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.
I have not made the recipe, but I am looking forward to using it. I do not like to use cream in my soups and this fits my style very well. Thank you for posting this recipe.
Hi! Could this be done in a slow cooker? If so, what are the instructions?
Hi Amanda,
You could make this in the slow cooker. However, you will still need to saute the ground pork and veggies on the stovetop first, in order to soften the vegetables and brown the meat. Once they are cooked, then place all ingredients in the slow cooker and set on low for 2-3 hours.
I can’t wait for fall to come so that I can make this spicy pumpkin soup recipe with pumpkins from my garden. That will make it perfect but you had me right from the get go when you mentioned jalapeno as an ingredient. It’s just so perfect. Thanks for the recipe!
This is a tasty recipe. I agree with a couple other people that it is thin. I added corn meal to a couple of ladle fulls of the liquid to thicken it up. I also added on small jar of green chilies and an extra jalapeño. I will definitely keep this recipe.
Thank you for sharing the recipe! I made this recipe with chickpeas instead of white beans and it was delicious.
I love Pumpkin Soup and this one is really a new recipe! I must try it soon. Thanks for sharing it.
Truly appreciate the way you made this delicious pumpkin soup. Everything is so nicely described that really helped. I am looking forward for more such recipes in future too.
This was so good!! I kept the ingredients the same just left out beans, vegetable broth and skipped the blending. I added 1 lb ground organic beef, homemade chicken bone broth, and cut up 3 big sweet potatoes with skin on. Boiled the soup for 20 minutes covered. It was sooo amazing 😍 I wish I had kale 🥬 to add. Will make this again!! My kids loved it
I’m looking forward to making this recipe, but I want to point out that if you use French’s onion rings, it is NOT gluten-free. Aldi sells a gluten-free version, though, and that’s what I’ll use.
I would like to read the reviews but don’t see any way to access them.
Hi Marcie,
All the reviews are written here in the comments.
This was my first attempt at making pumpkin soup, and it was great! My wife wants me to make it for her office party.
Thank you very much for sharing this post with us . It is looking very delicious , I can’t wait to try this at home.