With fresh pumpkin as the star ingredient, this one-pot soup invites you to savor the autumn season with every delicious spoonful. Unlike traditional creamy pumpkin soups that can taste rich and heavy, this chili-spiced version is simple to make, healthy, and full of flavor and texture. With just the right amount of spice to help warm you up on a crisp fall day, this chunky pumpkin soup is bound to become a seasonal favorite.
I have a friend/acquaintance who gifts me a gigantic pumpkin each fall. And each year, I think to myself, this friend really must hate me. I mean, seriously, how can they not know that the last thing I need in my life around Halloween is a big ol’ gigantic pumpkin that’s just going to sit around and rot because I don’t have time to deal with it? Gift me a skeleton, a funny black cat dish towel, or even a creepy clown. Those are all things I can use. But if you really want to let me know that you think I’m not worthy of your friendship/acquaintance, gift me a pumpkin so darn heavy that I can’t even lift it off of the ground. For real y’all, when it comes to pumpkins, I’m only interested in the ones that are under three pounds. Those I can use. Those I can lift. Those I can make soup with. Although, if I’m being honest, I’d much prefer to be gifted a creepy clown.
Ingredients:
- 1 Sugar Pie Pumpkin (Approximately 3 Pounds)
- 3 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Large Sweet Yellow Onion, Finely Diced
- 2 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar, Packed
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Oregano
- 3 Teaspoons Chili Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Sea Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1/2 Teaspoon Celery Seed
- 1 (32-oz.) Carton Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
- Half and Half or Heavy Whipping Cream (Optional)
Directions:
- Wash and dry the pumpkin. Cut the pumpkin in half and scrape out the seeds and any stringy pulp. Discard or roast the pumpkin seeds. Cut the pumpkin into smaller sections and use a vegetable peeler to peel off the outer skin. Dice the pumpkin into bite-sized pieces.
- Place the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or sauce pot, over medium-high heat.
- When the oil is warm, add the pumpkin and the diced onion and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the diced onion has softened. Stir frequently.
- Add the brown sugar, oregano, chili powder, salt, pepper, cumin, and celery seed. Sauté for 2 minutes. Stir constantly.
- Add the broth and bring the soup to a boil. Stir occasionally.
- When the soup is boiling, reduce the temperature to low, cover it with a lid, and cook it for 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is fork-tender.
- If desired, serve with a drizzle of half and half or heavy whipping cream.
Suggestions:
- Measure out the seasonings into a small bowl while you are sautéing the pumpkin and onion.
- I used low-sodium chicken broth in this recipe, however, you could always use low-sodium vegetable broth for a vegetarian version.
- If you prefer to make this soup smooth, rather than chunky, simply blend the soup in small batches after the pumpkin is fork-tender. If desired, add half and half or heavy whipping cream to taste.
- Craving this soup but can’t find a sugar pie pumpkin or find using real pumpkin to be too much of a hassle? Add 1 29-oz. can or 2 15-oz. cans of pure pumpkin when you add the broth to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, cover, and cook for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
- This recipe will yield 4 bowls of soup.
Improvements:
- A grapefruit spoon makes scraping out the pumpkin seeds fairly easy.
- Use the pumpkin seeds to make these Buttery Chili Roasted Pumpkin Seeds. You can sprinkle the pumpkin seeds over this soup when serving it or simply eat the roasted seeds as a snack.
- Serve this soup with freshly grated or shredded parmesan or cheddar cheese.
- For added color, garnish with freshly chopped chives or parsley.
- Serve this soup with The Best Ever Classic Pumpkin Bread, these Buttery Cinnamon Pumpkin Muffins, or these Savory Canned Pumpkin Drop Biscuits.
Ingredients:
- 1 Sugar Pie Pumpkin (Approximately 3 Pounds)
- 3 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Large Sweet Yellow Onion, Finely Diced
- 2 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar, Packed
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Oregano
- 3 Teaspoons Chili Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Sea Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1/2 Teaspoon Celery Seed
- 1 (32-oz.) Carton Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
- Half and Half or Heavy Whipping Cream (Optional)
Directions:
- Wash and dry the pumpkin. Cut the pumpkin in half and scrape out the seeds and any stringy pulp. Discard or roast the pumpkin seeds. Cut the pumpkin into smaller sections and use a vegetable peeler to peel off the outer skin. Dice the pumpkin into bite-sized pieces.
- Place the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or sauce pot, over medium-high heat.
- When the oil is warm, add the pumpkin and the diced onion and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the diced onion has softened. Stir frequently.
- Add the brown sugar, oregano, chili powder, salt, pepper, cumin, and celery seed. Sauté for 2 minutes. Stir constantly.
- Add the broth and bring the soup to a boil. Stir occasionally.
- When the soup is boiling, reduce the temperature to low, cover it with a lid, and cook it for 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is fork-tender.
- If desired, serve with a drizzle of half and half or heavy whipping cream.
PIN THIS RECIPE
Don’t let this recipe slip away. How often do you find a recipe intriguing, yet forget where to find it when you finally get the hankering to make it? Instead of digging through old posts or wandering aimlessly around on the internet, why not Pin this recipe to Pinterest where you can find it when you eventually need it? Simply Pin the image above and you’ll have it when that time comes. You can follow us HERE on Pinterest or simply click HERE to find all of our pin-worthy recipes.
Creamy Chili Spiced Pumpkin Soup
Parmesan Pumpkin Soup with Hot Honey
Crock Pot Pumpkin Chicken Chili
These Buttery Cinnamon Pumpkin Muffins pair perfectly with this Autumn Chili-Spiced Chunky Pumpkin Soup. Nothing says autumn like the smell of pumpkin muffins baking on a crisp fall day. Made with ground cinnamon, canned pumpkin, butter, and a healthy dose of vanilla, these muffins are sure to be a hit with everyone. They have a super-moist texture and a sweet, buttery flavor that’s pretty hard to resist. Enjoy them with a cup of coffee or tea for breakfast, as a special occasion dessert treat, or even share them with friends as a way to welcome autumn. CLICK HERE for the recipe.
