Thai Pumpkin Soup

I love a creamy curried soup this time of year. From curried pumpkin soup to slow-cooker pumpkin curry, and now I’m adding this easy Thai pumpkin soup to my fall rotation. Because it’s super easy, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian, AND can be made a day or two ahead of time, it’s my new go-to for casual fall dinner parties. 

Easy, adaptable, and made with just a few ingredients, I know you’re going to love this soup as much as I do. This recipe is a dream for weekend meal prepping because the flavors meld and deepen over time. Make a big batch on Sunday and enjoy it throughout the week. 

Thai Pumpkin Soup Ingredients

• Pumpkin: Don’t use the kind of pumpkin you carve! Use cubed sugar pumpkin or canned pumpkin for ease. 
• Butternut squash: I buy pre-peeled and cubed butternut squash in the produce aisle. You could also use frozen. 
• Red curry paste: My love affair with red curry paste is sprinkled all over this website! My personal favorite brand is Mae Ploy, but it does include shrimp paste so if you need this soup to be vegetarian, look for a different brand. 
• Ginger, garlic and onions: Simple, but they bring big flavor! 
• Stock: I usually use chicken stock, but again if you want the soup to be vegan or vegetarian use a vegetable stock. 
• Coconut milk: Full fat coconut milk is by far my preference. 
• Fish sauce: For that signature rich umami funk, it’s gotta be fish sauce! Again, for the strict vegetarians or vegans, it’s OK to use soy sauce instead (though the flavor will certainly be a little different). 

How To Make Thai Pumpkin Soup

1. Warm the onions, garlic and ginger in the oil. 
2. Add curry paste, pumpkin, squash, stock, and salt. 
3. Bring the soup to a boil.
4. Simmer for 20 minutes. 
5. Blend the soup until it’s smooth and creamy. Use an immersion blender directly into the pot, or carefully blend it in batches with a countertop blender. 
6. Stir in the coconut milk and fish sauce. 
7. Serve! It’s a perfect light dinner or cozy lunch, or serve it as part of a big spread with chicken satay, larb, or a light cucumber salad on the side.  

Variations 

• To make the soup milder: Add more coconut milk.
• Use Massaman curry paste in place of red curry paste for a slightly milder version of this soup.
• If you use canned pumpkin you’ll need two 15-ounce cans of pumpkin puree. You may want to add a little sugar or honey to the soup to balance the sweetness. 
• I often finish the soup with a spritz of lime juice.
• Blend in even more vegetables: Add sweet potato, carrots etc.
• Try swapping in a Kabocha squash for the butternut squash.
• For an even richer soup, and a little protein, stir in two spoonfuls of creamy peanut butter.
• Play around with TOPPINGS: I adore topping this with roasted pumpkin seeds, and chili crunch oil (sometimes called chili crisp) but you can also get creative with toppings. Fresh herbs, a drizzle of hot sauce, a squeeze of lime juice, a drizzle of cream, and so on. 

Tips For Success

• To make it easier to cut sugar pumpkins and squash: Microwave the whole squash or pumpkin for 2-3 minutes to soften slightly before cutting. 
• If you’re using a countertop blender: Blend the soup in small batches, and take care to never overfill your blender with hot liquid. 
• Control the spice level: Start with less curry paste than called for and add more to taste because different brands of red curry paste have vastly different heat levels.

How To Freeze + Store

This soup gets better as it sits and it freezes beautifully. Store any leftovers in airtight containers for up to five days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat the soup gently on the stovetop. If it separates, don’t panic. Just blend it again or whisk it until it comes back together.  

So Many Cozy Soup Ideas

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