Celebrate the wonderful flavors of fall with this healthy dairy-free pumpkin soup. The delicious recipe includes a cornucopia of natural ingredients that blend together for a rich taste and lightly creamy consistency without need for any milk, cream, butter, oil, or coconut milk! This nourishing soup is even free of added sugars! That means you can enjoy it any day. But don’t worry, it’s also special enough for the holidays!
Why You’ll Love this Healthy Dairy-Free Pumpkin Soup
- Savory, not Sweet: Most pumpkin soup recipes contain maple syrup or other sweetener, but this one is added sugar free. Instead, an apple adds balance, not overt sweetness, to pumpkin’s earthy flavor.
- Nutritious Ingredients: This is a truly whole food recipe, made with produce and spices. You can even make your own broth for a true DIY dish!
- Easy Prep: If using canned pumpkin, this recipe can be made quickly and with easy. It’s also great for meal prep! Make a bigger batch and enjoy it for the next few lunches.
- Deliciously Free From: Dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, added sugar-free, oil-free, coconut-free, you name it! This whole food based soup is free of most dietary concerns you might have.
- Versatile: Enjoy it on weeknights, for lunches, or with your big Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. This healthy dairy-free pumpkin soup pairs well with various meals, add-ins, and garnishes. I’ve included some topping suggestions below.
Pick your Pumpkin
Truth be told, I typically choose canned pumpkin puree. The brands can vary in quality and taste, but Libby’s tends to be reliable and is readily available. Whole Food’s 365 is also quite good. If you plan to use the fresh pumpkin option, look for a sugar or pie pumpkin. These are the best pumpkins for eating. Kabocha squash, often referred to as Japanese pumpkin, is also a delicious option. In a pinch, you can use another winter squash, like butternut squash. You’ll want close to 2 pounds of cooked pumpkin (just over 3 cups of pumpkin puree), so I would start with a 5- or 6-pound pumpkin or squash.
Garnish Suggestions
- Dairy-Free Croutons
- Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Fresh Herbs (Rosemary, Sage, or Parsley)
- Crumbled Bacon or Pancetta
- Thinly-Sliced Ginger
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Chopped Chives
- Coconut Cream Swirl
- Dairy-Free Sour Cream Swirl
Recipe FAQs
Isn’t all Broth Dairy Free?
Unfortunately, there are many broths out there that do contain milk. See our Favorite Dairy-Free Broth Guide for the best options.
What Type of Apple Should I Use?
Slightly tangy apples that puree well are best. Think Gala or Honeycrisp. I think Golden Delicious also work well. Avoid overly sweet and/or mealy apples, like Red Delicious.
Does it Taste Like Curry?
The curry powder adds mild flavor influence. It isn’t overtly curry. If preferred, you can omit it.
Does this Pumpkin Soup Freeze Well?
Yes, it does! I prefer freezing into individual portions, so you can reheat single servings as needed. You can let it defrost in the refrigerator, reheat on the stovetop, or in a pinch, warm it in the microwave.
Special Diet Notes: Healthy Dairy-Free Pumpkin Soup
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, optionally vegan, plant-based, optionally vegetarian, paleo, oil-free, and added sugar-free. Just be sure to choose the broth that suits your dietary needs.
Healthy Dairy-Free Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat 1/4 cup of the broth in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, apple, garlic, ginger, and curry. Cook until the onions and apples are soft, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Add the remainder of the broth, the pumpkin, and bay leaf.
- Simmer the soup for 10 minutes.
- Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender or food processor. If using a blender, remove the center piece from the lid, and place a towel over the lid as you blend to allow steam to escape.
- Return the soup to your saucepan. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne, to taste. Heat the soup for a minute or two to develop the flavors before serving.
5 Comments
Sooo good. It’s a keeper. Will make it again.
Awesome. Thank you for your feedback Sophie.
Great recipe! Came out very tasty.
Fantastic! Thanks for the feedback Kristin.
Just made this soup – so easy and tasty! I stuck to the recipe and added salt, white pepper and cayenne only at the end – very littte of the pepper – just enough to add the slightest hint of heat to the mellow savory-sweet soup. Only other thing I will add is that I used a Pink Pumpkin (the Breast Cancer awareness/donation pumpkin sold at many retailers this Oct/Nov.) that I baked/pureed just recently. The flesh of this pumpkin is a nice vibrant orange and is naturally sweet – it has proved good for this soup and also for pumpkin bread. Thanks for posting this recipe – it is going into my permanent recipe file.