This Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk is warm, creamy and cozy in the best possible way. It's completely vegan, yet so rich and silky that no one will miss the dairy. It tastes like fall comfort, and the mini pumpkin bowls make it feel extra special without any extra effort.
You will love how simple this recipe is and how it transforms fresh pumpkin into a silky, flavour-packed soup. Serve it for a holiday meal or anytime you want something nourishing and beautiful to bring to the table.
Jump to:
Why We Love This Recipe
- Real pumpkin flavour → Fresh pumpkin creates a richer, more vibrant soup
- Creamy without dairy → Coconut milk makes it naturally silky
- Great for entertaining → Mini pumpkins are a showstopper
- Easy to customize → Adjust heat or herbs to suit your taste
- Meal prep friendly. → Freezes and reheats perfectly
Ingredients
- Sugar or pie pumpkins
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Celery
- Green onions
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh thyme
- Oregano
- Carrot
- Potatoes
- Vegetable broth
- Full-fat coconut milk
- Hot pepper
- Ground allspice
- Salt and pepper
Optional for Serving
- Mini pumpkins, not decorative pumpkins sold solely for decoration.
- For garnish, coconut milk swirl (or yogurt if you are not keeping vegan), toasted pepitas or roasted pumpkin seeds, chopped chives, pomegranate arils.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
Instructions
Optional Mini Pumpkin Bowls
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Choose 14 to 16 mini pumpkins about 3 to 4 inches wide. Cut off the tops, scoop out the seeds and fibre, and brush lightly with oil. Place both the pumpkin “bowls” and “lids” on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 15 minutes until slightly tender.
📌Tip: If the pumpkin is tough to cut, place a kitchen towel underneath for stability and gently tap the back of your knife with a mallet or rolling pin to help it slice through safely.
Sauté Vegetables
In a 6-qt Rondeau or large pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
Build Flavour
Stir in celery and carrot. Cook 3 more minutes until the celery is tender.
Add Remaining Ingredients
Stir in green onion, parsley, thyme, oregano, pumpkin, potato, broth, coconut milk, hot pepper and allspice. Keep the ½ hot pepper whole, so it can be removed before blending.
Simmer
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a steady simmer. Cook 25 to 30 minutes or until the pumpkin and potatoes are very soft. Remove the thyme sprig and hot pepper.
Blend
Use an immersion blender to purée until smooth, or carefully blend in batches. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve
Ladle into mini pumpkin bowls or warmed regular bowls. Garnish with coconut milk (or yogurt if you are not keeping vegan), toasted seeds, chives and pomegranate arils. Enjoy immediately while hot and creamy.
📌Tips, Substitutions & Serving Suggestions
- If the pumpkin is tough to cut, place a kitchen towel underneath for stability and gently tap the back of your knife with a mallet or rolling pin to help it slice through safely.
- Thin the soup with extra broth if it becomes too thick
- Use butternut squash or kabocha squash instead of pumpkin.
- For a mild soup, remove seeds and membrane from the pepper or skip entirely.
- Serve with crusty bread, grilled cheese or a seasonal salad.
How to Freeze and Reheat Pumpkin Soup
- To Freeze: Let the soup cool completely after cooking. Portion into airtight containers or freezer-safe bags (leave a little room at the top for expansion). Label with date and contents. Freeze up to 3 months. Tip: Freeze in individual portions for quicker reheating and less waste.
- To Reheat: From frozen: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if possible. Warm gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. If the texture seems thick after thawing, stir in a splash of broth or coconut milk.
- Reheat quickly (no thawing): Place frozen soup in a pot over low heat, covered. Stir often as it melts to keep it creamy and prevent scorching.
- ❌ Avoid: Microwaving on high heat from frozen (can cause separation). Boiling hard (breaks down the coconut milk and vegetables)
Squash & Pumpkin Recipes to Try Next
- Pumpkin Carbonara Pasta Bake
- Mini Stuffed Pumpkins with Wild Rice
- Turkey Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash with Cranberries & Pecans
- Pumpkin Pear Pizza with Prosciutto and Hot Honey
- Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups
Equipment We Used: We partnered with Hestan Culinary to bring this pumpkin soup with coconut milk recipe to life. The soup was simmered in the Thomas Keller 9-qt Rondeau with the universal lid for even heating and great depth of flavour. The mini pumpkins were roasted in the large oval roaster and sheet pan, and we used their ladle to serve the soup cleanly into each pumpkin bowl.
Using a heavy, well-constructed pot helps prevent scorching and keeps the soup creamy as it simmers.
📖 Recipe
Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 5½ -6 lbs sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin (2½ to 3 kg) Peeled, seeded and cut into chunks. (Save the seeds for roasting)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup finely chopped celery
- 2 green onions white and light green parts, chopped, plus extra for garnish
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
- 2 teaspoons oregano chopped
- 1 large carrot diced
- 2 small Yukon gold potatoes peeled and chopped
- 6 cups vegetable broth low sodium
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk reserve a little for garnish
- ½ whole fresh hot pepper, such as Scotch bonnet or habanero or ½ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Optional for Serving
- 14-16 mini pumpkins not decorative pumpkins, which are sold solely for decoration.
- For garnish coconut milk swirl (or yogurt if you are not keeping it vegan), toasted pepitas or roasted pumpkin seeds, chopped chives, pomegranate arils
Instructions
Optional: Prep the Mini Pumpkin Bowls
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Choose 14 to 16 mini pumpkins about 3 to 4 inches wide. Cut off the tops, scoop out the seeds and fibre, and brush lightly with oil. Place both the pumpkin "bowls" and "lids" on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 15 minutes until slightly tender.
Sauté Vegetables
- In a 9-qt Rondeau or large pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
Build Flavour
- Stir in celery and carrot. Cook 3 more minutes until the celery is tender.
Add Remaining Ingredients
- Stir in green onion, parsley, thyme, oregano, pumpkin, potato, broth, coconut milk, hot pepper and allspice. Keep the ½ hot pepper whole, so it can be removed before blending.
Simmer
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a steady simmer. Cook 25 to 30 minutes or until the pumpkin and potatoes are very soft. Remove the thyme sprigs and hot pepper.
Blend
- Use an immersion blender to purée until smooth, or carefully blend in batches. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve
- Ladle into mini pumpkin bowls or warmed regular bowls. Garnish with coconut milk (or yogurt if you are not keeping vegan), toasted seeds, chives and pomegranate arils. Enjoy immediately while hot and creamy.
💬We'd really appreciate your feedback!
- Please take a moment to rate and review this recipe below. Your thoughts help others, and it would really make our day! Thank you - James & Elaine!
Video
Notes
- If the pumpkin is tough to cut, place a kitchen towel underneath for stability and gently tap the back of your knife with a mallet or rolling pin to help it slice through safely.
- Thin the soup with extra broth if it becomes too thick
- Use butternut squash or kabocha squash instead of pumpkin.
- For a mild soup, remove seeds and membrane from the pepper or skip entirely.
- Serve with crusty bread, grilled cheese or a seasonal salad
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