Vegan Pumpkin Soup

🥗 Why We Love This Recipe

• Packed with fall flavors: This soup is packed with all the good stuff. Pumpkin, maple syrup, thyme, ginger, cinnamon and apple cider vinegar to help kickstart that warm fall feeling. The end result is a savory soup with hints of sweetness and warmth.
• Dairy free, still creamy: We use nondairy yogurt to add creaminess to this soup, giving it a smooth, rich texture while still being totally vegan. Potatoes also make this vegan pumpkin soup super creamy, in place of cream or milk.
• Pumpkin: We love using pumpkin whenever we can, and this soup makes great use of pumpkin purée to add creaminess, earthiness, and that trademark orange color. Using purée also makes this soup quicker and easier – no need to carve up a pumpkin just to add to one recipe!
• Perfect holiday side dish/appetizer: especially served in this stunning Staub Pumpkin Cocotte (the ideal fall centerpiece!), this vegan pumpkin soup is a great addition to your Thanksgiving menu.

🍲 Ingredients

Here are the key ingredients you'll need to make this creamy vegan pumpkin soup:

📋 Ingredient Notes

• Pumpkin purée: We use the canned stuff, which makes life a lot easier. If you have pumpkins at your disposal, then feel free to make your own pumpkin purée by gently blending or food processing fresh steamed/roasted pumpkin.
  • Note: pumpkin purée – pure pumpkin without additives – is different from pumpkin pie mix, which contains spices and often sweeteners.
• Potatoes: yukon gold/yellow potatoes are our favorite option for this creamy pumpkin soup. They purée into a super smooth soup without adding a gummy texture. You can sub with russets in a pinch, but we wouldn't suggest using red potatoes.
• Yogurt: we used a plain nondairy almond-based yogurt in this recipe, but feel free to use any kind you'd like (as long as it's unsweetened/unflavored!). Of course if you're not vegan, feel free to use regular yogurt.
• Vegetable broth: want to make your own? Try this recipe using leftover vegetable scraps!
• Ginger: fresh ginger adds so much flavor to this vegan pumpkin soup. If you don't have any, you can sub with 1 teaspoon of dried ginger, but fresh really makes all the difference.
• Olive oil: can sub with vegan butter or another oil of choice.
• Cayenne: This is totally optional, but we think it helps to cut through the creaminess of the soup. It adds much more flavor than it adds spice.

🥣 Equipment

We can't think of a single piece of cooking equipment we own that makes a bigger impression than our Staub Cast Iron Pumpkin Cocotte. Since holidays are the time to entertain friends and family, it's the perfect centerpiece from which to serve soups, stews, and any other slow-cooked meals!

We've been eyeing one of these beauties for several years – it's such a timeless piece. We decided on white to match our kitchen, but they also have it in a gorgeous orange and matte black, both of which are fantastic options.

I also adore the handle – such beautiful contrast!

That being said, it's not just about good looks!

It's an heirloom-quality Dutch oven, made of heat-retaining cast iron and coated with Staub's signature enamel that promotes browning (and makes it much easier to clean!).

This makes the Staub Cast Iron Cocotte the perfect vessel to use when cooking hearty soups and stews, which is quite often in our house at this time of year.

Unlike other cast iron, Staub's enameled cast iron doesn't require seasoning and is even dishwasher safe. That's a HUGE plus for us – all of the benefits of cast iron cooking (high heat, even browning, etc) without any of the negatives!

Best of all, it's currently 50% off as of right now, so go check it out. (Hint: it also makes for a lovely holiday gift!)

Just imagine your Thanksgiving spread with this gorgeous pumpkin as the centerpiece. Dreamy, right?!

🔪 Step-by-step Instructions

(1) Heat olive oil in Staub cast iron cocotte over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add in ginger and garlic and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Add in potatoes and celery and cook for 5-7 minutes, until potatoes start to soften.

(2) Stir in salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne until vegetables are well coated.

(3) Pour in broth, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar, stir well and bring to a boil.

(4) Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25 minutes.

(5) Carefully transfer soup to a heat safe blender, add in yogurt and purée until smooth. Return soup to the pot and stir in the fresh thyme.

(6) Serve with yogurt swirl, pumpkin seeds and fresh thyme.

💭 Expert Tips and FAQs

• Immersion blender vs. regular blender: A regular blender will result in the smoothest, creamiest soup. That said, an immersion blender tends to be an easier option – It saves you from creating an extra dirty dish to wash, and you don't have to transfer the soup to another container to blend. If using a regular blender, just make sure to be careful and let the soup cool a bit, as the steam from hot soup can create pressure in an airtight blender.
• Serving suggestions: Vegan yogurt, pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and fresh thyme are all great toppings for this soup. It's also great with croutons, or just some crusty bread for dipping.
• Storage: This vegan pumpkin soup is great to make ahead of time. Just store in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within a week.
• Freezer storage: you can also freeze this soup for up to 6 months. When ready to enjoy, transfer to the fridge to defrost overnight, then heat gently on stovetop until warmed through.

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