Thai Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkin soup with fresh Thai aromatics is sweet, creamy, and super comforting. The coconut milk gives richness to the soup. A must-try soup if you love Thai flavors.
Classic pumpkin soup always appears on the table once the temperature starts to drop. It is thick and creamy with a hint of sweetness. This Thai version is no different. The sweet subtle taste of pumpkin is balanced with lots of ginger, lemon grass, kaffir lime, and fish sauce. Thanks to the Pumpkin, which makes the soup naturally creamy and thick. Coconut milk adds some richness to the dish. Overall a delightful cozy soup to make when it’s cold.
You have all the good reasons to make this nourishing soup. It is simple and easy to make(except for the part of chopping the veggies). There are only a handful of ingredients so the natural sweetness of pumpkin shines through. You finish cooking everything in one pot, including blending right in the pot, so minimal cleanup.
Ingredients in Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup
The list of ingredients has basic pantry staples and a few fresh Thai aromatics that you can easily procure in any Asian section of a supermarket.
- Pumpkin – Start ingredients of the recipe and easily available too. Look for sweet, firm flesh varieties like kabocha squash, buttercup squash, and butternut squash.
- Oil – Coconut oil or any neutral flavored oil.
- Onion– For the savory undertone. Use yellow or white onion.
- Ginger – There is a good amount of ginger in here. The warmth of ginger compliments the sweet pumpkin.
- Coconut milk – To keep it dairy-free I have used coconut milk instead of cream. Coconut milk also works well with pumpkin and Thai flavors. Use full fat or light variant depending on how rich you want the soup to be.
- Vegetable stock – Good quality vegetable stock. Chicken stock if don’t want to keep it vegan.
- Lemon grass, Kaffir lime – Lemon grass is an essential aromatic. It adds a burst of freshness. Same for kaffir lime. If you can’t get hold of kaffir lime leaves, substitute with fresh lime zest.
- Fish Sauce – Can’t think of Thai recipes without a good shake of Fish oil. Fish sauce always rounds off the flavor and is a must. But if you like to keep it vegan, light soy sauce would be a good substitute though not the same.
- Fresh Cilantro/Coriander – To garnish
Making – step by step
Here is a quick run through the recipes showing step by step photos. A detailed recipe with measurementss is in the recipe card.
- Prepare pumpkin – Probably the most time-consuming part of the recipe. Peel and cut into almost equal-sized pieces.
- Crush the white part of the lemon grass. We will add crushed lemon grass stems directly to the pot. Once the pumpkin is cooked, remove the stem before blending the soup.
- Saute onion until softened and barely brown. Then add grated ginger and cook until aromatic.
- Next, add chopped pumpkin and cook for 5-6 minutes. The idea here is to slightly caramelize the veggie.
- Time to cook the pumpkin in stock along with crushed lemongrass, salt, and pepper. The pumpkin should be tender. Remove the lemon grass stem, use an immersion blender, and blend it smooth. You can also use a food processor, but be careful while handling hot mixture in the blender.
- Finish the soup by stirring coconut milk and chopped/ crushed kaffir lime leaves. Simmer for 5 minutes for the soup to thicken.
Can we use canned pumpkin Puree?
My vote always goes with fresh pumpkin. If you can get hold of fresh pumpkin ( thankfully available almost all around the year), I would always prefer that. Convenient option is using canned puree. Look for pure 100% pumpkin puree.
Roasting pumpkin for the soup
Roasting veggies enhances the sweetness of it and pumpkin is no different. If you notice the steps, before adding the stock, I am sauteing the pumpkin pieces to lightly caramelize them. Then it cooks along with the stock. You can skip the hassle of chopping the veggie and roast the halved squash. Scoop out the pulp and add to the sauteed onion mix. If using roasted pumpkin in this recipe, reduce the amount to stock by 1.5 cups initially and add more later to adjust the consistency.
How to serve pumpkin soup?
This is wholesome as such and can be served as a meal by itself with some toppings like cilantro, crispy fried shallots, red chili, and a squeeze of lime juice. For crunch, you can also top with roasted pumpkin seeds or crispy garlic croutons. Chunks of crusty bread is perfect for scoop this creamy thick goodness.
Storing suggestions
The flavors only get better the next day, making it a perfect candidate to make it in bulk and refrigerate. In an airtight container, it will easily last up to 3-4 days. To freeze, divide the leftovers into single servings or smaller portions in freezer bags. You can freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator, and reheat it in the microwave or on the stove.
If you love soups, check out these recipes
- Broccoli cheddar soup
- Cauliflower potato soup
- Thai chicken coconut soup ( Tom kha)
- Instant pot pumpkin sweet potato soup
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Thai pumpkin soup
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg Pumpkin /Squash
- 2 tablespoons Neutral Oil
- 1 medium Onion diced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 Lemongrass stalk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoons Fish sauce
- 2-3 kaffir lime leaves
- fresh cilantro/coriander for garnish
- Thai red chillies and Thai basil for garnish
Instructions
- Peel and cut pumpkin/squash into 1-inch cubes. Roughly crush the bottom white part of lemongrass stem.
- In a dutch oven heat oil and saute onion until soft. Add in the ginger and saute for another 30 seconds.
- Add in chopped pumpkin, saute on medium heat for 5-6 minutes until pumpkin has small light brown patches and looks caramelized.
- Add crushed lemongrass, salt, pepper, and vegetable stock. Once it comes to a low boil, reduce the heat, cover, and cook until the veggies are fork-tender. It should take around 25-30 minutes for the pumpkin to cook.
- Remove the lemongrass stem using a kitchen tong.
- Use an immersion blender and blend until smooth.
- Stir in coconut milk and kaffir lime leaves. Add fish sauce and give a good mix. Simmer for 5-6 minutes more. Check seasoning and add more salt and pepper if required.
- While serving top with fresh cilantro, chopped red chillies, crispy fried shallots, roasted peanuts, and lemon wedges.
Notes
- Using an immersion blender is convenient. But you can also blend the soup in a regular blender jar. Make sure you loosely cover the jar lid opening with a kitchen towel. Be extra careful while handling the hot mixture.
- The consistency of the soup was just right for us. For a thicker version simmer the soup for longer.
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