Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Soup with Spiced Savory Granola

Warm and comforting with a crunchy savory granola topping, our Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Soup with Spiced Savory Granola is a real crowd-pleaser for Thanksgiving and all winter.

Isn’t Fall just awesome? The slight chill in the air, the beautiful colors, the beginning of hockey season (oh, wait, scratch that), the feel of the holidays slowly approaching… I love it.  I mean, what’s not to like, right?

And you know what else is awesome? Pumpkins.

Pumpkins are like the superheroes of the veggie world. You can pretty much do anything with them: pick them, carve them, use them to decorate your front porch and, of course, my favorite, eat them.

I don’t think there’s one single pumpkin dish I don’t like. Sweet pumpkin recipes, savory pumpkin recipes, you name it. If it looks, smells, or tastes like pumpkin, I’m all over it.

Over the year we've shared some of our favorite Pumpkin recipes, but we wanna know… What’s YOUR favorite pumpkin dish and why?

I’ll start: I have to say… Naomi’s (Vicky’s mother-in-law) pumpkin pie. It was the very first one I ever tried, and it brings back great memories of the first fall I ever spent here in the US. And Vicky's vegan pumpkin soup. Because it's just awesome. As simple as that 🙂 Here's everything you need to know to make this amazing creamy pumpkin soup.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Soup

• Leeks or onions. This beautiful member of the onion family must be cleaned thoroughly. Cut off the stem at the bottom that connects everything, and then peel back every layer to wash the dirt out. It is shocking how much sand hides in those tight layers! You can also chop all the leeks and then rinse the pieces in a colander. If you can't find leeks at your grocery store you can buy frozen or use a couple of onions.
• Organic Pumpkin Puree. This is canned pumpkin, but ensure you don't get pumpkin pie filling by mistake. You can also make your own pumpkin purée.
• Gala or Golden Delicious Apples. Or any apple you have available in your fridge.
• Sweet Potatoes. You can use any variety. These might also be called yams. This can actually be considered pumpkin and sweet potato soup because they add considerable flavor.
• Vegetable Broth. You can also use a non-chicken broth, water with vegetable bouillon, or veggie broth.
• Spices. You will need Cinnamon, Ginger, Pumpkin Pie Spice, Salt, and Pepper.
• Agave Syrup or Maple Syrup: Maple Syrup also plays well with the pumpkin if you enjoy the flavor.
• Savory granola for garnish. Optional, but highly recommended

How to Make Pumpkin Soup from Scratch

First, prepare the apples, sweet potatoes, and leeks. Then add all the veggies, fruits, and liquid to your soup pot and bring it to a boil. Once it is boiling, add the salt and spices. Lower the soup to medium heat and simmer the soup for thirty minutes. Let it cool for at least twenty minutes, and then puree it with an immersion blender. If you don't have one, you can use a regular blender just be very careful. Once it is blended, add the agave or maple syrup. Taste and adjust the soup if needed. While the soup is cooking, make your savory granola for a topping. Put soup in bowls and top each bowl with the granola.

What to Serve with Creamy Pumpkin Soup

This soup can stand on its own as a light meal or work as a first or second course for your Fall feast. It also works well with crusty bread. We suggest you serve it with our Delicata squash salad, stuffed kabocha squash, or Sweet Potato Shepherd's pie.

Variations, Swaps, and Substitutions

• You can make this same recipe with butternut squash or acorn squash instead.
• Add pumpkin seeds to the savory granola recipe for a nice touch.
• A little curry powder, garam masala, coriander, turmeric, garlic powder, or cayenne pepper is a nice touch. Pick one and add ¼-1/2 teaspoon or more to taste.
• Our easy pumpkin soup is dairy-free. Coconut milk plays well with these flavors if you think it needs extra creaminess.

How to Use a Whole Pumpkin to Make Pumpkin Soup

If you would like to use a real pumpkin, a pie pumpkin is the right choice. You will need to cook the pumpkin first. This can be done in a pressure cooker (twenty minutes on high pressure) or in the oven. If you do it in the pressure cooker, the pumpkin will tear apart easily, and you can scoop out the pumpkin flesh from the skin and discard the seeds.

If you choose to roast the whole pumpkin in the oven, it will take about 45 to 60 minutes. You can also peel and cut the pumpkin into one-inch cubes and roast or boil them. Once the pumpkin is tender, it can be mashed with a hand mixer to get a smooth puree, or add it to the soup and let the blender do the work.

Storing Pumpkin Soup

• Keep your leftover pumpkin soup in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will keep for several days before it begins to separate.
• You can also freeze the soup in one large container or in individual servings. If you use a large container, try to use one that fits inside your soup pot so that you can easily dump the frozen soup into your pot and reheat the soup later.
• Small containers can be microwaved to thaw and reheat and are great for taking to work or school. The soup will keep for up to three months in the freezer.

More Great Pumpkin Recipes

• Stuffed Shells in Savory Pumpkin Sauce
• Pumpkin Spice Latte Overnight Oats Recipe
• Roasted Pumpkin
• Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
• Vegan Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help us tremendously if you left us a star rating in the comments below or on the recipe card. Do you have any questions about the recipe? Do you need a swap for any of the ingredients? We are here to help, just leave us a question in the comments below.

ENJOY! From May I have that recipe