups Vegetable Broth
- 7 oz Coconut Milk, canned full-fat, 1/2 can
Spices
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Thyme , I used dried, use fresh if you have
Garnishing options
- 2 tablespoon Pumpkin seeds
- 1-2 tablespoon Coconut Milk
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper, freshly ground, adjust to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Chili Flakes, adjust to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Then add onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and sauté for another minute.
- Add the diced pumpkin (or butternut squash), carrots, and broth. Add the spices and stir it all well. Cook for a couple more minutes, stirring often.
- Once it starts to boil, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20-30 minutes stirring every 5-10 minutes until the pumpkin and carrots are cooked through and soft.
- Then uncover, and blend using an immersion blender. (You can also let the soup cool a bit, then transfer to a standalone blender to blend to a smooth puree. Be careful while blending to avoid hot splatters)
- Add coconut milk, and stir well. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Garnish with your choice of pumpkin seeds, coconut milk, freshly crushed black pepper, or red chili flakes.
Instant Pot Method
- You can also make this soup in the instant pot. Follow the same steps to saute the aromatics, then add the carrots, pumpkin, spices and broth.
- Change the instant pot setting to manual or pressure cook mode at high pressure for 10 minutes. After the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes then release the pressure manually (10 minute NPR).
- Then, follow the steps to blend the soup to a creamy texture. Add coconut milk and stir it in. Let the soup simmer on saute mode for 3-4 minutes. Garnish with your favorite toppings and enjoy.
So delicious, Meeta! Total comfort food! I did not have ginger, so I omitted that and coconut milk. I added cashews instead, and this soup turned out beautifully! Thank you so much for a nourishing soup recipe!
Hi Maneesha – Glad you enjoyed it! Cashews sound like a tasty substitution. Happy cooking! 🙂