Spicy Pumpkin Soup
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Aug 8, 2025 
This Spicy Pumpkin Soup recipe is satisfying and nutritious, bold and rich with southwest flavor. Made silky smooth without cream, my vegan and gluten-free pumpkin soup is a comfort to the soul.
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
A good bowl of soup can be as comforting as a silent prayer. A warm blanket. A letter from a friend. And this spicy pumpkin soup is the definition of wholesome and seasonal.
I love this particular pumpkin soup recipe because it’s rich and zesty with deep earthy undertones. Strong southwest flavors of onion, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, and oregano mingle with the savory-sweet pumpkin, to create a rustic soup, hearty enough to be a stand-alone meal.
Why You’ll Love Spicy Pumpkin Soup
- Nutritious – This recipe is naturally vegetarian and with a few changes, you can easily make it vegan.
- Bold flavors – From the savory spices to the creamy pumpkin base, every spoonful of this soup is loaded with impressive flavors.
- Easy to make – Ready in less than 1 hour, this soup required just a handful of easy-to-follow steps.
Oh, and did I mention that this pumpkin soup recipe uses canned pumpkin, so there is no need to roast a full pumpkin!
Ingredients and Tips
- Pumpkin purée – Make your life easier and use canned, pure pumpkin puree!
- White beans – For protein, use the canned variety.
- Jalapeño – Remember to remove the seeds!
- Onion and garlic – Use white onion and whole cloves of garlic.
- Honey – Use a high-quality honey to add a hint of sweetness.
- Spices – You’ll need a blend of cumin, dried oregano and cayenne.
- Garnishes – Use pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and French fried onions like French’s.
Recipe Variations and Dietary Swaps
- Vegan – Swap the honey with agave or a little bit of maple syrup.
- Creamy – Stir in some coconut milk or heavy cream.
- Protein boost – Add a handful of chickpeas or shredded chicken.
How To Make Spicy Pumpkin Soup
Tips for success – An immersion blender is nice to have for this recipe, but you can use a standard blender as well.
Find the full Spicy Pumpkin Soup recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Place in a leftover container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing Leftovers – Store in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.
- Reheating Leftovers – Reheat in a pot over medium heat or in the microwave in short bursts.
Serving Suggestions
This spicy pumpkin soup is a meal in itself but there’s so many sides to enjoy it with!
Pair it with this Gourmet Grilled Cheese or this Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread. You can also enjoy it with a light and simple green salad.
Spicy Pumpkin Soup Recipe
Ingredients
For the Spicy Pumpkin Soup:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 8 cups vegetable stock
- 29 ounces pure pumpkin puree
- 15 ounces white beans, drained
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
For the Toasted Pepita Topping:
- 1/2 cup pepitas pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup french fried onions like French’s
- Cayenne
- Salt
Instructions
- Place a large sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil, onion, garlic and jalapenos. Saute for 3-5 minutes until soft. Stir in the cumin, oregano and salt. Saute another 2 minutes.
- Add the stock, pumpkin puree and beans to the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes, uncovered. Then add the vinegar and honey and simmer another 3-5 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. *You can also use a regular blender, but be careful! Open the vent in the lid and place a towel over it to protect from hot splashing liquid.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the pepitas and onions out on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with a dash or two of cayenne pepper and a little salt. Toast for 3-4 minutes.
- Serve the soup warm, sprinkled with toasted pepitas and onions.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! You can roast your own pumpkins or winter squash for this recipe and use the flesh as the pumpkin puree. The medium-sized pumpkin are easiest to slice and roast and have a good amount of flesh in the middle.
If you need the soup to be thicker, add a bit of extra canned pumpkin puree and it will thicken right up! Start with 1-2 tablespoons and continue adding if you need to, to create a thick and creamy pumpkin soup.
Fantastic recipe! Great instructions and so easy! Big raves from the husband and our next door neighbors!
In fact, the husband said this was my “top soup” of all time & said it was every bit as good as something from a 5-star restaurant!
Thank you!!
Just made this today & it turned out delicious! I doubled the jalapeno since one for a whole pot didn’t sound that spicy. Next time I will consider three jalapenos or keeping the seeds, but I guess everything is relative. I topped with the cayenne-toasted onions & a dollop of sour cream & it was delicious! Couldn’t find the pepitas at the grocery yesterday, but there’s a specialty store nearby that I’ll try next time. My fiance is vegetarian and we’re always looking for hearty soups that have some protein but aren’t the same old vegetarian chili that you see all the time. Thanks!!
I follow this recipe exactly and it’s definitely a winner! This freezes well too. (By the way, this soup is vegan without trying to be.)
This sounds lovely. Going to give this a go. thanks for sharing this recipe.
Simon
Please help me with the pumpkin. Is it canned? Is it the same pumpkin I use to make pie? Do I use a real pumpkin? How do I do that? Is 8 cups of veg stock too much like some said? You have a novice here so please help.
That’s so beautifully written and photographed, Sommer! Thank you for sharing.
Hi, good recipe. I wanted a Tex-Mex style pumpkin soup, and this fit the bill. However I made some changes.
1. I reduced the cumin by a quarter, but even then I and my dad felt it was too much. I would recommend reducing it by half and add more to taste.
2.In lieu of jalapeno peppers, I used Sriracha. Turn out great.
3.I added some smoked paprika, which gave it a light roasted flavor.
4. The soup was great as is, but I chose to add about a cup of heavy cream for richness, and it helped mellow the cumin and spiciness.
Thanks for sharing Pat!
Dear Sommer,
I found your southwest pumpkin soup recipe – just what I had in mind flavor-wise – but I never expected to find such an exquisit-ly beautiful female soul – a flower so humble and thankful emitting a rare ragrance the cost of which speaks for itself.
Sincerely, Kathaleen
Love the soup; I get tired of bland, creamy pumpkin soups. But as for the advice? Well, some people get destroyed by hard times, and they don’t bounce back. And that is that.
HUGE crowd fave at a Day of the Dead dinner party. And, it was easy enough that I still had time to do some ghostly makeup. I tripled the honey and added a little bit of sour cream, butter and cayenne to the soup. The topping was perfect to make good use of carving pumpkin seeds! Nice one!!!
I came for a soup recipe and left with perspective… and wet cheeks. Thanks for sneaking in a bit of love with this recipe – it’s just what I needed today.
Samantha, thanks for reading my post. It means a lot!!
I keep coming back to this recipe time and time again. I just thought i should thank you for sharing this. I’m making it for about the 5th time tonight to accommodate my vegan and gluten free friends for book group. Thank you!