This Thai Pumpkin Soup is a delicious way to enjoy all the comfort foods you love, including spicy curries and warm soups.
This gourmet pumpkin soup, bursting with Thai flavors, is easy to make. This soup is made from roasted winter squash and a mixture of spices, aromatics, and coconut milk. You can blend them to create a delicious soup with a gourmet Thai flavor.
It only gets better over time. The best leftovers are those that you can get the next day after letting the soup cool in the refrigerator overnight.
This recipe is perfect for those who love Thai food and the soup season.
This recipe is a winner.
It is the closest you can get to the authentic Thai taste.
If you’re looking for a quick recipe, “Thai Pumpkin Soups” can be made using pumpkin puree and curry powder. That’s not a Thai-style soup.
This soup is a blend of classic Thai ingredients such as lemongrass, lime leaves, and Thai basil. Together, they create a hash with a rich and complex flavor.
Enjoy a streamlined process that produces gourmet results.
Peeling and dicing the winter squash can take a lot of time, and it puts unnecessary strain on our wrists. (Let’s be honest, this makes cooking less enjoyable).
Here, to avoid this, the pumpkins are cut in half, rubbed down with oil and spice, then roasted. While you are waiting, prepare and sauté the aromatics and spice.
Creamy yet indulgent.
This Thai soup, a fan favorite, Thai Butternut Squash Curry With Chickpeas, is also creamy and delicious.
Blended coconut milk and pureed pumpkin taste like a cozy fall comfort meal in a fragrant Thai package. Just because this dish feels rich and indulgent doesn’t mean that it is lacking in nutrition.
Spices, chilies, and aromatics are high in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds. Pumpkins contain antioxidants, beta-carotene, and vitamin A. This can help protect your eye’s immune system and lower your risk for certain types of cancer.
It’s a fun fact that both black and white peppers contain piperine. This activates curcumin, the compound responsible for turmeric’s yellow color. can be increased by up to 2,000% (!) This makes it up to 2,000% easier for your body!
You will also love the Lemongrass-ginger Kabocha Squash Soup if you have my book, The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook.
Ingredient notes
Winter squash or pumpkin. While you could make this soup with roasted sugar squash to keep the classic appeal of pumpkin soup, we found that roasted Kabocha squash had the best flavor. The soup is velvety smooth and has a deliciously nutty taste when blended.
Make my Thai Kabocha Squash Curry next week if you have extra kabocha.
Substitute: We haven’t tested other pumpkin varieties, but they would work well. Butternut squash roasted in the oven is also delicious!
Red curry paste. To get a lot of Thai flavor in a convenient package. Maesri is our favorite brand of red curry paste because it’s vegan and packed with heat.
Aromatics. In Thai cuisine, shallots, ginger, and garlic are commonly used. They’re sauteed here in coconut oil, giving the soup a punchy base of flavor.
Spices. Cumin, coriander, and white powder are required. It may seem strange, but cumin and coriander are commonly used in Thai curries. Cumin is used to add warmth, while coriander brings out the citrusy flavors.
Instructions step-by-step
Roast a pumpkin. Cut the winter squash or sugar pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. Place the pumpkin flesh flesh-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the mixture of oil and spices over the meat. Roast the pumpkin until it is soft.
Prepare the soup. Heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Sauté the shallots until they are soft. Add the garlic, lemongrass, and ginger. Toast the spice mixture for 30 seconds.
Pour a small amount of coconut milk into the pot to deglaze it. Stir in the curry paste once it starts to bubble.
Stir the curry paste frequently and cook it for a few moments to avoid it sticking. Pour in the remaining coconut milk, broth, lime leaves, and sugar.
Blend soup. Remove the warm, roasted pumpkin flesh and place it into a blender. Pour the coconut milk into the blender. Blend the soup in batches until it is smooth and creamy.
How to make this recipe
Toppers = Even Better Soup! Add the peanut chile crunchy to each bowl of soup if you enjoy spicy foods. This is a quick and easy way to add a nutty, spicy, crunchy, and salty topping to your pumpkin soup.
If you prefer a less spicy option, add roasted pumpkin seeds or fresh lime leaves that have been very finely sliced.
You can add crispy lentils to my Butternut Squash Soup or pan-fried crumbles of tempeh in my Tempeh Kecap.
As always, a good quality loaf of toasted bread is the perfect accompaniment to a creamy soup.
Use the right amount. Even though the soup is made with just two tablespoons of red curry paste, it still comes out quite spicy. The curry paste that we use is Maesri, and it’s more pungent than the curry pastes you can buy at your local grocery store (like Thai Kitchen).
Ingredients
Roasted Pumpkin
- # Pumpkin or winter squash – 3 pounds (1.3 kg). We prefer kabocha.
- # Use 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil or any neutral-flavored oil.
- # Half a teaspoon of kosher salt
- # White pepper, 1/2 teaspoon
- # 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Soup
- # Cumin seeds or 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- # Coriander seeds or ground coriander (or one teaspoon)
- # Half a teaspoon of white pepper or freshly cracked black pepper
- # 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- # Ground turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon
- # Coconut oil or any neutral-flavored oil is 1 1/2 tablespoons.
- # 3 large shallots (or one small onion) chopped
- # 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
- # Ginger, 2-inch pieces, minced or grated (leave the peel on).
- # Remove the outer layers of 2 fresh lemongrass stalks**.
- # Full-fat coconut milk in a 13.5-ounce can (400-mL).
- # Red curry paste, two tablespoons
- # 3 cups (720mL) of good-quality “vegetable” broth or vegan “chicken broth***
- # 12 dried Makrut Lime Leaves or six fresh Lime Leaves ****
- # More as needed. 1 1/2 teaspoons organic brown sugar or coconut sugar
- # Thai Soy Sauce (or 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon regular soy)
- # Thai basil leaves – 1 handful, chopped or torn
Serving
- # Crusty bread, toasted
- # Peanut Chile Crunch – Optional (see next recipe card).
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400oF/205oC. Slice the pumpkin into two halves with a sharp knife. Microwave the squash whole for two minutes if it is too hard. Use a spoon to remove the seeds.
- Roast the pumpkin. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, white pepper, and 1/2 tbsp oil. Mix until the mixture is almost paste-like. Brush the inside of the pumpkin/squash cavities only with a pastry brush or your hands. But not on the outer top rims. Lightly brush the outer top boundaries with oil. (No spices, or they’ll burn). Place the halves of pumpkin, flesh-side down, onto a sheet pan with a rim. To allow for venting, prick the skin using a knife. Roast the pumpkin until it is soft and mushy, approximately 40-45 minutes.