It is that time of year when hearty soups and chilis are in full swing – Butternut Squash Soup, Kabocha Squash Soup, Sunchoke Soup, Turkey Pumpkin Chili, Vegan Chocolate Chili, Carrot and Ginger Soup, and Vegan Sweet Potato Soup are just to name a few.
But today’s recipe is a special, island-inspired Pumpkin Ginger Soup. If you have been following me for a while you know that we lived in the Caribbean for years. This soup recipe is from those days.
Back in 2013, my husband and I vacationed on an island called Dominica. Dominica is known as the “Nature Island of the Caribbean”. It is simply stunning with waterfalls, rivers, ocean, and pure green everywhere.
I learned this healthy creamy pumpkin soup recipe at a cooking class that we took during our trip. Up until then, I had no idea that you could make a creamy pumpkin soup without using heavy cream.
To my surprise, their dairy-free, low-carb, and vegan version of our favorite fall soup was just as creamy and delicious as the one I made for years. Not to mention, it only took 30 minutes to make.
Honestly, with all the pumpkin that is currently in abundance, I cannot imagine a better way to use it than making this nourishing and heartwarming soup recipe.
Intrigued? Let’s break it down.
Ingredients
All it takes is a handful of simple, seasonally inspired ingredients. Gather together vegetable broth, fresh ginger, fresh cubed pumpkin, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and toasted, unsweetened coconut flakes.
A few helpful tips for ingredients:
- Vegetable Broth: Go for a low-sodium vegetable broth, either dark or light in color. This helps control the salt content in the recipe. If you are okay with it not being vegan, you can also use chicken stock.
- Ginger: I like to purchase a knob of fresh ginger, peel, and grate it fresh. I use a Microplane grater to grate ginger easily.
- Pumpkin: Fresh pumpkin pops up in grocery stores around September. Sugar or pie pumpkin is smaller and sweeter, while the larger pumpkin squash is earthier. That being said, any winter squash will do. Butternut, acorn, or kabocha are all great options.
- Coconut Flakes: This was the garnish used in Dominica and the one I stick to as the finishing touch. If you have time, toast it in a skillet for a few minutes for that nice roasted flavor.
PRO TIP: Have leftover carving pumpkins on hand? Simply peel, core, dice, and use it for this recipe. Since carving pumpkins are earthier and more robust in flavor, you can always add in apple to balance the flavors. Keep reading to learn more!
How to make pumpkin ginger soup?
This homemade pumpkin soup recipe is so easy, it’s ready before you can say, “Pumpkin”! Simply:
- Place all of the soup ingredients in a saucepan: Place cubed pumpkin, onion, garlic, grated ginger, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan. Pour in the vegetable stock and water.
- Cook until all the vegetables are softened: Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until a knife inserted into a pumpkin comes in and out easily.
- Blend the soup: Use an immersion blender or transfer the hot mixture into a food processor or a blender and process until all the pumpkin is pureed.
- Finish: Transfer it back to the pan and boil it one last time. Taste for seasoning and add more if necessary.
- Garnish and serve: When ready to serve, if desired, sprinkle it with toasted coconut flakes, a pinch of cayenne, and/or fresh sage.
Variations for the recipe:
If you liked this pumpkin soup with ginger but would like to switch it up every once in a while, here are a few variations I tried in the past:
- Use Roasted Pumpkin to make Roasted Pumpkin Ginger Soup: For a touch more depth, roast the cubed pumpkin in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30-40 minutes, or until tender. Add to the simmering vegetable broth, season to taste, and blend straight away.
- Add in an Apple and make Pumpkin Apple Soup: Add 1 peeled, cored, and diced apple along with the pumpkin. This adds a subtle sweetness that balances the earthy pumpkin flavor.
- Swap a portion of the broth with Coconut Milk: Replace 1 cup of vegetable broth with 1 cup of coconut milk. For best results, add the coconut milk at the very end after blending. Adjust seasonings accordingly.
Serving suggestions:
My husband and I enjoy this soup as a healthy, plant-powered dinner with a toasted slice of no knead bread.
I love the traditional garnish of toasted, unsweetened coconut flakes and a dash of cayenne adds another level of spice. For some plant-based, vegan protein, feel free to top it with crispy chickpeas from sweet potato soup instead.
It’s too much for one night for the two of us, so we enjoy the leftovers for lunch throughout the week, too.
How to store? Instructions to store in the fridge & freezer:
- Storage: The pumpkin ginger soup will keep best in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: To freeze, cool completely and transfer to a freezer-safe container. Label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thawing: Thaw overnight in the fridge. When ready to reheat, bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Alternatively, reheat individual portions in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
If you liked this soup recipe, you might also like:
- Vegetarian Butternut Squash Soup
- Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup
- Curry Tomato Soup
- Turkish Lentil Soup
- Jerusalem Artichoke Soup
- Broccoli and Feta Soup
- Need more inspiration? Check out all our Soup Recipes.
Other pumpkin recipes you might also like:
- Almond Flour Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin Oat Muffins
- Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe
- Pumpkin Sage Pasta Sauce
- Pumpkin Waffles
- Pumpkin Maple Bread Pudding
- Vegan Pumpkin Shake
- Pumpkin Quinoa Chili
Pumpkin Ginger Soup Recipe
Ingredients
For The Pumpkin Ginger Soup:
- 1 1/2 lbs. pumpkin, peeled and cut in cubes
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 onion, cut into chunks
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 teaspoon salt, more or less to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
For Garnishing (optional)
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 2-3 tablespoon toasted unsweetened coconut flakes
- 2-3 leaves sage
Instructions
Place all of the soup ingredients in a saucepan:
- Place cubed pumpkin, onion, garlic, grated ginger, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan. Pour in the vegetable stock and water.
Cook until all the vegetables are softened:
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until a knife inserted into a pumpkin comes in and out easily.
Blend the soup:
- Use an immersion blender or transfer the hot mixture into a food processor or a blender and process until all the pumpkin is pureed.
Finish & Serve:
- Transfer it back to the pan and boil it one last time. Taste for seasoning and add more if necessary.
- When ready to serve, if desired, sprinkle it with toasted coconut flakes, a pinch of cayenne and/or fresh sage.
Video
Notes
- Use Roasted Pumpkin to make Roasted Pumpkin Ginger Soup: For a touch more depth, roast the cubed pumpkin in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30-40 minutes, or until tender. Add to the simmering vegetable broth, season to taste, and blend straight away.
- Add in an Apple and make Pumpkin Apple Soup: Add 1 peeled, cored, and diced apple along with the pumpkin. This adds a subtle sweetness that balances the earthy pumpkin flavor.
- Swap a portion of the broth with Coconut Milk: Replace 1 cup of vegetable broth with 1 cup of coconut milk. For best results, add the coconut milk at the very end after blending. Adjust seasonings accordingly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Pumpkin and Ginger Soup recipe was originally published in November 2013. It has been updated with new photos and helpful information in October 2020.
Made this last night with a couple of minor variations. Cut down the volume as I am a party of one; used canned pumpkin (on hand, spur of the moment) and topped some squash ravioli as sort of a sauce/soup. What a delish combo! Love the savory flavor. Ended up adding about 1/3 of a can of cream of coconut just because I wanted a bit thicker base but have to say it wasn’t much flavor difference or thickener for the calories it brought. Definitely plan to make the original version in the future, real pumpkin next time. Thanks so much!
Thanks for sharing your experience Kat!
Hey there, Ice! Thanks for this great recipe. Any tips on toast if the coconut? Do I use a little oil? or simply straight in the pan?
Thanks!
Hi Odette,
Honestly, I do not use oil when I toast coconut flakes. They already have a high fat content so you don’t need to use oil when toasting them. I would toast them in low heat and keep a close eye as they might burn quickly. If you want to use oil, use a small amount (1/2 teaspoon or so) coconut oil.
I hope this helps. Please let me know if I can answer any other questions.
Hi Aysegul,
I love your healthy recipes and tried some of them and shared your salads e-book with some friends and family.
I also enjoy all the information you generously share with your readers, thank you for that.
I make my pumpkin soup with similar spices + additional spoonful curry powder and usually add a small sache of Ayam coconut milk powder at the end. I include sweet potatoes, carrots and 2-3 small peeled potatoes too. Result is very pleasing.
Thanks again for your lovely recipes.
So greatful to find an original pumkin&ginger soup recipe!
Thanks Aysegul!
So happy to hear that Sezi. Thanks for stopping by.
I’m a American living in the Dominican Republic and I made this soup tonight it was EZ and so delicious, thank you
Oh that is music to my ears Tottie. I am so glad to hear that you liked it. Thanks for coming back and leaving a comment.
Ice, My 11 year old son is doing a project on Dominica as his contribution to his Grade 6 Classroom’s “Snapshots of Sochi” project. I stumbled upon your blog/website tonight, and I can’t tell you how impressed I am! We have been doing a lot of research over the past few days, and tonight I found everything we’ve learned all beautifully presented on your site. I am very excited to show James your site tomorrow so he can add to his information. Thank you for sharing your wonderful gift of writing. The love, passion and excitement you have for life is evident in every word.
Cheers,
Melody Fitzpatrick
PS. I am totally trying this recipe… YUM!
Dearest Melody,
I am glad that you liked my blog. Thank you for your kind words. They mean a lot to me.
Dominica is the most beautiful place my husband and I have ever been. We loved it so much that we want to go back.
The rivers, jungles, ocean, plants.. everything is beyond beautiful.
Please tell James that if he has any questions, I am available. If there are pictures that he likes (and will help him with his school project) on the Dominica post, I can send him the originals.
This pumpkin ginger soup is so easy to make yet so delicious. That was one thing I was so impressed about Dominica. Everything was simple yet beautiful.
Thanks again for your kind words. I really appreciate it.
Cheers!
Ice
çok güzel fotolar çekmişsin.seni öpüyorum.başaracağına inanıyorum.
Canim Babacigim, Cok cok tesekkur ederim.
Senin desteginle basaracagim.
Iyiki varsin.
Seni cok seven kIzIn – Aysegul
I made this soup two days ago. I had to substitute a 28 oz can of pumpkin rather than fresh and I only had sweetened coconut on hand. It turned out wonderful and the leftovers the next day were even tastier. Since pumpkin in a can can have a metallic taste, I first simmered/reduced it on the stove top for about 10 minutes before starting the soup. . . .learned that trick from America’s Test Kitchen. Somehow the metallic taste “evaporates”. The soup was ready in less than a half hour. Great recipe for making a nutritious, low cost, quick meal. Thanks for sharing!
Oh what a great idea, I did not know. Isn’t the ATK best resource for homecooks?
Happy to hear that it turned out good.
Thank you my friend… Cheers.
Ice
Sounds yummy. I am from the Caribbean and we love pumpkin in many dishes – soups, stews, desserts, curries.
ohh sweet. What part? or should I say, which island?? 🙂
Lately this soup is our favorite. Pumpkin, to me, is such a magical vegetable because, like you said, it tastes great with both sweet and savory dishes.
Hope you will get a chance to try this recipe.. Cheers!
Ice
I will try this soup this weekend. Looks like an excellent combination of flavors…
Can you please also share the recipe of coconut covered fried plantains? Thank you Aysegul!!!