Vegan Pumpkin Soup
Vegan Pumpkin Soup is a fall lover’s delight! Made with minimal ingredients and creamy without the cream, this healthy vegan soup is easy to make using one pot and ready in 30 minutes!
Fall is here, and everything’s better with pumpkin! This creamy vegan pumpkin soup is the ultimate cozy, nourishing meal – perfect for crisp autumn days, weeknight dinners, or a colorful soup for entertaining a crowd.
Why We Love This Recipe!
- Super simple to whip up with just a handful of everyday ingredients (no fancy shopping required!).
- Red lentils add hearty bulk, plant-based protein, and extra creaminess without any dairy.
- Totally customizable – adjust the spices, toppings, or even make it oil-free to suit your preferences or dietary needs.
- Versatile enough for a quick lunch or elegant enough to serve as a starter at Thanksgiving or holiday gatherings.
So without further ado, let’s make something wonderful!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This easy vegan soup requires just a few simple ingredients, including:
- Pumpkin – Opt for a medium-sized baking pumpkin (like a sugar pie or pie pumpkin). Prepping it yourself is the biggest step here, but the fresh, rich taste is absolutely worth it – no canned pumpkin can compare!
- Aromatics – Onion and garlic form the flavorful foundation, sautéed gently to bring out their natural sweetness and depth.
- Red Lentils – These little powerhouses add hearty texture, plant-based protein, and extra creaminess when blended. They cook quickly, melt right into the soup (you won’t even spot them!), and soak up all the cozy pumpkin flavors. Widely available in most grocery stores – just rinse and go. (You can skip them if needed, as noted in the recipe, but don’t sub with other lentils—they behave differently.)
- Spices – We keep it straightforward: just salt, black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a gentle, warming kick that you can adjust to taste.
- Herbs – A bit of thyme (fresh or dried) infuses earthy notes, while a sprinkle of fresh parsley at the end adds brightness, color, and that fresh herbaceous pop.
- Liquids – A simple mix of water and vegetable broth concentrate does the trick. I’m a huge fan of Better Than Bouillon Base (affiliate link) – just 1 teaspoon (or less) packs incredible flavor without overpowering the soup. One jar lasts forever and makes soups taste homemade and rich!
How To Cut & Peel A Pumpkin For Soup
Don’t let the pumpkin’s tough exterior intimidate you – prepping a fresh baking pumpkin is the most hands-on part of this recipe, but it’s straightforward with a sharp knife and a steady hand. After you do it once, it’ll feel easy!
- Start with a stable setup: Place the pumpkin on a large cutting board with a non-slip surface (damp paper towel underneath helps). Use a sharp chef’s knife (8–10 inches is ideal) for best results.
- Cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise: Position the pumpkin stem-side up. Insert the tip of your knife near the center (next to the stem), then rock the blade downward using body weight on the handle to push through. The pumpkin will naturally split along its grooves. Work around the stem if needed—the stem area is the toughest spot. You should end up with two neat halves.
- Quarter the halves: Lay each half cut-side down for stability. Slice each half in half again lengthwise to create quarters. This makes handling much easier.
- Scoop out the seeds and strings: Using a sturdy spoon (ice cream scoop or large tablespoon works great) is ideal to scrape out all the seeds and stringy pulp. Get as much of the fibrous bits as possible for a smoother soup later. (Bonus: Save the seeds for roasting!)
- Slice into manageable strips Cut each quarter crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips. You’ll typically get 12–16 strips total, depending on the pumpkin size.
- Peel off the tough skin Lay a strip skin-side down on the board (flat side up for stability). Holding the strip steady, carefully slice downward along the curve to remove the hard outer skin in thin strips. It usually takes 6–8 slices per strip to get it all off – angle the knife slightly inward to follow the flesh contour and minimize waste.
- Cube the flesh Cut the peeled strips into ¾–1-inch cubes. Even sizes help them cook uniformly. You should end up with about 6–8 cups of cubes, perfect for this soup.
Roast The Pumpkin Seeds!
Save those seeds and roast them for a crunchy topping. They’re super easy to make and great for snacking! Here’s my tutorial on How To Roast Pumpkin Seeds.
How To Make Vegan Pumpkin Soup
This soup comes together in just a few simple steps – mostly hands-off simmering time!
- Sauté the aromatics: In a large 5 or 6-quart. Dutch oven or pot, saute onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Add the thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir for another 1 minute until everything smells wonderfully fragrant.
- Add remaining ingredients and simmer: Add the cubed pumpkin, red lentils, and liquids. Give a good stir. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Soup is ready when the pumpkin is fork-tender, and the lentils are soft. Let the soup cool for a few minutes.
- Cool slightly and puree: Remove the pot from the heat and let the soup cool for 5–10 minutes. Using an immersion blender (affiliate link) or blender, puree the pumpkin soup to the desired consistency. Feel free to leave it a little chunky!
- Finish and serve: Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes to your liking. Stir in the fresh parsley or use it as a garnish when serving.
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Leftovers can be stored refrigerated for 5-6 days in a covered container.
- Freezer: Pumpkin soup freezes well for 2-3 months! To freeze, let cool completely, then store in freezer-safe containers (affiliate link), leaving 1/2-inch headspace for expansion. Let thaw before reheating. You can also freeze larger portions in large ziplock bags.
- Reheat: Simply re-warm on the stovetop or the microwave. It makes a great meal prep for the week!
Serving Suggestions
Here are a few ideas to make your soup into a completely satisfying meal:
- Toppings: Top chopped parsley, pepitas, red pepper flakes, a drizzle of Vegan Cream, or Crispy Roasted Chickpeas.
- Bread: Serve with a chunk of homemade Artisan Bread or Vegan Naan for soaking up the juices. For a gluten-free option, try this easy Socca flatbread made with chickpea flour.
- Grain: For texture and heartiness, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup white rice, brown rice, or farro.
- Salad: Pair with Roasted Butternut Squash Salad, Autumn Wheat Berry + Butternut Squash Salad, or a simple leafy green salad with Vegan Ranch, Lemon-Herb Hemp Dressing, or Healthy Flax & Evo Balsamic Vinaigrette.
- Veggies: Serve with Crispy Baked Kale Chips or Savory Sauteed Kale.
Adjusting For Dietary Restrictions
- Grain-Free: Omit the lentils and reduce the liquids to 4 cups to make this recipe grain-free, adding more liquids as needed.
- Gluten-Free: This soup is already gluten-free!
- Low-Fat: There is an option to top with pepitas (I’ve included them in the topping you see here). They add texture, but if you’re going for low-fat, omit them. Or omit the oil, and add a few seeds.
- Oil-Free: When sautéing the onions and garlic, use 2-3 tablespoons of water/vegetable broth instead of oil. The broth will yield the most flavor, but water is great, too, and is what I usually use.
More Easy Soup Recipes!
- This fan-favorite Butternut Squash Soup + Red Lentils
- Moroccan Pumpkin & Chickpea Stew
- A Very Good Split Pea Soup
- Asparagus + Red Lentil Soup
- Vegan Potato Leek Soup
- See all vegan soup recipes on TSV!
If you try this creamy pumpkin soup recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love hearing what you think or any changes you make.
Print Recipe
VEGAN PUMPKIN SOUP
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 – 6 1x
Description
Vegan pumpkin soup recipe with minimal ingredients is easy to make using one pot and ready in 30 minutes! This healthy soup features red lentils and is creamy without the cream!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or 1/4 cup water/broth for water saute)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 – 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 – 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
- generous pinch of red pepper flakes
- 4 – 5 lb. baking pumpkin, skin peeled, seeds removed and cubed
- 1 cup dried red lentils (rinsed under cool running water)
- 6 cups broth or water (or combo)
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley, to garnish
- pepitas, to garnish
Instructions
Sauté: In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat oil/water over medium heat, then add onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the thyme, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, stir and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
Add remaining ingredients: Add the pumpkin, red lentils and liquids, bring to a boil, cover, to low and simmer at a gentle boil for 20 minutes. Soup is ready when pumpkin is fork tender and lentils are soft.
Puree: Remove soup from heat, let cool a few minutes. Using an immersion blender (or stand blender), puree the soup to desired consistency. Feel free to leave it a little chunky! Stir in the fresh parsley or use it as a garnish when serving.
Serve: Spoon into serving bowls and top with pumpkin seeds, red pepper flakes, pepper, and more fresh parsley.
Enjoy your soup with a chunk of homemade Artisan Bread or Vegan Naan Bread for soaking up the juices. For gluten-free, try this easy Socca flatbread made with chickpea flour.
Serves 4 – 6
Store: Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator, in a covered container, for 5 – 6 days. To store longer, freeze portions in freezer-safe containers or baggies for up to 2 – 3 months. Let thaw before heating.
Reheat: Warm the soup on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through, or warm in the microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval.
Notes
If you don’t have lentils or want to keep this grain-free, omit the lentils and use 4 cups of water instead of 6 cups. I don’t recommend using any other type of lentil with this recipe.
When making soups, I use this Better Than Bouillon to season my water instead of using vegetable broth. I use 1 teaspoon for every 4-6 cups of water, with great results and less sodium. Plus, my jar goes a long way!
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: I love my immersion blender for pureeing soups. It’s easy to clean, small, and fits well in a utensil drawer.
Nutritional information is calculated using 3 cups of vegetable broth.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: Entree, Soup
- Method: Stovetop, Simmer
- Cuisine: Vegan, American
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Do you know about how many cups of cubed pumpkin would this be? My store sometimes has pre-cut gourds and tubers, so I was going to go the easy route and use those if I do make this. Thanks.
Great question, Jennifer! I suggest using 3 – 4 lbs. of cubed packaged pumpkin. Enjoy!
Can this soup be made in slow cooker?
Yes, you can make this pumpkin soup in a slow cooker. Simply add the ingredients to the bowl, mix, and cook on HIGH for 4 – 5 hours or LOW for 8 – 10. Enjoy!
I’m OBSESSED with this soup! I was a little heavy-handed with the red pepper flakes so it ended up pretty feisty, but so delicious!
Ridiculously tasty!
do you know if you can use canned organic pumpkin puree?
Hi Bethany, that’s a great question! I would say yes, you can use canned pumpkin puree. I’ve not tried it myself, but I’m sure it would be great. I would suggest using 2 cans, start with one and add the other if needed (this is what I would do). Please let us know how it goes, it’s super helpful to others and us!