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This creamy harvest pumpkin soup is loaded with fall’s bounty and comforting spices. It’s easy and can be made ahead for freezing!
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Looking for a delicious way to stay warm and toasty this autumn season? Look no further than this easy harvest pumpkin soup!
Slurp your way through fall with a creamy pumpkin soup brimming with warm spices and flavors from two of the season’s bounty: pumpkin and apples. 😋
And even though pumpkin harvest soup is right on time for fall, you’ll want to make this soup recipe forever!
What Is Harvest Pumpkin Soup?
The crisp weather is here, and what better way to spend the autumn season than sipping a comforting hot bowl of pumpkin soup? But let’s not make just any pumpkin soup; let’s whip up a harvest pumpkin soup!
Harvest pumpkin soup got its name from, as you have probably guessed, its ingredients, which are fall’s bounty.
In this particular pumpkin harvest soup recipe, we’ll put the spotlight on pumpkin and apples. (I also have other delicious ingredient ideas that you can add to make this dish even heartier and bountiful, so read this entire post. 😉)
Back to our fall harvest soup, you’ll get the season’s cozy flavors in every smooth and creamy spoonful.
What makes this recipe extra special is it does not fall short on flavor. Sure, we can just make a basic harvest pumpkin soup with stock, pumpkin puree, maybe some cream, and a spice or two.
But in my opinion, the soup will only be worthy of the word “harvest” in its name if it’s made with a whole host of autumnal ingredients. Don’t worry; we won’t get too crazy with the ingredient list because I’m sure you already have most of them in your kitchen.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Harvest Soup Recipe
- Creamy And Hearty: Harvest pumpkin soup is deliciously creamy and satisfying that it can be both a main dish and an appetizer. Every ingredient plays a role in every comforting sip of this soup, and the addition of cream makes it better, if that’s even possible.
- Just In Time For Fall: With pumpkin puree, apples, and autumnal spices, this fall harvest soup is about to become a tradition on your fall table. This easy recipe makes the classic pumpkin soup more special and crave-worthy.
- Perfect For Hosting: Pumpkin harvest soup is perfect for fall gatherings, including Thanksgiving! It’s easy to whip up, and since it tastes better the longer it sits, you can make it in advance to save on prep time. I’ve shared how you can store your pumpkin soup below.
What Does Harvest Soup Taste Like?
Fall harvest soup tastes comforting but also spicy. You’ll get familiar pumpkin soup flavors with a kick–a delightful surprise on a crisp autumn day.
It’s like your favorite pumpkin soup is tweaked for your autumnal cravings. I think it’s fitting to call it “fall in a bowl” because it tastes like the cozy season.
But what does “tastes like fall” even mean?
This easy recipe will give you a warm bowl of creamy pumpkin soup made of pumpkin puree, apples, and a bunch of spices; if that’s not fall enough for you, then I don’t know what is!
We’ve made a stunning pumpkin soup before, but it’s a pretty simple recipe made with pumpkin cubes, veggie broth, cream, some salt, onion, and garlic. It tastes good, but for this autumn season, don’t you agree hearty soups that can be a meal on their own will fit the mood better?
You can blend the spiced harvest pumpkin soup as velvety as you want or leave some bits for a chunkier soup. Then, add some cream and more herbs before serving, and you have yourself a nourishing pick-me-up for the tummy and soul.
Ingredients For Pumpkin Soup
- Bacon – Compared to other pumpkin harvest soups with just onion for its base, we’ll take the best flavors of bacon with onions as our recipe’s soup base.
- Yellow onion – The sweet and “spicy” yellow onion is the perfect onion for our pumpkin harvest soup.
- Small apples – Any apple variety works, but the subtle sweetness of Gala apples tastes wonderful with the nutty pumpkin flavor.
- Pumpkin puree – Make sure you grabbed the correct can and not a can of pumpkin pie filling! Can you imagine how odd its flavor will be in spiced harvest pumpkin soup?
- Chicken stock – Be mindful of the saltiness of your stock, especially when adding the rest of the seasonings.
- Apple cider – Apple cider’s autumnal flavor is very fitting for our hearty pumpkin soup.
- Orange liqueur – Adds an interesting flavor to this creamy pumpkin soup, and to be honest, I think I’ll always add this ingredient to my pumpkin soup recipes!
- Five-spice powder – I know we already have an array of warm spices in this recipe, but this spice blend seals the deal for harvest pumpkin soup to become the best soup for fall. It’s sweet, warm, and every spoonful is never dull.
- Ground cinnamon – You can also add more cinnamon to the soup before serving.
- Ground ginger – Ginger just pairs well with pumpkin both in sweet and savory dishes.
- Grated nutmeg – This warm, woody spice completes the creamy harvest pumpkin soup. If you don’t include it, you’ll definitely recognize its absence.
- Cayenne pepper – Smoky and sweet, this adds another interesting layer of flavor to our velvety harvest pumpkin soup.
- Smoked paprika – Another spicy addition that makes our homemade pumpkin soup ten times better than the classic version.
- Light brown sugar – Yes, this fall harvest soup is sweetened both by light brown sugar and maple syrup. Just trust me on this!
- Dried bay leaves – This is optional, but like in many recipes that have bay leaves, the soup just tastes incomplete without it.
- Fresh thyme – You can also save some for garnish.
- Sriracha sauce – Adds a kick that complements the rich, creamy soup really well.
- Maple syrup – This sweetener also offers hints of vanilla and toffee, so our delicious pumpkin soup is not just sugary sweet.
- Heavy cream – Added at the end like the perfect icing on a cake, cream makes this soup dreamy and rich.
Tools Needed To Prepare Fall Harvest Soup
- Pot for cooking your harvest pumpkin soup
- Slotted spoon for transferring the bacon
- Paper towel for absorbing the excess bacon grease
- Ladle for scooping out the soup
- Blender for pureeing the soup
- Serving bowl
Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For Pumpkin Soup
Vegan-friendly substitutes
You can also make this pumpkin harvest soup an all-veggie soup! Swap chicken stock with vegetable stock, and instead of heavy cream, use coconut cream!
Root vegetables you can add
Make every bowl of this fall harvest soup a literal harvest in a bowl! Some delicious additions are carrots, potatoes, and shallots!
Additional herbs and spices
We kept our base for this soup simple: bacon and onions. But if you have leeks, celery, and garlic, they’re also perfect for a savory and aromatic base that goes well with pumpkin.
How to Make Pumpkin Soup from Scratch
Ingredients:
- 3 slices bacon, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 small apples, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/4 cup apple cider
- 1 tbsp orange liqueur
- 3/4 tsp five-spice powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- Pinch of grated nutmeg
- Pinch of cayenne pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tsp sriracha sauce to taste
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 4 tbsp heavy cream
Tools you need:
Instructions:
STEP 1: Gather the ingredients for your harvest pumpkin soup.
STEP 2: Place a pot over medium heat.
STEP 3: Add the bacon and cook for 3 minutes until browned.
STEP 4: When the bacon begins to crisp, remove it from the pot and transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess grease.
STEP 5: Add the onions to the same pot where you cooked the bacon. Cook them for 3 minutes or until soft and opaque.
STEP 6: Add the apples and cook for a minute or two. Then, return the bacon to the pot and add the pumpkin puree.
STEP 7: Add the chicken stock, apple cider, orange liqueur, five-spice powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, paprika, brown sugar, bay leaves, thyme, sriracha, and maple syrup. Stir the ingredients together.
STEP 8: Turn the heat to medium-low and allow the soup to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
STEP 9: Transfer the soup to a blender. Blend until smooth.
STEP 10: Add the heavy cream and blend for a few seconds until combined with the soup.
STEP 11: Garnish your spiced harvest pumpkin soup with more cream and herbs before serving. Enjoy!
What Goes Good with Pumpkin Soup?
Serve the warm and comforting bowl of pumpkin harvest soup with extra bacon and cream on top. But for me? There’s nothing better than dipping buttery garlic bread into this creamy soup. 🤤
You can also be generous with the toppings and garnish your spiced harvest pumpkin soup with a drizzle of honey, maybe some chives, or even feta cheese for a mouthwatering start at your Thanksgiving dinner.
Seeds like our air fryer pumpkin seeds and pumpkin-shaped bread that are essentially soft and fluffy bread rolls immediately come to mind as other delicious partners for this cozy soup!
But if you want to eat your harvest pumpkin soup like a meal, it’ll be perfect alongside crispy roasted veggies to contrast its creaminess or, for protein lovers, roasted chicken with crispy skin and juicy meat.
And for those who want something better than just crispy veggies and roasted chicken, you might like our accordion potatoes and juicy chicken 101 with harvest pumpkin soup. Both are actually viral recipes, so you don’t want to miss them out!
Tips About Making Spiced Harvest Pumpkin Soup
- Don’t feel limited with canned pumpkin puree. You can also make your spiced harvest pumpkin soup with fresh pumpkins roasted at 400°F for 45 minutes. Just don’t forget to peel them before using them in the puree.
- With the abundance of spices and seasonings in this pumpkin harvest soup recipe, keep in mind to taste your soup as you go. Adjust the ingredients as needed and add the seasoning slowly so you won’t go overboard with the saltiness, spiciness, or earthiness of some ingredients.
- I like my fall harvest soup velvety smooth, but you can also just puree some of the soup for texture. I know some people who prefer chunkier pumpkin soups!
How To Store Pumpkin Harvest Soup
- Fridge: After cooling, just refrigerate your leftover spiced harvest pumpkin soup in an airtight container. You can store it for 4 to 6 days!
- Freezer: Harvest pumpkin soup is a great make-ahead soup for fall gatherings. You can freeze it in a freezer-safe container for 3 months! Just some advice: Do not add the cream yet if you plan on freezing your harvest pumpkin soup.
- Reheating: Defrost your pumpkin soup and heat as needed. Then, add the cream and proceed with the rest of the recipe steps.
Can You Eat the Skin of Pumpkin in Soup?
Technically, pumpkin skin is edible. But for soup, it’s better to remove the skin of the pumpkin.
Some varieties have tough skins, and you might not get a perfectly smooth puree if you leave them on.
However, some use roasted pumpkin with skin on in their pumpkin mixture for the soup, so it’s definitely a matter of preference. 🤷♀️
Why Is My Pumpkin Soup Bitter?
If your pumpkin soup is bitter, you have cucurbitacins to blame.
Don’t worry! The chances of getting a pumpkin from the store that contains a high amount of cucurbitacins are very rare since pumpkins from the market are cultivated to produce little to no cucurbitacins (Thank you, dear farmers!)
However, it’s a good idea to avoid eating a pumpkin soup that tastes bitter.
After all, pumpkins are supposed to be delicious, not bitter.
What Kind of Pumpkin is Good for Soup?
The short answer is to pick a hard pumpkin variety when making a pumpkin soup. This is because pumpkins with softer flesh can make the soup watery, not thick and dreamy. 🫤
But if you can’t find a pumpkin, you can always use canned pumpkin puree or butternut squash for your soup.
FAQ About Pumpkin Soup
Can you freeze pumpkin soup?
Yes, for up to 3 months! Just follow the recipe right before you need to add the cream. Then, when you serve the soup, defrost it first, heat it up, and continue with the rest of the recipe.
What thickens pumpkin soup?
The easiest way to thicken pumpkin soup is with cornstarch (Make a paste with a few tablespoons of pumpkin soup and a tablespoon of cornstarch, then add it to the pot.) But personally, I prefer using cream.
What other herbs and spices can be added to harvest pumpkin soup?
Some other delicious herbs and spices you can add to your pumpkin harvest soup are turmeric, ground cumin, ground sage, coriander, parsley flakes, and dried basil leaves. You can even sprinkle them on the soup right before serving!
Harvest Pumpkin Soup
This creamy harvest pumpkin soup is loaded with fall's bounty and comforting spices. It's easy and can be made ahead for freezing!
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 small apples, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/4 cup apple cider
- 1 tbsp orange liqueur
- 3/4 tsp five-spice powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- Pinch of grated nutmeg
- Pinch of cayenne pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tsp sriracha sauce to taste
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 4 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients for your harvest pumpkin soup.
- Place a pot over medium heat.
- Add the bacon and cook for 3 minutes until browned.
- When the bacon begins to crisp, remove it from the pot and transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess grease.
- Add the onions to the same pot where you cooked the bacon. Cook them for 3 minutes or until soft and opaque.
- Add the apples and cook for a minute or two. Then, return the bacon to the pot and add the pumpkin puree.
- Add the chicken stock, apple cider, orange liqueur, five-spice powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, paprika, brown sugar, bay leaves, thyme, sriracha, and maple syrup. Stir the ingredients together.
- Turn the heat to medium-low and allow the soup to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer the soup to a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Add the heavy cream and blend for a few seconds until combined with the soup.
- Garnish your spiced harvest pumpkin soup with more cream and herbs before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you have fresh pumpkins, you can roast them for this harvest pumpkin soup instead of using canned puree! Roast them flesh side down at 400°F for 45 minutes. Don't forget to discard their skins before blending your pumpkin with the rest of the ingredients!
- Feel free to adjust the spices and seasonings in this recipe. Remember that it's better to under-season because you can always add more at the end. Taste your soup as you go.
- I like my spiced harvest pumpkin soup smooth, but you can also just puree some of the soup, so you'll still have some pieces of veggies left for texture.
* This recipe was originally published on 11/2011 by Jaclyn. Notes and photos were updated on 10/2023.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 201Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 112mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 6gSugar: 19gProtein: 11g
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for the most accurate results.
Conclusion
Gather the best bounty this fall and turn them into this hearty and comforting harvest pumpkin soup!
Made with pumpkin puree, apples, and warm spices, every spoonful of this autumn soup will satisfy your tummy and soul, whether you’re a pumpkin fan or not.
This pumpkin harvest soup is also on another level, thanks to other ingredients that add complexity to the dish’s flavor. Think orange liqueur, brown sugar, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, sriracha sauce, and heavy cream! 😋
Whether as an appetizer or main dish, there’s no doubt that spiced harvest pumpkin soup is about to become your favorite fall tradition.
Oh, and it also freezes well!
Pumpkin soup is not the only recipe we have that tastes like fall. This autumn, satisfy the pumpkin addict in you and whip up these amazing pumpkin recipes that prove you can do so much more than just carve the season’s harvest: