Creamy Pumpkin Soup in the Crock Pot
‘Tis the season, and farmer’s markets and grocery stores are overflowing with pumpkins! On the menu lately is this easy crockpot pumpkin soup. This soup is rich, creamy, and filled with flavor. There are so many ways that you can customize this recipe, so you can enjoy warm pumpkin soup served fresh from the crockpot all season long! How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep, at least 4 hours slow cooking Equipment you’ll need: slow cooker, immersion blender Servings: 8
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Soup Recipe
Ultra-creamy. This fresh pumpkin soup is satisfyingly creamy and filling, minus the excessive calories of a traditional creamy bisque. You only need 5 ingredients! A secret ingredient. What makes this pumpkin soup so creamy? My secret: potatoes! Sneaky potatoes give the soup its smooth, rich texture (not to mention, some extra veggie power). You don’t have to peel the pumpkin. It’s a major time saver. The pumpkin peel becomes very soft throughout the slow cooking process. Once the soup is puréed, you won’t even notice a difference. Made all in one pot. Everything is simmered together in your crockpot. Set this soup to cook in the morning and return to a home-cooked meal that’s practically ready to serve.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This pumpkin soup recipe has only five ingredients, not counting salt and pepper! I’ve included some notes below. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card with the full ingredients list, amounts, and instructions.
Pumpkin – Choose a pie pumpkin or a cooking pumpkin (also called sweet pumpkin or sugar pumpkin) not larger than 2 pounds. Large pumpkins can be fibrous and less flavorful. Russet Potatoes – Or another starchy potato, like the kind you’d use for mashed potatoes or for baked potatoes. The starches help to thicken the soup and make it creamy, without the cream. Onion – Any onion will do. I usually use yellow onions which keep well in the pantry and are less expensive. Vegetable Broth – Purchased broth is fine although if you have homemade, all the better. Look for low or no sodium broth, if possible. Chicken broth can be substituted if that’s what you have. Heavy Cream – Just a half cup adds a luxurious texture to the soup. Feel free to skip it if you’d prefer. Optional Add-Ins – See the section later on and refer to the recipe card for easy soup flavors and variations that you can try.
How To Make Crockpot Pumpkin Soup
Don’t you just love crock pot recipes? Because, same. Here are the super simple steps to make this rich and creamy pumpkin soup in the crock pot:
Prepare the pumpkin. You don’t need to peel the pumpkin. Simply cut it in half, remove the seeds, and chop it into chunks.
Combine. Add the pumpkin pieces to the slow cooker along with the peeled potatoes and chopped onion. Pour in the broth and season with salt and pepper. Cook. Set the soup to cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.
Purée. Once the veggies are softened, use an immersion blender to process the soup right in the crockpot, until it’s nice and smooth.
Finish and serve! Finally, stir in your heavy cream. Serve the soup as is, or check out some easy variation ideas below to flavor your soup to taste. Afterward, ladle the soup into bowls, and serve.
Tips for Success
Avoid splatters. Lay a clean towel or paper towel over one half of the crock pot while you use the immersion blender to purée the soup. It helps to prevent hot splatters! If you don’t have a hand-held blender, you can process the soup using a food processor or regular blender instead. However, make sure that there is a hole for the hot steam to escape. Very important! Otherwise, an airtight blender + hot soup = explosion! In case you’re not serving the soup right away, leave this crockpot pumpkin soup on the keep-warm setting until you’re ready to serve it.
Make This Pumpkin Soup Recipe Your Own
I’ve made this crockpot recipe intentionally simple, which means there’s loads of room for customization! Try one of these delicious variation ideas:
Spicy. Before serving, stir in 1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste, for a zesty pumpkin soup. Add a dash of cayenne or red pepper flakes, for added spiciness. Sweet. Stir in pumpkin pie spice and a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup or honey for a sweeter-tasting soup. Curried. Stir in 1 tablespoon curry powder and ¼ cup packed brown sugar (this is my favorite!). See my recipe for pumpkin curry soup made with canned pumpkin. Ginger. Add 1 teaspoon of ground ginger. Stir in orange or lemon zest and ¼ cup juice instead of the cream. Apple. Add a couple of peeled and chopped apples to the crockpot, and cook with the rest of the ingredients. Stir in a teaspoon of cinnamon with the cream. Diary-free or vegan. Use coconut milk or apple cider instead of heavy cream.
What to serve with Crockpot pumpkin soup
Be creative with garnishes. Finish your bowls of soup with a swirl of cream or yogurt and toasted pepitas, a sprinkle of spiced pecans or homemade croutons, or a touch of spice. Serve this soup with warm bread and dipping oil and a tossed salad with homemade ranch dressing or a fall grain salad. Afterward, continue the pumpkin theme into dessert with homemade pumpkin streusel bread or pumpkin bran muffins.
Make Ahead
To get a head start on this soup, you can peel and cut the pumpkin ahead of time and store the pumpkin chunks airtight in the refrigerator, along with the diced onion. To prep the potatoes ahead of time, cover the peeled potatoes with water before storing them in a covered container. Everything will be ready to dump into the crockpot the following day!
Storage and Reheating
Fridge. Store leftover pumpkin soup airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the soup gently in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot throughout. Freezer. Freeze extra pumpkin soup in freezer-safe containers or bags. I advise omitting the cream before freezing the soup when possible. It’s easy to add it on the reheat.
