Butternut pumpkin and apple soup

Pumpkin soup recipe

Soup is one of the easiest things to make for a filling, nourishing and great value meal, and pumpkin soup is an all-time favourite. There are lots of different ways to make pumpkin soup, but we love this simple pumpkin soup recipe – it’s made with whole vegetables and fruit to cut back on kitchen scraps.

There are two main pumpkin varieties available at Coles – butternut and Kent – which are usually interchangeable in recipes. This recipe calls for butternut pumpkin, which is slightly sweeter in flavour, but you can use Kent if you like.

Equipment you will need for pumpkin soup

Pumpkins can be tricky to cut, so make sure you have a sharp knife handy for this. Unlike pumpkin soup recipes that call for cooking the pumpkin in stock, this is a roasted pumpkin soup recipe – you just roast the vegetables and apple in the oven until they are very tender and ready to blend with the stock. You’ll need at least 2 baking trays – one for the main ingredients and the other to toast the pumpkin seeds for the topping.

To create a perfectly smooth soup, you’ll also need a blender. If you’re using a standard blender, blend the mixture in two batches, transferring the soup to a large saucepan as you go. If you’re using a hand blender, put everything straight into the saucepan and blend. Either way, the saucepan allows you to gently heat the soup through before serving.

Ingredients you will need for pumpkin soup

This clever recipe uses a whole pumpkin, even the seeds, so there’s no waste. All you need is 1 medium butternut pumpkin, cut in half. You don’t even have to peel the pumpkin – just scoop out the seeds and cut a diamond pattern into the pumpkin to help it cook more quickly. Then place it cut-side down on a lined baking tray to stop it sticking. 

To boost the sweet and savoury flavours in this soup, just roast 1 brown onion and 1 Granny Smith apple with the pumpkin. No need to peel these – just core the apple, then cut both the apple and onion in half and add them to the tray. Drizzle over olive oil before baking. Leaving the skin on the onion helps stop it from overbrowning during roasting – it’s fine to blend this into the soup or simply discard it before blending.

Those pumpkin seeds you saved? Wash them well and remove any membrane, then spread them over another lined tray, spray with oil and bake until deliciously crisp and golden. These will make a perfect crunchy topping to sprinkle over your soup, or just enjoy them as a healthy snack. 

You’ll also need stock for blending the soup – chicken stock is a great choice, or use vegetable stock if you prefer – this is good if you want to make a vegetarian pumpkin soup.

For a rich and creamy pumpkin soup, it’s good to add some cream after blending and reheating the soup. Avoid boiling the soup after adding the cream though, or it may curdle. Stir in half before serving and save some to swirl through the soup.

How to serve pumpkin soup

When your pumpkin soup is ready, simply ladle it into serving bowls and drizzle the remaining cream over the top. For the finishing touch, sprinkle over the toasted pumpkin seeds along with some finely chopped chives and a drizzle of olive oil – delicious! This butternut pumpkin soup is perfect served with buttery slices of toasted sourdough to tear up and dip into the soup. You could also serve it with crusty bread or rolls.

Now get cooking

With few ingredients and just 10 minutes prep time, you can’t go wrong with this easy pumpkin soup recipe. Sweet pumpkin is a fantastic match for spices, so why not try some tasty twists on the basic pumpkin soup recipe. For another roasted pumpkin soup, try our pumpkin and ginger soup with burnt butter. Give it a kick with curry paste in our Thai-style pumpkin soup. Love your slow cooker? Our slow cooker Thai-style pumpkin soup is a must-try. Want healthy soup recipes? Check out our healthy dinner recipes collection.