Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Kale
Spicy pumpkin soup! This vegan pumpkin soup recipe is creamy and perfectly spiced and made easy using canned pumpkin. With ginger, coconut milk, and kale, this pumpkin soup recipe is healthy and great as a light meal or appetizer.
If you love creamy soups, then you’re going to love this spicy pumpkin soup recipe. With just enough kick and plenty of creamy texture, it’s hearty enough to stand on its own yet light enough to be an appetizer or side dish.
I love how spicy this one is. It’s got a nice flavor that pairs well with the creamy coconut milk and slightly sweet pumpkin. For ease, I’m using canned pumpkin, which means you don’t have to scoop or roast out an actual pumpkin.
See below for tips on how to make this spicy pumpkin soup, or scroll down to the full recipe card at the bottom.
Everything You Need for this Pumpkin Soup Recipe
Ingredients For This Vegan Pumpkin Soup
- Onion
- Celery
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Canned Pumpkin
- Vegetable Broth
- Canned Coconut Milk
- Chili powder, ideally chipotle powder if you have it
- Chopped kale
- Fresh cilantro and lime, for serving
Substitution and Ingredient Notes
If you don’t want to use canned pumpkin, then you can use homemade pumpkin puree. You can also substitute in butternut squash puree or sweet potato puree, homemade or canned. Butternut squash will have a lighter flavor that isn’t as sweet as the pumpkin puree.
The chili powder here is a must. It contrasts the creamy pumpkin really well and brings a lot of flavor to the soup. I don’t recommend skipping it. If you have Kashmiri chili powder or chipotle chili powder, then I recommend using it here. Spinach can also be used in place of the chopped kale.
How to Make Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Saute the vegetables
Start by sautéing the vegetables; onion and celery in olive oil until softened. Add in the ginger and garlic, then cook until fragrant, about a minute.
Cook, then Puree
Remove from heat and puree in a blender, or use an immersion blender and puree until creamy. Add in the canned pumpkin and vegetable broth, then stir to combine.
Add in the coconut milk
Add the pureed soup back to the pot and add in the coconut milk. Season with salt, pepper and chili powder. I usually use a low-salt broth and end up adding about ¾-1 teaspoon of salt to the soup. Heat for 20 minutes.
Add the Kale
Add in the chopped kale and cook until just wilted. Serve, garnishing as desired with fresh chopped cilantro, lime juice and toasted pumpkin seeds if you’d like.
Tips for Success
This one is pretty straight forward! You don’t technically have to puree the pumpkin part if you don’t want or don’t have a blender, immersion blender or are in a hurry. I do like the extra-creamy texture of the pureed soup with the chopped kale. If you decide not to blend the soup, then I’d recommend finely dicing the vegetables and aromatics instead of a rough chop.
Even though most soup recipes use the trinity of onion, carrot and celery, I don’t include carrot here because I think the soup is sweet enough with the pumpkin puree.
Use the leftover coconut milk in smoothies, or freeze in a silicone ice cube tray for later use. I love doing this with any leftover lemon or lime juice—then you can just pop out a cube whenever you need it! Or, you can use the whole can if you’d like for a creamier soup.
Health Benefits of Pumpkin
As a dietitian, I’m a huge fan of canned pumpkin. A single ½ cup of pumpkin puree contains 100% of the RDA for of beta-carotene, a form of vitamin A. Intake of vitamin A is also associated with immune health, skin health and eye health.
More Canned Pumpkin Recipes
- Vegan Pumpkin Chili
- Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal
- Pumpkin Pie Bites
- Vegan Pumpkin Fettuccine
- Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
- Pumpkin Bars with Pecan Crust
More Creamy Soup Recipes
- Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup
- Cream of Broccoli Soup
- Creamy Cauliflower Soup
- Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup
- Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
If you like this pumpkin soup, make sure to come back and leave a comment and a rating. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!
More Soup Recipes
Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Kale
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 inch knob fresh ginger, roughly chopped
- 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup canned coconut milk*
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, Kashmiri chili powder or regular chili powder
- Salt and pepper
- 2 large handfuls kale, chopped
- Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish
- Fresh lime juice wedge for finishing
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery, and sauté until softened, about 8 minutes.
- Add in the ginger and garlic, then cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- Add in the pumpkin puree and vegetable broth, then stir to combine. Remove from heat, then puree in a blender or use an immersion blender to puree until creamy.
- Add the soup back to the pot and stir in the coconut milk. Season with salt, pepper, and chili powder. Depending on what broth you use, you will likely use between ½ and 1 teaspoon of salt. Heat the soup for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
- Stir in the kale and cook until just wilted.
- Serve, garnishing with fresh chopped cilantro and lime juice.