Easy Pumpkin Soup Recipe + Video Instructions | Savory Nothings (2024)

FAQs

Why is my pumpkin soup tasteless? ›

Try these hacks for tasteless pumpkin soup: Add a few tablespoons of garlic or chilli-infused oil to the soup and stir until well combined before serving. Add toasted nuts to serve; pepitas, pine nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans or sunflower seeds will all add extra flavour and texture.

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

“Soft fleshed pumpkins can make the soup a little watery. They are a different beast… from your standard greengrocer pumpkin.” As lovely as pumpkin is, its natural sweetness needs a little back-up to really shine. Try sweating a chopped leek with, or instead of, onion at the start of cooking.

Add a few drops of good sherry vinegar on top of the soup to contrast against the sweetness of the pumpkin and the peppers.

Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.

Cook It on the Stove

Briefly cooking your canned pumpkin purée on the stove can help improve both the flavor and texture. This method helps reduce excess moisture, which gives the pumpkin a superior texture. It also releases the natural pumpkin flavor and helps reduce the metallic taste from the can.

If you started the soup with broth, stock or water, I would wait until the end to add the cream. You can warm the cream, or “temper” it, which is what I do. Take about half a cup of the hot broth and slowly add your cream to that, stirring constantly.

Most soups would be simmered covered to capture the moisture, however, if the soup needs to be reduced because you added too much liquid then uncovered is the way to go. If you are simmering uncovered it's best to check on the soup often to make sure it hasn't reduced down too much.

Add sweet vegetables like carrots and beets. They will sweeten the broth and deepen its color. You might also add a bit of miso (or salt) and/or a squeeze of lemon juice. Sweet, salt and acid balance bitter flavors.

Best pumpkin for pumpkin soup

Use any type of eating pumpkin you want OR butternut squash (which is called butternut pumpkin in Australia). DO NOT use Halloween carving pumpkin used to make Jack-O-Laterns. While they are edible, they are not that tasty! US: sugar pumpkin or butternut squash.

Which herbs go well with pumpkin? ›

If the fresh pumpkin is overripe, it can start to ferment and develop a sour taste. Another factor to consider is the type of fresh pumpkin you're using.

A 250-milliliter serving of pure pumpkin soup contains only 78 calories. Thanks to a decent amount of fiber, pumpkin soup is satisfying and filling. Moreover, pumpkin is rich in various healthy nutrients. Some of these, such as various types of carotenoids found in pumpkin, become more absorbable when cooked (1).

Cornstarch. Another way to thicken soup is with cornflour or cornstarch. It's a very effective thickener that you should use in runnier dishes that need more volume, like vegetable soup. You only need a little of it to thicken your soup, since adding too much can make it take on the texture of paste or mash.

Place prepared pumpkin slices in a steamer basket. Cover and steam over simmering water for 10 minutes or until almost tender. Microwave tip: Place washed pumpkin in a shallow heatproof, microwave-safe dish. Cover and cook on High/800watts/100% for 4-6 minutes or until just tender.

If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl. Start with the basics. Ensure you've added enough salt and black pepper.

If your broth tastes thin and bland, you may want to cook and let it evaporate for longer. That helps concentrate its flavors and gives you a better-tasting soup broth. Be sure to remove the lid to let the steam escape.