Make this easy spiced pumpkin soup with canned pumpkin for a quick 30-minute healthy light dinner on a busy weeknight. Two things make this soup a standout from run-of-the-mill pumpkin soups you've made in the past. Frothy cream (or half-and-half) is stirred into individual servings, giving the soup a cappuccino-like look and an aromatic Moroccan spice mix, ras-el-hanout.
Since this soup recipe calls for pumpkin puree, only the sautéed onion needs to be blended into the soup. This can be done with an immersion blender (stick blender) for easy clean-up or you can decide not to blend in the onion. It's up to you.
🏃♀️ Post Summary
In a hurry? This summary covers the essential points.
- What it is: Easy spiced pumpkin soup made with canned pumpkin and finished with steamed, frothy cream, cappuccino style.
- How it tastes: Savory from onion, sweet from maple syrup and apple cider, with warm spice from ras el hanout. This combination balances the earthy, savory notes of the pumpkin puree with bright acidity and rich natural sweetness.
- Time: 15 minutes prep + 15 minutes cooking = 30 minutes total
- Serves: 4
- Diet: Vegetarian and gluten-free. Easy to make vegan with full-fat coconut milk or oat milk.
- Make ahead: Flavors improve if made a day ahead. Keeps up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Serve with: A green salad and crusty bread for a light dinner, or as a Thanksgiving starter.
- Jump to the recipe ↓
Want to make this recipe perfectly the first time? I want to help with that. So, check out this Table of Contents to see which sections of this post will help you the most.
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🍁 Welcome to Fall
When the first chilly mornings of fall show up, pumpkin is all I want to eat. Muffins, cookies, chili, and soup are all fair game. And this soup is one I make a lot.
It's a spiced pumpkin soup with a little cappuccino magic. Savory finely chopped onion, maple syrup, and apple cider give it a balance of savory and sweet. Then comes the best part: cream is heated up (I do this in the microwave oven) and whipped until it's super-frothy and swirled on top, just like the foam on a cappuccino.
My husband got me hooked on sipping soup from a mug, so I often serve it in big coffee cups for fun.
Did I mention it's also easy to make? Canned pumpkin does the work, so the soup needs only about 15 minutes of prep and 15 minutes on the stovetop. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples, and you don't need a big fancy blender. 🎉
If you're craving more pumpkin recipes, try my Pumpkin-Apple Sauce Muffins, Pumpkin-Coconut Cookies, or Pumpkin Black Bean Chili.
And for more soups, check out my post on 15 cozy soups perfect for fall.
👩⚕️ Pumpkin Nutrition Facts
Pumpkin is high in carbs, no lie. After all, it boasts 19 grams of carbohydrates per cup of cooked pumpkin but 7 of those grams are fiber. So don't turn your nose up at this healthy vegetable or you'll miss out on some excellent nutrition
1 cup of canned pumpkin contains:
- 137 calories
- 12 grams net carbs
- 3 grams protein
- 7 grams fat
- A wide variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to boost immunity and the health of your eyes, skin, and heart.
As a note, pumpkin seeds are also loaded with nutrition, so think about pan-roasted pepitas as a finishing garnish for the soup.
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
This list only covers ingredients that require some notes. For all of the ingredients, measurements, and directions for this easy pumpkin soup recipe, go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.
- Canned pumpkin puree - be sure to get pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Vegetable broth - either homemade vegetable broth, store bought, or Better Than Bouillon - Roasted Vegetable Paste.
- Ras el hanout spice - a Moroccan spice blend (see below for more info). If you don't have it, use pumpkin pie spice.
- Heavy cream - or Half and Half for a lighter creamy flavor.
- Balsamic vinegar reduction - this is optional, but it contributes a deep umami flavor that's very nice with the pumpkin. You can substitute a good quality balsamic vinegar.
🤓 What is Ras el Hanout?
Ras-el-hanout is a spice everyone should have in their pantry IMO. Think of it as a Moroccan version of pumpkin pie spice. And like pumpkin pie spice, it's a spice blend of aromatic spices.
Legend has it that North African spice dealers would mix together the best of what they had to offer, thus creating an aromatic signature blend. Ginger, cardamon, cinnamon, mace and nutmeg are typically included but there are many varieties.
📌 Tip: More ways to use ras el hanout. It's a popular spice in North African and Middle Eastern dishes. One of my favorite ways to use it is the classic Middle Eastern dish Mujadara. A couple of other recipes on my site that use this spice are Lentils and Roasted Tomatoes and Moroccan Chickpea Stew with Charred Eggplant and Tomatoes.
💡 Variation Ideas
- Have fun with the spices if you want to replace the ras-el-hanout. Use warm spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg or go Indian with some curry powder.
- Stir in a dollop of sour cream at the end in place of the cream.
🥬 Make it Vegan
- Use full-fat coconut milk in place of the cream. Either heat it up and finish the soup with a drizzle of coconut milk or whip it up like cream. For whipping it like cream, only use the solids that are solidified at the top of the can.
- Heat up full-fat oat milk and whip it using a stick blender or other handheld blender
🍽️ Make it a Meal
This is a light soup that's ideal for lunch with a green salad tossed with some crispy chickpeas or pepitas for a little protein. Crusty bread is a must with soup at our house. Since there's not a lot of protein in this soup, you may want to serve it with a protein-rich dish. Below are some options:
Below are two options on the blog or heat up a store-bought frozen meatless dish such as what's available from Morningstar Farms.
15-Minute Chickpea and Arugula Salad - 1 serving delivers 25g protein. In place of the olives called for in the recipe, I would slice up a Honeycrisp or Fuji apple for a touch of fall.
Sesame Crusted Sweet Potato Cakes - 3 small patties deliver 21g protein.
Heat up a store-bought frozen meatless dish such as what's available from Morningstar Farms and Gardein.
🙋♀️ FAQ
Yes, the flavors only get better if you make this soup a day ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
It's up to you since this recipe calls for canned pumpkin. If you take this route, the sautéed onion will not be blended into the soup, so be sure the onion is very soft before adding the pumpkin purée.
Spiced, Creamy Pumpkin Soup (with Canned Pumpkin)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion sliced, or coarsely chopped
- 2 15-ounce cans of pumpkin puree or when measured, 3 cups
- 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon - (Roasted Vegetable Paste) or vegetable broth
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoon ras el hanout spice or pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoons kosher salt (half that amount of sea salt) (use 1 ½ teaspoons if using vegetable broth)
- ½ cup heavy cream or Half and Half
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar reduction (optional)
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot such as Le Creuset over medium heat and add the onion. Cover the pot and sweat the onion until very tender, 5 - 10 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin puree, 1 cup water, and the remaining ingredients except for the heavy cream. Simmer on low for 5 minutes. It will be very thick since it doesn't yet have the cream stirred in.
- Use an immersible blender to blend the onions into the soup, or use a profession grade blender and purée . If you use a blender, pour the soup back into the same pot to keep warm after it's puréed.
- Heat up the heavy cream without bringing it a boil. I use the microwave oven for this. Whip it with an immersible blender, or hand held mixer, until it becomes super-frothy and either stir into the soup or wait until you serve the soup.Stir in the balsamic vinegar reduction if using.
- Pour the soup into bowls (or large coffee cups for fun) and top with the frothy milk.
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Nutrition
Disclamer
Nutrition information is provided as an estimate for informational purposes only. Actual values may vary depending on the ingredients and brands used, substitutions, portion sizes, and preparation methods. If you have specific dietary or medical needs, please consult a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian.
Liz
I'd love one of your gorgeous mugs full of this delicious pumpkin soup. I'll be searching for ras el hanout---so fun to try new spices. And I'm envious of all your terrific travel experiences 🙂
Jenni
Sounds like both of your recent trips were spectacular, Susan! I'm so glad you guys had such a wonderful time! I am loving this cappuccino soup idea--for pumpkin or any soup. So cool. I think it would even be a great way to serve oatmeal! Yum. =)
Ansh
What a fun way to see a new place! I am glad your trips were awesome and that you brought back a delicious pumpkin cappucino soup recipe for us. Looks so dreamy and creamy.
Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living
I love the name - pumpkin cappuccino! Perfect for Halloween night!
Heather | All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
So does the cappuccino in the name come from the frothy milk finish on top then? I really thought I was going to see some coffee in the recipe. Sounds delicious! 🙂
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen
This sounds like my kind of soup! So rich and flavorful. I love the connections we make while traveling, always so interesting!
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen
What a beautiful soup! It's always fun to travel and get inspired to cook new things!
Laura @MotherWouldKnow
What an incredibly easy and delicious-looking soup. I happen to have ras el hanout, which I bought last year and have never used (despite all my good intentions) - this recipe could alleviate my guilt every time I see it in the spice drawer, as well as make an incredible first course for a chilly fall night's dinner.
GiGi Eats
OMG so much better than PSL! 😮
cheri
Hi Susan, love all the spices that you used in this soup.
macronutrient calculator
I love the fact that it's in a mug 😀 great concept!
Aditi
Awesomoe one. gonna try this soon, Thanks for sharing
Kayla DiMaggio
This pumpkin cappuccino soup was so delicious! I loved how cozy and warm it was!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thank you so much! I'm so happy you liked it!
Anaiah
This looks wonderful and such a great way to enjoy soup! I've never heard of cappuccino soups but I mean, why not? It's so much more convenient drinking it out of a mug lol!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
My husband got me hooked on drinking soup from a mug. So I guess it's a mug soup, lol!