Why you’ll love it: Creamy crockpot pumpkin soup is velvety smooth and delicious. This pumpkin soup recipe is easy to make with easy ingredients, including fresh pumpkin (and you don’t even have to peel it first!).
How long it takes: 15 minute to prep, at least 4 hours slow cooking
Equipment you’ll need: slow cooker, immersion blender
Servings: 8
Creamy Pumpkin Soup in the Crockpot
‘Tis the season, and farmer’s markets and grocery stores are overflowing with pumpkins! On the menu lately is this easy crockpot pumpkin soup. This soup is rich, creamy, and filled with flavor. There are so many ways that you can customize this recipe, so you can enjoy warm pumpkin soup served fresh from the crockpot all season long!
It’s ultra-creamy. This fresh pumpkin soup is satisfyingly creamy and filling, minus the excessive calories of a traditional creamy bisque. You only need 5 ingredients!
There’s a secret ingredient. What makes this pumpkin soup so creamy? My secret: potatoes! Sneaky potatoes give the soup its smooth, rich texture (not to mention, some extra veggie power).
You don’t have to peel the pumpkin. It’s a major time saver. The pumpkin peel becomes very soft throughout the slow cooking process. Once the soup is puréed, you won’t even notice a difference.
And it’s made all in one pot. Everything is simmered together in your crockpot. Set this soup to cook in the morning and return to a home-cooked meal that’s practically ready to serve.
Ingredient Notes
This pumpkin soup recipe has only five ingredients, not counting salt and pepper!
- Pumpkin – Choose a pie pumpkin or a cooking pumpkin (also called sweet pumpkin or sugar pumpkin) not larger than 2 pounds. Large pumpkins can be fibrous and less flavorful.
- Russet Potatoes – It’s best if you choose a starchy potato, like the kind you’d use for mashed potatoes or for baked potatoes. The starches help to thicken the soup and make it creamy, without the cream.
- Onion – Any onion will do. I usually use yellow onions which keep well in the pantry and are less expensive.
- Vegetable Broth – Purchased broth is fine although if you have homemade, all the better. Look for low or no sodium broth, if possible. Chicken broth can be substituted if that’s what you have.
- Heavy Cream – Just a half cup adds a luxurious texture to the soup. Feel free to skip it if you’d prefer.
- Optional Add-Ins – See the section later on and refer to the recipe card for easy soup flavors and variations that you can try.
How To Make Crockpot Pumpkin Soup
Don’t you just love crock pot recipes? Because, same. Here are the super simple steps to make this rich and creamy pumpkin soup in the crock pot:
Prepare the pumpkin. You don’t need to peel the pumpkin. Simply cut it in half, remove the seeds, and chop it into chunks.
Combine. Add the pumpkin pieces to the slow cooker along with the peeled potatoes and chopped onion. Pour in the broth and season with salt and pepper.
Cook. Set the soup to cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.
Purée. Once the veggies are softened, use an immersion blender to process the soup right in the crockpot, until it’s nice and smooth.
Finish and serve! Finally, stir in your heavy cream. Serve the soup as is, or check out some easy variation ideas below to flavor your soup to taste. Afterward, ladle the soup into bowls, and serve.
Tips for Success
- Avoid splatters. Lay a clean towel or paper towel over one half of the crock pot while you use the immersion blender to purée the soup. It helps to prevent hot splatters!
- If you don’t have a hand-held blender, you can process the soup using a food processor or regular blender instead. However, make sure that there is a hole for the hot steam to escape. Very important! Otherwise, an airtight blender + hot soup = explosion!
- In case you’re not serving the soup right away, leave this crockpot pumpkin soup on the “keep warm” setting until you’re ready to serve it.
Recipe Variations
I’ve made this crockpot recipe intentionally simple, which means there’s loads of room for customization! Try one of these delicious variation ideas:
- Spicy. Before serving, stir in 1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste, for a zesty pumpkin soup. Add a dash of cayenne or red pepper flakes, for added spiciness.
- Sweet. Stir in pumpkin pie spice and a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup or honey for a sweeter-tasting soup.
- Curried. Stir in 1 tablespoon curry powder and ¼ cup packed brown sugar (this is my favorite!). See my recipe for pumpkin curry soup made with canned pumpkin.
- Ginger. Add 1 teaspoon of ground ginger. Stir in orange or lemon zest and ¼ cup juice instead of the cream.
- Apple. Add a couple of peeled and chopped apples to the crockpot, and cook with the rest of the ingredients. Stir in a teaspoon of cinnamon with the cream.
- Dairy-free or vegan. Use coconut milk or apple cider instead of heavy cream.
Serving Suggestions
Creative garnishes. Finish your bowls of soup with a swirl of cream or yogurt and toasted pepitas, a sprinkle of spiced pecans or homemade croutons, or a touch of spice.
Sides. Serve this soup with warm bread and dipping oil and a tossed salad with homemade ranch dressing or a fall grain salad, like this farro salad with butternut squash, bacon and cranberries. We also love this fall quinoa salad which is somewhat similar.
Desserts. Continue the pumpkin theme into dessert with homemade pumpkin streusel bread or pumpkin bran muffins. This cranberry coffee cake is an excellent dessert, too.
To get a head start on this soup, you can peel and cut the pumpkin ahead of time and store the pumpkin chunks airtight in the refrigerator, along with the diced onion. To prep the potatoes ahead of time, cover the peeled potatoes with water before storing them in a covered container. Everything will be ready to combine in the crockpot the following day!
Refrigerate. Store leftover pumpkin soup in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the soup gently in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot throughout.
Freeze. Freeze extra pumpkin soup in freezer-safe containers, soup cubes, or bags. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if possible. I advise omitting the cream if you plan on freezing the soup. It’s easy to add it on when you reheat the soup.
More Crockpot Soup Recipes
Crockpot Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
- 1 small pumpkin, around 2 pounds, scrubbed clean (see note)
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup heavy cream
Optional Flavor Add-ins (choose one)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste. Add a dash of cayenne or red pepper flakes for added spiciness
- 1 tablespoon curry powder and ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest and ¼ cup juice instead of the cream + 1 teaspoon ground ginger, if desired
- 1 to 2 peeled and chopped apples – cook with the rest of the ingredients, stir in 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon with the cream
Instructions
- Cut the pumpkin in half and remove seeds with edge of a spoon. Cut into 2-inch chunks, roughly the same size.1 small pumpkin, around 2 pounds, scrubbed clean
- Add pumpkin, onion, and potatoes to the slow cooker, along with vegetable broth, salt and pepper. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.1 small onion, roughly chopped, 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks, 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- After the soup is cooked, carefully use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. To avoid splatters, partially cover the crockpot with a clean towel while you process the soup.
- Slowly stir in the heavy cream. Add desired seasonings, or simply more salat and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately or keep on very low heat until ready to serve.½ cup heavy cream
Notes
- No need to peel the pumpkin: You can leave the peel on the pumpkin for this soup. It will soften and can be puréed with the rest of the soup ingredients. It’s so easy!
- Diary-free or vegan: Use coconut milk or apple cider instead of heavy cream.
- Make ahead tip: Cut up pumpkin, potatoes, and onion the night before. Put the pumpkin and onions in a zip top bag. Cover the potatoes with water so they don’t get discolored.
- Nutrition information does not include optional add-ins.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
Can I use canned pumpkin instead of fresh pumpkin for this recipe?
Yes, I’m sure that would work! Unfortunately we haven’t tested it yet, so I can’t advise on how much to use. Let me know if you give it a try!
Can you substitute butternut squash for the pumpkin?
Absolutely!
perfect for fall
100%!
You say to peel the pumpkin however in the pic the skin is on . Are there certain varieties that you do not have to peel?
We actually tested this recipe both ways and it works either way! Peeling the pumpkin will yield a slightly smoother texture, but it’s barely noticeable. And it makes it so much easier!