Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Garlic Sage Butter

There are plenty of sweet things to make with a pumpkin, but this roasted pumpkin soup is one of my favorite ways to take it in the other direction.

Fresh pie pumpkin is roasted until the edges begin to brown, then simmered with bacon, onion, carrots, celery and fennel. Coconut milk makes the soup creamy without making it heavy, and a spoonful of garlic sage butter over the top brings the whole thing together.

It is simple enough for a weeknight dinner, but it is also one of those recipes I look forward to when the pumpkins start coming out of the garden.

If you like simple soups built around vegetables and pantry staples, you may also like my Carrot and ginger soup and Pork and lentil soup. They are both good recipes to keep around when you need to make dinner out of what you already have.

What Kind of Pumpkin Is Best for Roasted Pumpkin Soup?

Use a pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin for this recipe. These smaller pumpkins have denser, sweeter flesh and considerably more flavor than the big carving pumpkins we use for jack-o’-lanterns.

A pumpkin around two pounds works well for one batch.

Butternut squash or kabocha can also stand in for the pumpkin if that is what you have. The flavor will change slightly, but both roast beautifully and make a good, creamy soup.

Why Roast the Pumpkin First?

You can cook pumpkin directly in the soup, but roasting it first is worth the extra step.

As the pumpkin roasts, some of its moisture cooks away and the edges begin to caramelize. That gives the finished soup much more flavor than simply simmering raw pumpkin in chicken stock.

Cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and strings, and roast it until the flesh is tender and the edges have begun to brown. You should be able to easily pierce the flesh with a fork.

And save those pumpkin seeds if you want them. There is no sense throwing away a perfectly good snack.

How to Make Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Start with the pumpkin. Once it is roasted and cool enough to handle, scoop the soft pumpkin flesh away from the skin.

While the pumpkin is roasting, cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Remove the cooked bacon and set it aside, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the pot.

Add the onion, carrots, celery and fennel to the bacon fat and cook until they begin to soften. This is one place I wouldn’t rush. Those vegetables are doing quite a bit of the work in this soup.

Add the roasted pumpkin and chicken stock, then simmer until all of the vegetables are completely tender.

Blend the soup until smooth with an immersion blender. Stir in the coconut milk and adjust the consistency with a little additional chicken stock if necessary.

Crumble the reserved bacon over each bowl and finish with warm garlic sage butter.

A Few Notes Before You Make It

Don’t be afraid of the fennel. Once it is cooked with the other vegetables, it doesn’t make the soup taste strongly of licorice. It adds another layer of savory flavor. If you don’t have fennel, you can leave it out and add a little extra celery.

Use full-fat coconut milk. It gives the soup its creamy texture without requiring heavy cream. Stir the coconut milk well before measuring because the cream and liquid often separate in the can.

Adjust the soup after blending. Pumpkins don’t all contain the same amount of water. If your soup is thicker than you like, add chicken stock a little at a time. If it is thin, simmer it uncovered for a few more minutes.

Don’t skip the garlic sage butter. The soup itself is simple. That warm butter spooned over the top is what makes this particular pumpkin soup worth making.

Storing and Reheating Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Roasted pumpkin soup is a good make-ahead meal and tastes just as good the next day.

Store leftover soup in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to four days. I prefer to store the garlic sage butter separately and add it after reheating.

The soup can also be frozen. Leave a little room in the container for expansion and freeze it without the butter topping. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop, stirring occasionally.

If the soup thickens while sitting, simply add a splash of chicken stock as it reheats.

Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Garlic Sage Butter

Fresh roasted pumpkin, bacon and vegetables blended with coconut milk, then finished with warm garlic sage butter.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin about 2 pounds
• 3 strips bacon chopped
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 carrots chopped
• 2 celery stalks chopped
• 1 small fennel bulb stalks and fronds removed, chopped
• 4 cups chicken stock plus more as needed
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk stirred well
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

For the Garlic Sage Butter

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage

Method

 

1. Roast the pumpkin. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds and strings. Place the pumpkin cut-side down on a baking sheet and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the flesh is very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
2. Let the pumpkin cool until you can comfortably handle it. Scoop the roasted flesh from the skin and set aside.
3. Cook the bacon. Add the chopped bacon to a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot and cook over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set it aside, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the pot.
4. Cook the vegetables. Add the onion, carrots, celery and fennel to the bacon fat. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
5. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
6. Add the roasted pumpkin, chicken stock, salt and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are completely tender.
7. Blend the soup. Remove the pot from the heat and use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. If using a countertop blender, work carefully in small batches when blending hot soup.
8. Return the soup to low heat and stir in the coconut milk. If the soup is thicker than you like, add additional chicken stock a little at a time. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
9. Make the garlic sage butter. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sage and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the garlic is fragrant and the sage begins to crisp. Do not let the garlic brown.
10. Ladle the roasted pumpkin soup into bowls. Top with the reserved bacon and spoon a little warm garlic sage butter over each serving.

Notes

Pumpkin: Pie pumpkins and sugar pumpkins have denser, more flavorful flesh than large carving pumpkins. Butternut or kabocha squash can also be used.

Fennel: The fennel becomes mild as it cooks and does not give the finished soup a strong licorice flavor. If you don’t have it, add another stalk of celery or simply leave it out.

Coconut milk: Use full-fat canned coconut milk for the creamiest soup. Stir it well before measuring.

Consistency: Pumpkin varies considerably in moisture. Add more chicken stock after blending if your soup is too thick. If it is too thin, simmer uncovered until it reaches the consistency you want.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days or freeze the soup without the garlic sage butter for up to 3 months.

Roasted Pumpkin Soup FAQ

Can I use canned pumpkin for roasted pumpkin soup?

Yes, but the flavor will be different because you lose the caramelization that comes from roasting fresh pumpkin. Plain store-bought pumpkin puree can work in a pinch. Do not use pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices.

If using home-canned pumpkin, use safely canned pumpkin cubes, drain them and add them to the soup before blending. Home-canned pumpkin should not be canned as a puree.

Can I make pumpkin soup ahead of time?

Yes. In fact, this is an easy soup to make a day ahead. Prepare the soup, refrigerate it and gently reheat it on the stovetop. Make the garlic sage butter when you’re ready to serve.

Can roasted pumpkin soup be frozen?

Yes. Freeze the soup without the garlic sage butter. Once thawed, stir it well as it reheats and add a little chicken stock if it has become too thick.

What can I substitute for fennel?

You can simply leave it out or replace it with a little additional celery. The fennel adds depth to the soup, but the recipe will still work without it.

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