Spiced Pumpkin, Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup {Gluten Free, Vegetarian}

Spiced Pumpkin Soup is full of delicious fall flavours: carrot and sweet potato and perfect for Thanksgiving. This recipe is Gluten Free, Vegetarian and can easily be Vegan, Paleo and Whole 30 friendly with a few tweaks.

Spiced Pumpkin, Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup

We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in the UK, but I think it is a rather lovely festival.  The harvest has been safely gathered in and the earth is resting.  Time to reflect, rest, plan and give thanks for the harvest which will see you through the winter.

Come the end of November I am fed up of the dark afternoons and am longing for the days to get brighter, but there are still a good few weeks before Christmas and that turning point at the Winter solstice that brings lengthening days and the crisp bright weather of January when snow is most likely to fall.  Thanksgiving falls at the perfect time to revive falling spirits at this time of year and I’d love to celebrate in the UK too.

My spiced pumpkin soup is inspired by the traditional dishes served at Thanksgiving that use sweet potatoes or pumpkin; its a vibrant uplifting orange, and flavoured with apple pie spices.   The spices and a dab of vanilla combine wonderfully well with the silky, creamy flesh of the pumpkin and potatoes.   Of course it is very adaptable; quantities are not exact – use whichever vegetables you have – and swap squash for the pumpkin.

I first made my spiced pumpkin soup in a multicooker making use of its many functions to firstly fry, then to simmer the soup, then to either reheat or keep warm, freeing up space on the hob to cook the rest of a Thanksgiving meal – this would be delicious paired with my slow cooker cornbread.

Or, this recipe could equally well be made in my slow cooker, or if I’m in more of a hurry, in an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker, where it takes only minutes. To make this recipe quicker you can skip stage one of frying the onion and garlic and replace it with a few tablespoons of homemade Italian soffritto paste.

How Do You Make Spiced Pumpkin, Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup?

There is a reason why professional chefs have a routine of mise en place as it makes cooking far easier.  Grab all your ingredients and get them out.  Check you have everything.

For a dish like this soup substitution are easy – but when you bake you need to check you have all the ingredients.   Mise en place is an excellent habit to get into and will make you a better cook.

First, assemble the ingredients, and peel and prepare the onion, carrot, sweet potato, apple, and pumpkin. Peel and then cut the veg into cubes of about 3 cm.

Second, fry the onion until translucent and then add the garlic. Keep stirring and fry until just starting to turn golden.

Third, Add the cinnamon and allspice, and fry until fragrant

Fourth, add the stock, apple, and vanilla essence.

Fifth, Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for about 20 minutes.

Sixth – once cooked, add the butter, allow to cool a little and then blitz to a smooth soup, either with a stick blender or transfer to the jug of a blender and whizz until smooth.

Finally, served topped with a swirl of cream and pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

How do I make Spiced Pumpkin, Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup in an Instant Pot (electric pressure cooker)?

Using an Instant Pot (or other electric pressure cooker) for this recipe gives soup in minutes.

First, fry the onion and garlic on the saute function. Add the spices as normal and cook for a few minutes until fragrant.

Second, add the vegetables and fry for a few minutes.

Third, add the stock, apple and vanilla. Lock the lid into place. Set the instant pot to cook at high pressure for seven minutes.

Fourth, release the pressure and blitz the soup as above to a smooth consistency.

Fifth, served topped with a swirl of cream and pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Instructions for the slow cooker

First, fry the onions and garlic in a frying pan. Fry the spices, and then the vegetables for a few minutes.

Second, transfer the fried onions, spices, and vegetables to a slow cooker. Add the apple, stock and vanilla. Cover with a lid and cook on low for about 4 hours, until the vegetables are cooked and tender.

Third, blitz to a smooth consistency as above.

Finally, again, serve topped with a swirl of cream and pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Can I Freeze Spiced Pumpkin Soup?

It’s not pumpkin season what can I use in their place?

If you haven’t got any pumpkins then don’t worry!  Use a similar quantity of butternut squash (or any other type of squash) or a can of pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

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4.85 from 45 votes

Spiced Pumpkin, Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup

A sweetly spiced vibrant orange soup, perfect for those dark winter nights when you long for more daylight. It is Gluten Free, Vegetarian and can easily be Vegan, Paleo and Whole 30 friendly with a few tweaks.

Servings: 8 Servings

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time50 mins

Ingredients

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 onion ((peeled and sliced))
• 2 cloves garlic ((peeled and chopped))
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• 2 sweet potatoes ((about 400g, peeled and roughly diced))
• 2 large carrots ((about 200g, peeled and roughly diced))
• 400 g pumpkin or squash flesh ((peeled and roughly diced))
• 1 eating apple ((cored and roughly diced))
• 1 liter vegetable stock
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 30 g butter
• Pepper and salt to taste

Instructions

• In a saucepan, heat the oil, and fry the onion until translucent. Add the garlic and fry until turning golden. Add the cinnamon and allspice and cook until fragrant.
• Add the sweet potato, carrot, and pumpkin and fry for another few minutes.
• Add the apple, stock and vanilla essence. Season with pepper and salt. Stir, cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes until the ingredients are soft.
  
• Once cooked add the butter, then allow to cool a little and blitz the soup using a stick blender directly in the cooker pot, or transfer to a blender or food processor and whizz until silky smooth. Check the seasoning and add a little more vanilla if required – you want a hint rather than a definite flavour. Add more stock or water to thin.

Instructions for an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cookers

• Using the saute function, fry onion until translucent. Add the garlic and fry until turning golden. Add the cinnamon and allspice and cook until fragrant. Add the sweet potato, carrot, and pumpkin and fry for another few minutes.
• Add the apple, stock and vanilla essence. Season with pepper and salt. Cover and seal the lid and set to cook on high pressure for 7 minutes.
  
• Once cooked add the butter, then allow to cool a little and blitz the soup using a stick blender directly in the cooker pot, or transfer to a blender or food processor and whizz until silky smooth. Check the seasoning and adjust as required.
  
• As above, served topped with a swirl of cream and pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Instructions for a slow cooker or crock pot.

• In a frying pan, fry onion until translucent. Add the garlic and fry until turning golden. Add the cinnamon and allspice and cook until fragrant. Add the sweet potato, carrot, and pumpkin and fry for another few minutes.
• Transfer to the slow cooker. Add the apple, stock and vanilla essence. Season with pepper and salt. Cover and and cook on low for 4 hours, until the vegetables are soft.
• Once cooked add the butter, then allow to cool a little and blitz the soup using a stick blender directly in the cooker pot, or transfer to a blender or food processor and whizz until silky smooth. Check the seasoning and adjust as required.
• As above, served topped with a swirl of cream and pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Notes

• To make this the conventional way simply cook in a stockpot, or large pan.
• To make this vegan add a little extra olive oil or dairy free spread
• To make this paleo and whole 30, use homemade vegetable stock and leave the butter out
• If its not pumpkin season then substitute butternut or other squash, or use a can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• This recipe is 7 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion.

Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

Nutrition Facts

Spiced Pumpkin, Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 178 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 10mg3%

Sodium 728mg32%

Potassium 617mg18%

Carbohydrates 29g10%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 21180IU424%

Vitamin C 12.6mg15%

Calcium 55mg6%

Iron 1.1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American, Vegetarian

Keyword: soup, spiced pumpkin soup

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This would be ideal served with my slow cooker cornbread or my spiced sweet potato muffins. Or, for another delicious hearty soup recipe, look at my easy roasted swede soup.