This is how we Autumn. Creamy. Cozy. Harvest pumpkin leek soup. I’m convinced that fall isn’t really here until you make a potful of warm and hearty pumpkin soup. Luxury in the simplest way possible. This spice-scented pumpkin leek soup doesn’t need to be slow-simmered for hours. It’s as simple and sautéing a few aromatics, adding in a few select spices and then tossing it in a blender to make it nice and smooth. Guess what? It’s warm and delicious and it’s ready in about 40 minutes. In addition to being the creamiest, most velvety pumpkin soup I’ve ever encountered, it’s very nutritionally dense as it’s packed full of veggies, and there is just a smidge of cream at the end to smooth it all out.
Every year I make a batch of autumn-inspired soup around this time. Usually, I lean towards butternut squash. I’ll admit, it’s the kind that’s already cut into tiny pieces because one too many times I’ve proven, I can’t be trusted around a whole butternut squash and a butcher knife. Then, I’ll end up either tossing it all into a crockpot to slow simmer with apples and carrots or an instant pot and letting it cook until the squash is tender and the flavors blend together in harmony. This year, I wanted to not only change up the kind of squash I’m using but also to make a stovetop version for those of us that maybe don’t own a slow cooker or an instant pot. And if that wasn’t enough, I thought it best to come up with something that I could make rather quickly. And so this harvest pumpkin leek soup was born! The thing I love most about my pumpkin leek soup is that it’s one of those soups where the flavors intensify as it sits, so if you’re planning a holiday get together and would like to serve this soup, it works perfectly if you make it a day or two ahead. It also happens to freeze beautifully so single servings for work or a large batch for later is also doable with this soup.
What do you need to make pumpkin leek soup?
butter thinly sliced leeks chopped onions/celery/carrots chopped garlic pumpkin puree bay leaf maple syrup fresh herbs spices chicken stock heavy cream
How do you clean leeks?
The best way to clean and prep the leeks for this soup is to cut off the dark green portion first. Do not discard, you could easily use this to make homemade stock. Then, slice the leek down the center to expose the inner layers. Place the leeks under cold running water and wash while gently separating the layers. Try to keep the halves intact though. You don’t want to separate out the layers! Once cleaned, place the cut side down on a cutting board and thinly slice them as you would any other vegetable. The other way to do it is to cut thin rings once you’ve removed the dark green portion then submerge the rings into a bowl of cold water. Carefully remove the leeks from the top as the sediments will sink to the bottom. Either way works!
Do you have to roast your own pumpkin for pumpkin soup?
Absolutely not! This soup has been specifically developed to be made rather quickly so a can of pumpkin puree works beautifully here. If you’d rather make your own puree, more power to you! I’m sure this soup would taste even better that way!
I’m vegan, can I use something else instead of heavy cream in pumpkin soup?
You can swap the heavy cream for coconut cream to make this recipe suitable for vegans. I haven’t tried it in this recipe myself, but I have done so in other soup recipes and it works like a charm!
How to make pumpkin leek soup:
I hope you’ll make this simple harvest pumpkin soup for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving or for weekly lunches! It’s cozy and filling and you’ll feel good knowning it didn’t come from a can and that you made it all from scratch. I love serving it alongside turkey sandwiches — a fall staple for us!
