20 Best Pumpkin Soup Recipes & Easy Ideas

By Food & Wine
Updated October 15, 2018
Credit: © Emily Farris
As it happens, Halloween falls at the very end of October, right when the weather starts to feel rather chilly. Consequently, it is this very same time of year during which we begin to crave soup. What’s the perfect thing to cook in this season of grinning Jack-o-lanterns and soup cravings? Pumpkin soup, of course. Pumpkin soup is definitively the optimal savory Halloween dish. It is easy to make, full of festive fall flavors and warming before an evening of trick-or-treating. We’ve rounded up 20 easy pumpkin soup recipes that you can whip up this Halloween. With recipes like silky, creamy tea-scented pumpkin soup and rich pumpkin soup with Creole lobster, you’ll never run out of options. Our best recipes also include healthy pumpkin soup options like vegan pumpkin soup with toasted coconut, and unique versions like pumpkin miso soup and pumpkin soup with fideos. It is now up to you to choose the best pumpkin soup for your Halloween. Let’s get to it!
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Tea-Scented Pumpkin Soup

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We love this silky, creamy soup that's lightly flavored with Ceylon tea and garnished with a drizzle of roasted pumpkinseed oil. This lovely, nutty oil can be found at most specialty food stores and is a perfect way to give any savory dish a splash of pumpkin flavor for Halloween.

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Pumpkin and Yellow Split Pea Soup

Credit: JOHN KERNICK
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This innovative recipe adds pumpkin to dal — the spicy, soupy, traditional Indian legume dish. The result is a hearty, healthy soup with a lovely edge of sweetness. While some soups are best served as sides, this filling dish can be a whole pre-trick-or-treating dinner. Just be careful not to drip any on your costume!

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Pumpkin Soup with Sage and Ham

Credit: MATT ARMEDARIZ
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Sage and pumpkin are a perfect pair. Add chunks of apple and ham and you have the makings of a delicious autumn soup. We use canned pumpkin here in the name of speed, but in fact it tastes as good as fresh once it simmers with the vegetables and herbs. If the soup gets too thick, just stir in a little extra broth or water.

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Pumpkin Soup with Fideos

Credit: CHRISTINA HOLMES
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Not your average pumpkin soup, this unique version is based on a traditional Sephardic (Spanish-Jewish) recipe. Though the dish is vegetarian, cooking the pumpkin with cinnamon and cloves gives the broth an “implied meatiness,” says Michael Solomonov. Toasted fideos (noodles) help thicken the soup and make it even more substantial.

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Pumpkin Soup with Creole Lobster

Credit: © Petrina Tinslay
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This year, we’re making Halloween lobster a thing. This version of pumpkin soup is topped with lobster bathed in a flavorful, spicy butter. The natural brininess of the lobster helps bring out all the deep, earthy flavor in the soup. Are you on board with the Halloween lobster thing yet?

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Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Soup

Credit: © Emily Farris
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How can a soup be creamy without cream? We’ve got an answer for that. This vegan pumpkin soup is actually incredibly creamy, thanks to the addition of coconut milk. Thus, this dish is a perfect choice for any vegan or dairy-free Halloween guests. Or just anyone who likes to eat delicious soup.

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Pumpkin Soup with Trumpet Mushrooms and Sour Cream

Credit: ROLAND BELLO
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Are you hosting a Halloween dinner party? Is that even a thing? With this elevated pumpkin soup, it certainly can be. Le Coucou chef Daniel Rose tops his silky pumpkin soup with black trumpet mushrooms for a woodsy flavor so refined that your guests will be wondering where you went to culinary school.

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Pumpkin Soup with Rosemary Croutons

Credit: EMILY FARRIS
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On a cool fall day, nothing beats a warm, creamy pumpkin soup with fragrant, homemade rosemary croutons. Make a big batch if you’re hosting Halloween guests this year or if you’re extra hungry. And don’t worry if you have leftovers—we promise it's even better the next day. Just try it.

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Pumpkin Miso Soup

Credit: © Emily Farris
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Not only is this soup super creative, it’s also vegan. This vegan pumpkin soup gets a tasty Asian twist with the addition of fresh ginger, miso, soy sauce and a seaweed garnish. Your more adventurous Halloween guests will be obsessed with this recipe the minute they slurp their first spoonful.

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Vegan Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Coconut

Credit: PHOEBE LAPINE
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Like we said, coconut milk gives pumpkin soup a super creamy texture without ever adding cream or any other dairy. We love the toasted coconut on top, which adds a fun texture to an otherwise smooth dish. Serve this at your Halloween party with bibs to make sure none of your guests ruin their costumes.

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Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Cilantro Raita

Credit: © Phoebe Lapine
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This pumpkin soup is absolutely perfect for Halloween entertaining because it only takes 15 active minutes to make and it will be completely ready for delighted consumption in just 40 minutes. We’ll give you fair warning: It has quite a kick. Plus, if you don’t like cilantro, you can substitute mint as the herb for this soup’s refreshing yogurt topping.

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Sweet & Savory Pumpkin Soup with Maple Sugar

Credit: PHOEBE LAPINE
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For those of you with a sweet tooth, we have concocted the ultimate soup to please your palate. The maple sugar gives this pumpkin soup a hearty sweetness that’s perfect for Halloween—the one day of the year that's dedicated to sugar. If you can’t find maple sugar, you can substitute regular syrup.

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Pumpkin Soup with Parmesan Croutons

Credit: © Phoebe Lapine
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Calling all traditionalists! This dish is the one for you. This soup makes for an elegant bistro-style appetizer at a Halloween dinner party (which is officially a thing). Serve it in big crocks with extra croutons on the side for passing around to your eager guests. The cheesy crunch is our favorite part.

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Red Curry Pumpkin Soup

Credit: PHOEBE LAPINE
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If you thought curry and Halloween had nothing in common, consider yourself proven wrong. A little curry paste goes a long way in this recipe. It brings serious flavor that you’d never expect in your pumpkin soup, but you’ll love it. You can use reduced-fat coconut milk if you’re looking to lighten up this soup even more.

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Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Thyme

Credit: PHOEBE LAPINE
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Another delicious fall recipe that screams “tradition,” this smooth pumpkin soup hits all the notes you want it to hit. This soup is rich and filling enough to be a main course. If you don’t have fresh thyme, substitute one teaspoon of dried thyme leaves and you’ll be good to go!

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Southwest Pumpkin Soup

Credit: © Emily Farris
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Some like it hot, right? If you like it really hot, this is the pumpkin soup for you. Inspired by Southwest flavors (think jalapeño, ancho chile powder, ground cumin), this pumpkin soup is all that you want on a chilly Halloween night. A giant bowl of this spicy soup is seriously the full package.

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Pumpkin and Apple Soup

Credit: © Emily Farris
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Apple, the other quintessential fall ingredient, comes into play with this epic, autumnal recipe. This creamy pumpkin soup recipe calls for sugar pumpkins, small pumpkins with a sweeter flavor than the large, often flavorless, Jack-o-lantern variety. Because you have to save the large, Jack-o-lantern pumpkins for carving! Everyone knows that.

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Thai Pumpkin Soup

Credit: © Emily Farris
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This Thai-inspired creamy pumpkin soup packs a ton of flavor without too much heat—unless, of course, you opt for the Fresno chile garnish. An easy pumpkin soup recipe to whip up just for your October 31 celebration, your guests will appreciate the creative departure from your traditional pumpkin soup.

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Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Bacon and Thyme

Credit: EMILY FARRIS
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FACT: Everything is better with bacon. Even Halloween, which is especially superb as a holiday just on its own, is better with bacon. Thus, it is no surprise that bacon seriously enhances this creamy, thyme-infused pumpkin soup. We implore you to serve it at your Halloween party. Bacon, people! Bacon!

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Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Credit: © Emily Farris
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A very traditional recipe, this creamy pumpkin soup is even better if it's made a day ahead of time. Just refrigerate overnight, reheat on the stovetop and garnish immediately before serving. That is why it’s great for Halloween entertaining. You don’t need to do any work on October 31 if you think ahead!

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