Instant Pot Pumpkin Soup
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Easy creamy Instant pot pumpkin soup recipe, homemade with simple ingredients in 30 minutes. Full of fresh pumpkin, carrots, onions and flavored with curry powder, ginger, garlic and a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon.
The changing of leaves and crisp Fall air is coming soon and that means tasty Fall recipes, like this one! Nothing warms a belly on a chilly day like this creamy soup. Some other great fall soups to try are Carrot Ginger Soup (One Pot), Curried Butternut Squash Soup (One Pot), and Sweet Potato Soup (One Pot).
How to make instant pot pumpkin soup recipe from scratch?
- Sauté ingredients– This includes onion, carrots, pumpkin, garlic, ginger.
- Mix in remaining ingredients- This includes broth, curry powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, paprika, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Cover- And cook.
- Release pressure– Do this naturally for 10 minutes and then do a quick pressure release.
- Puree soup– Until smooth.
- Add heavy cream- And mix until smooth.
What sides to serve with creamy pumpkin soup with coconut milk?
I like to pair my soups with various breads to soak up the yummy goodness:
- Artisan bread
- Dinner rolls
- Toast
- Biscuits
- Breadsticks
You can also pair it with a tasty salad:
- Thanksgiving Salad (One Pot)
- Pumpkin Salad (One Bowl)
- Harvest Fall Salad (One Bowl)
- Mandarin Orange Salad (One Bowl)
- Easy Pear Salad (One Bowl)
- Apple Salad (One Bowl)
Adding a protein (chicken, turkey, beef, ham, pork) to go alongside this dish is also a great idea:
- Roast Turkey Breast (One Pan)
- Thanksgiving Turkey (One Pan)
- Perfect Roast Beef (One Pot)
- Instant Pot Red Wine Pot Roast
- Garlic Butter Steak Bites (One Pot)
- Grilled Chicken Breast (One Pan)
- Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
Roast pumpkin soup
To add more flavor and depth, you can use Oven Roasted Pumpkin (One Pan). Simply pour oil over the pumpkins, sprinkle with spices, and bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes before adding it to your pot. Be aware that overall cook time for the soup will be shorter and thus, it’s best to do a quick pressure release instead of the natural pressure release.
Soup toppings
Nuts/Seeds- Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, toasted almonds or walnuts.
Herbs- Fresh parsley, rosemary, cilantro, or basil.
Spices- Paprika, dash of cinnamon, or crushed chili flakes.
Creams- Sour cream, coconut milk/cream, or additional heavy cream.
Cheeses– Freshly shredded parmesan, cheddar, or mozzarella.
Croutons– Plain or seasoned.
Variations
Thai soup– Use Thai red chili paste for a new flavor and kick.
Add lentils- You can cadd various types of lentils for texture, flavor, and color! Since lentils absorb a lot of liquid, you may need to add more liquid.
Add other vegetables- Such as carrots, potatoes, celery, or cauliflower.
Add quinoa- Cook some quinoa then add it to your soup for some extra texture.
Add rice- Mix in leftover cooked rice at the end, simmer to let flavors set in. This will make it a hearty meal.
Add meat- Such as cooked sausage, bacon bits, Instant Pot Shredded Beef, or Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken.
Tips and techniques for pumpkin curry soup
Pumpkin bisque vs. Soup– Bisque is a French word and often entails some type of seafood, such as clams or crab. It is also thick and creamy, whereas a soup is typically thinner. However, the word “soup” is often used for any type of liquid dish, including a bisque.
Don’t use canned pumpkin– I don’t recommend it. Canned pumpkin puree should not be substituted in place of a fresh pumpkin because it cannot compete with the natural freshness, color, and flavor. Just trust me on this one!
Soup without cream– You can make this dish without cream, but it will not be as rich and creamy! However, whole milk or a vegan milk, like soy or almond milk can be used as a substitute.
What pumpkin to use? Any type of edible pumpkin will do. Just make sure you don’t use a carving pumpkin, because the flavor and texture will be unpleasant.
How to thicken soup? Just cook uncovered on the “Saute” mode until excess liquid is evaporated and soup is thickened to your desired consistency. The other option is to slowly mix in a cornstarch slurry made up of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water.
How to make soup thinner?– Add more liquid, such as broth, cream, milk, or water.
Why is my soup grainy?– It is likely the pumpkin wasn’t pureed properly. It should be fork tender before blending. The other reason for this is the heavy cream separated.
How to puree soup smooth?– Transfer soup one cup at a time to a classic blender and blend until smooth or make your life easier and use a hand-held immersion blender to smooth soup directly in the pot with less mess and easy cleanup.
Storage for butternut pumpkin soup
Refrigerator- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave.
Freezer- I don’t recommend freezing this soup, because the heavy cream will separate and create an odd texture. You can make this soup beforehand without the heavy cream and then freeze it. When you are ready to enjoy it, heat it and then, mix in the cream.
More Soup Recipes
- Instant Pot Corn Chowder (With Ham, Bacon, Potato)
- Cream of Broccoli Soup
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup (One Pot)
- Split Pea Soup (One Pot)
- Roasted Red Pepper Soup (One Pot)
- Creamy Tortellini Soup (Crockpot)
Instant Pot Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Butter, Unsalted
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 3/4 cup Onion, Finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Carrots
- 6 cups Pumpkin, Peeled and diced
- 3 cloves Garlic, Finely minced
- 1 tbsp Ginger , Freshly grated
- 4 cups Vegetable broth, Low sodium
- 2-4 tsp Curry powder, Adjust according to your preference
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Red chili flakes, Optional
- Salt, To taste
- Pepper, To taste
- 1/2-1 cup Heavy cream, Can replace with full fat coconut milk, Adjust according to your preference
Topping
- 1/4 cup Pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
- 1/3 cup Additional heavy cream or coconut milk , To create swirls
- 1 tbsp Parsley, Fresh, Roughly chopped
Instructions
- Add onion, carrots, pumpkin, garlic, ginger and saute for a few minutes until garlic is fragrant and onion is partially softened.
- Add broth, curry powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, paprika, red chili flakes, salt, pepper and mix until combined.
- Put the lid on and turn the the valve to “Sealing.”
- Select “Manual” mode and set the timer for 10 minutes.
- When the cook time is over, allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and theb, turn the valve to “Venting” and do a quick pressure release.
- Remove lid and use a hand-held immersion blender to puree soup until smooth.
- Continue cooking on the Saute mode to reduce the soup further (if necessary).
- Mix in heavy cream.
- Prior to serving, add toppings of your choice like swirls of heavy cream, pumpkin seeds, parsley, sprinkle of paprika. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave.
Yum! This soup was so good! My whole family loved it, even my super-picky 11 year-old son. The smell of the soup was wonderful, however a little deceiving, because it smelled like pumpkin muffins were baking. The taste was savory, spicy, and delightful!