This Pumpkin Carrot Soup is a nutritional powerhouse disguised as comfort food. Combining two beta-carotene champions creates intensely vibrant, almost glowing orange soup that's as good for you as it is delicious. Warm cumin and ginger add aromatic depth, while the natural sweetness of carrots complements pumpkin perfectly. Healthy never tasted this cozy.
Why This Recipe Works
Pumpkin and carrots are natural partners—both are earthy-sweet orange vegetables with complementary flavors. The carrots add natural sweetness and help create silky texture when blended. Cumin and ginger provide warming spice that keeps the soup savory rather than sweet. This combination delivers over 400% of your daily vitamin A in one delicious bowl.
Ingredient Notes
Carrots
Use regular carrots for best flavor—they're sweeter than baby carrots. Peel and chop into roughly equal-sized pieces for even cooking. About 6 medium carrots make 1 pound. If using baby carrots, they may cook a bit faster since they're smaller.
Pumpkin
Canned pumpkin puree works perfectly here—add it after the carrots are tender. For fresh, cube sugar pumpkin and cook with the carrots from the start. The combination of fresh carrots and canned pumpkin offers the best balance of flavor and convenience.
Cumin and Ginger
This warming spice combination elevates both vegetables without overwhelming them. Cumin adds earthy depth, while fresh ginger provides brightness and subtle heat. They're a classic pairing in carrot soups worldwide and work beautifully with pumpkin too.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Build the Aromatic Base
Sauté onion until soft, then add garlic, ginger, and spices. Toast everything together for about a minute—you'll smell the cumin blooming. This foundation infuses the whole soup with flavor.
2. Cook the Carrots
Add chopped carrots and broth. The carrots need a full 20 minutes of simmering to become completely tender. Test by piercing with a fork—they should offer no resistance. Undercooked carrots make fibrous, grainy soup.
3. Add Pumpkin and Blend
Once carrots are tender, add pumpkin puree and simmer another 10 minutes to let flavors meld. Then blend until silky smooth. An immersion blender works directly in the pot; a regular blender requires careful batching.
4. Finish with Cream
The cream is optional but adds lovely richness. The pureed vegetables already create natural creaminess, so the soup is delicious without it. For dairy-free, coconut cream adds subtle tropical notes.
Serving Suggestions
Ladle into warm bowls and drizzle with cream if using. Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro and toasted pepitas. Serve with crusty bread, warm pita, or a simple green salad. This soup makes a great weeknight dinner or healthy lunch.
Variations
- Moroccan Style: Add 1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon and turmeric, garnish with mint
- Curried: Replace cumin with 1 tablespoon curry powder for warmer spice
- Ginger Forward: Double the ginger and add a splash of lime juice
- Roasted: Roast carrots and pumpkin before making soup for deeper flavor
- Vegan: Use olive oil and coconut cream, vegetable broth
Storage Tips
Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 5 days. The color stays vibrant for several days. Freeze for up to 3 months. The soup thickens significantly when chilled—thin with broth when reheating. This soup actually improves overnight as flavors develop.
Pumpkin Carrot Soup
Vitamin-rich soup with double orange vegetables
Nutrition per Serving
Ingredients
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add spices. Add garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Cook carrots. Add carrots and broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer 20 minutes until carrots are very tender.
- Add pumpkin. Stir in pumpkin puree. Cook another 10 minutes to meld flavors.
- Blend smooth. Use an immersion blender to puree until completely smooth and silky.
- Finish. Stir in cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with fresh herbs and toasted pepitas.
Recipe Notes
- Cook carrots until very tender—they should pierce easily with no resistance
- Regular carrots have more flavor than baby carrots
- Cream is optional—pureed vegetables create natural creaminess
- Provides over 400% daily vitamin A per serving
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the health benefits of this soup?
Both pumpkin and carrots are loaded with beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A in your body for immune health and eye health. This soup provides over 400% of daily vitamin A per serving. It's also high in fiber and antioxidants while being relatively low in calories.
Why do the carrots need to cook so long?
Carrots are denser than pumpkin and need a full 20 minutes of simmering to become completely tender. Undercooked carrots won't blend smooth and create fibrous, grainy soup. Test by piercing with a fork—they should offer no resistance at all.
Can I make this soup without cream?
Yes! The soup is delicious without cream—the pureed vegetables create substantial natural creaminess on their own. Or substitute with coconut cream for dairy-free, cashew cream for nut-based richness, or just add a splash of olive oil.
What gives this soup its orange color?
Both pumpkin and carrots get their vibrant orange color from beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant. Combining them creates an intensely vibrant orange soup that's almost glowing. It's as beautiful as it is nutritious—the color shows how healthy it is.
Can I use baby carrots instead?
Yes, baby carrots work fine—use about 1 lb (one bag). They may take a few minutes less to cook since they're already smaller. However, regular carrots have slightly more flavor and sweetness. Both work well in this recipe.