Easy, creamy and absolutely delicious! This healthy, spiced pumpkin and sweet potato soup recipe use roasted pumpkin and sweet potatoes, making it extra tasty, rich and complex.
Spice things up by adding some autumn/winter favourites: a little cinnamon, cayenne and freshly ground nutmeg!
Note, you'll need a stick blender to create this creamy, smooth soup. It's very affordable and does not take up much space in the kitchen.
For more winter warmers, also check out my creamy chicken, corn and egg drop soup, wonton noodle soup and Chinese pork bone broth!
Ingredients
- Pumpkin - butternut or Queensland blue varieties are preferred (over Kent/Japanese pumpkins) as they're less watery.
- Heavy cream - adds a luxurious creaminess to the soup. Vegan substitute: coconut cream.
- Stock - adds a layer of savouriness and complexity to the soup.
- Cayenne pepper & cinnamon (optional) - adds a touch of heat and spice which compliments the soup really well.
Cooking instructions
This pumpkin and sweet potato soup is super easy and fuss-free. Simply roast, simmer and blend. This recipe makes ~6 servings and can easily be doubled to last for the week.
Roast
To begin, peel the pumpkins and sweet potatoes. Scoop out the seeds of the pumpkin then them chop into rough chunks. About 5cm/2inch x 2cm/1inch.
Toss with a small drizzle of olive oil (to help with caramelisation) on a lined baking tray.
Bake for 30 minutes at 220°C/430°F (200°C/390°F fan-forced) or until lightly caramelised on the outside, especially the edges.
Roasting pumpkins and sweet potatoes create complexity through caramelisation, making it extra special and extra tasty!
5 minutes before the roast vegetables are done, start softening onions and garlic.
Simmer
Sweat the onions and garlic on low heat in a heavy-based pot (I used a Dutch oven). Constantly stir with a wooden spoon to avoid burning which can lead to an unwanted bitter taste!
Once 30 minutes is up, (gently) transfer the roasted pumpkins and sweet potatoes into the pot. Add chicken stock (or vegetable stock), salt and white pepper.
Bring up to a boil then simmer on low heat with the lid on for 10 minutes.
At this point, the soup will look almost... "unappetising" (like the image below) but trust the process!
Blend
Now, transfer the pot (it'll be hot so use a trivet aka pot coaster) to a sturdy working surface or your kitchen bench.
Blend with a handheld stick blender for about 2 to 3 minutes until really smooth and voila! Smooth, thick, delicious-looking pumpkin soup!
Pour in heavy cream aka thickened cream. Give it a good mix and taste.
Season with more salt and white pepper as desired. The soup should taste creamy and sweet with a delicious note of savouriness.
To kick things up a notch, add in a little cinnamon powder (start with ¼ tsp) and a pinch of cayenne powder. Taste the soup and add more (or not) of either to your liking.
Love the flavour of nutmeg? Grate some in for an extra layer of spicy aroma to your pumpkin and sweet potato soup!
Look at that beautiful creamy golden colour!
The perfect dish to have on a cold autumn/winter with a side of crusty bread to soak up all that deliciousness!
Just like my egg drop soup, this pumpkin and sweet potato soup is satisfyingly creamy yet healthy, packed with good nutrients.
Useful tips and tricks
- Position the head of the blender at the bottom of the pot then blend. Start from the bottom then slowly lift the blender upwards to the middle. Avoid blending at the surface of the soup as it can get messy real quick.
- If the soup is too thick, loosen it with water or stock. Add a little at a time (about ¼ cup), mix in then add more if needed.
- For an extra smooth soup, strain with a sieve.
- Go easy on the cayenne pepper. Aim for a subtle hint of heat. Start with a pinch, mix, taste and add more to your liking. I find ⅛ teaspoon (equivalent to 2 pinches) is perfect for this recipe.
Good to know
Simply swap heavy cream out with coconut cream and use vegetable stock (instead of chicken stock).
Butternut pumpkin is the best pumpkin to make soup with! For those living in Australia, Queensland blue pumpkins are suitable too.
There are 158 calories per serve.
Leftovers/freezing
This pumpkin and sweet potato soup last up to 5 days in the fridge, stored in an airtight container. Can be frozen for 3 to 6 months in the freezer.
Made this recipe? Let me know your thoughts or questions by dropping a note in the comments section below! I'd love to hear from you. 🙂
- Gen
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup
Equipment
- stick blender
Ingredients
- 500 g / 1 pound butternut pumpkin or Queensland blue pumpkin, peeled, deseeded
- 500 g / 1 pound sweet potato peeled
- 1 onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1 litre / ¼ gallon stock chicken or veg
- ½ cup heavy cream aka thickened cream
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- salt
- white pepper
Optional seasoning
- 2 small pinches cayenne pepper to taste, ~⅛ tsp
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/430°F.
- Cut pumpkin and sweet potatoes into rough chunks, about 5cm/2inch x 3cm/1inch. Place onto a lined baking tray and toss with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Spread into a single layer then bake for 30 minutes or until lightly caramelised around the edges.
- With ~5 minutes left on the oven timer, soften onions and garlic with the remaining olive oil in a heavy-based pot on low heat (I used a Dutch oven).
- Once 30 minutes is up, transfer roasted pumpkins and sweet potatoes into the pot. Add stock, salt and pepper. Bring up to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on.
- Turn the heat off and transfer the pot onto a sturdy working surface. Blend with a stick blender for about 2 to 3 minutes or until very smooth with a thick consistency (note 1).
- Pour in the heavy cream then taste and adjust for salt and pepper to taste. Add cayenne pepper and cinnamon to taste (optional).
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