This roast pumpkin and carrot soup is rich, flavourful and so easy to make. Perfect for a hearty family dinner on cold days or even packed as a nutritious work or school lunch.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Quick and easy – just roast, simmer and blend. That’s as complicated as it gets! And the entire soup can be made even faster if you already have some leftover roast veggies to use up.
- Vegetarian – this soup is naturally vegetarian and can be made vegan with one simple swap.
- Gluten free – and can be made dairy free, if required.
- Perfect for lunch or dinner – it’s a lovely simple lunch, school lunch, entrée or cosy dinner on a cold night.
- Healthy – loaded with carrots, pumpkin, potato and onion. It’s a nourishing soup that will give you a big vitamin boost over the cooler months.
- Roasted vegetables make the soup taste even better! Roasting the veggies before adding them to the soup adds depth and a gorgeous caramelised flavour.
- Freezer friendly.
Looking for some more warming, comforting soup recipes? You’ll love this vegetarian tortellini soup and quick chicken and corn soup!
Ingredients you will need
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. This photo is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!
- Pumpkin – you can use any variety of sweet pumpkin or butternut squash. In Australia, common pumpkin varieties are Jap, Kent, Jarradale or Butternut (also called Butternut squash). When choosing a fresh pumpkin, pick one that has no blemishes and makes a hollow sound when tapped. Be sure to chop the pumpkin into small pieces, so that it cooks through quickly.
- Carrots – use any type of medium carrots. There is no need to peel them, unless you prefer to. Slice them into small rounds or chunks so that they cook through quickly.
- Onion and garlic – the savoury flavour base of the soup. Both are roasted in the oven along with the pumpkin and carrots to enhance their flavour.
- Vegetable stock – use vegetable stock for a rich and vegetable-packed soup. If you don’t require it to be vegetarian, chicken stock or even bone broth can be used. I recommend using liquid vegetable stock, either store-bought or homemade for best results.
- Cream – finishing the soup with a little heavy cream will add a rich and creamy flavour and extra decadence. To it vegan, you can swap the dairy cream for coconut cream/milk or any plant-based milk of choice, or omit it entirely. I recommend regular, full-fat cream for best flavour, but light cream will also work. Just be sure to turn the heat off before stirring it through, or the cream may split.
Optional toppings – top this soup with your favourite toppings, such as a drizzle of thickened cream, fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley), toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds or pine nuts. Chilli flakes are a lovely addition if you want to turn up the heat. And if you don’t require the soup to be vegetarian, some crispy bacon or crumbled chorizo are fabulous!
Step by step instructions
Full ingredient notes and quantities can be found in the detailed recipe card below. But here is a brief overview of what you can expect;
1. Prepare the roasted vegetables;
Make a batch of roasted vegetables using the pumpkin, carrot, onion and garlic. Chop the vegetables into small chunks, so that they cook quickly. The vegetables are ready when they are tender and golden/caramelised on the edges.
2. Simmer;
Add the roasted carrot and pumpkin mixture to a pan, along with the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft. (Hard vegetables won’t blend nicely into the soup).
Remove the soup from the heat and carefully blend using a handheld blender or stand blender. Add the cream and blend until combined.
** The soup should be cooled slightly before blending, to prevent spitting. Take care when blending hot soup.
If the soup is too thick, add a little more stock until you reach your desired thickness.
Serve in large bowls with an additional swirl of cream. Sprinkle with your favourite toppings, such as pepitas/pumpkin seeds, croutons or fresh herbs.
Expert tips
- Make sure the vegetables are thoroughly cooked before blending the soup. The softer the vegetables are, the easier they will blend without forming lumps.
- While roasting the vegetables is recommended for a more complex and flavourful soup, you can skip this step and add the diced vegetables straight to the pot, if preferred. They can be sautéed in the pot for a few minutes, before adding the stock and cooking as normal.
- If you have leftover roast vegetables, they can also be used! Leftover roast carrot, pumpkin, sweet potato or potato all work. Simply add them to the stock, simmer and blend.
- If the soup is too thick, add a little more stock to thin it out.
- A standing blender will give a finer/smoother result than a hand-held stick blender, but both will work. If using a standing blender, the soup must be cooled slightly before blending. Otherwise, hot soup may burst from the top.
- Want more? Try adding a touch of curry powder, curry paste, ginger or your favourite spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric) before blending.
- To make it vegan, use vegetable stock and swap the dairy cream for a drizzle of coconut milk or your favourite plant-based cream or milk.
- The vegetables should be roasted at a high temperature until they are tender inside and crispy/caramelised on the edges for the best possible flavour. The roasting time will depend on your oven and the size you cut the vegetables, so keep them small for a faster result and be sure to cook them until tender.
- Serve them with some savoury scones for the ultimate comfort meal!
- This recipe can be multiplied to make a double or even triple batch. It’s a great freezer-meal to keep on hand when you’re short on time.
FAQs
Once the soup has cooled, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a saucepan until steaming hot before serving.
Yes! This soup freezes well for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool first before adding to freezer-safe containers and freezing. Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge overnight before reheating. If the soup is too thick, add a little more stock to loosen.
The soup can be reheated in a saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering and steaming hot all the way through. If the soup is thick, it may spit as it comes to a boil. Cover with a lid to prevent spitting and stir occasionally. If the soup has thickened in the fridge/freezer, add a little more stock to loosen. It can also be reheated in the microwave.
You can use any type of sweet eating pumpkin or butternut squash. Ideal types are Jap, Kent, Jarradale or Butternut. Be sure to cut the pumpkin into small (1-2 cm) pieces so that it cooks through quickly in the oven.
Pumpkin and carrot soup can be garnished with any of your favourite toppings! Try some crunchy croutons, crispy bacon for an extra savoury touch or some pepitas, seeds or toasted nuts. A swirl of cream (dairy/cashew/oat/coconut) adds a rich, creamy touch. Herbs like thyme, coriander or parsley add freshness. Some toasted garlic bread, cheesy herb bread or crusty bread on the side for dunking is also essential!
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Roast Pumpkin and Carrot Soup
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram diced pumpkin peeled and chopped (1 kg total weight after peeling and chopping)
- 500 grams carrots about 3 large carrots, chopped into small pieces (no need to peel)
- 400 grams potatoes 3-4 medium potatoes, chopped. No need to peel, but you can if preferred.
- 1 large onion large, peeled and cut into quarters
- 4-5 garlic cloves peeled, whole
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil for roasting
- 5-6 cups liquid vegetable stock or use chicken stock. Keep a little more stock to thin the soup, if preferred.
- salt and pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup thickened cream or cream of choice
To serve
- extra cream to swirl over the top
- pumpkin seeds
- fresh herbs
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 220 Cº (428 F).
- Place the diced pumpkin, carrot, potatoes, onion and garlic onto 1-2 large baking trays (don't crowd the vegetables or they will steam).
- Coat the vegetables with the olive oil and roast for 25-30 minutes, or until they are tender and lightly browned (not burnt) on the edges.
- Place the roasted vegetables into a large pot, along with the vegetable stock.
- Bring to the boil over medium-high heat and then simmer, covered, over low-medium heat for 5-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft.
- Turn the heat off and allow the soup to cool slightly. Using a stick or large blender, blend the soup until smooth. Take care blending hot soup, it may spit if blended when too hot.
- Add the cream and blend again, until combined.
- Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve in large bowls with a swirl of extra cream and chopped herbs and/or pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!
Notes
-
- Make sure the vegetables are thoroughly cooked before blending the soup. The softer the vegetables are, the easier they will blend without forming lumps.
- While roasting the vegetables is recommended for a more complex and flavourful soup, you can skip this step and add the diced vegetables straight to the pot, if preferred. They can be sautéed in the pot for a few minutes, before adding the stock and cooking as normal.
- If you have leftover roast vegetables, they can also be used! Leftover roast carrot, pumpkin, sweet potato or potato all work. Simply add them to the stock, simmer and blend.
- If the soup is too thick, add a little more stock to thin it out.
- A standing blender will give a finer/smoother result than a hand-held stick blender, but both will work. If using a standing blender, the soup must be cooled slightly before blending. Otherwise, hot soup may burst from the top.
- Try adding a touch of curry powder, curry paste, ginger or your favourite spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric) before blending.
- To make it vegan, use vegetable stock and swap the dairy cream for a drizzle of coconut milk or your favourite plant-based milk.
- The vegetables should be roasted at a high temperature until they are tender inside and crispy/caramelised on the edges for the best possible flavour. The roasting time will depend on your oven and the size you cut the vegetables, so keep them small for a faster result and cook until tender.
- This recipe can be multiplied to make a double or even triple batch. It’s a great freezer-meal to keep on hand when you’re short on time.
- Storage; Once the soup has cooled, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a saucepan until steaming hot before serving.
- Freezing; the soup freezes well for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool first before adding to freezer-safe containers. Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge overnight before reheating. If the soup is too thick, add a little more stock to loosen.
- Reheating; The soup can be reheated in a saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering and steaming hot all the way through. Cover with a lid to prevent spitting and stir occasionally. If the soup has thickened in the fridge/freezer, add a little more stock to loosen.
- Please note that the nutrition information is based on the soup being divided into 5 bowls, with one bowl being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the soup.
- This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Any reference to cups or spoons in this recipe is in Australian metric. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.
Nutrition
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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in June 2019, but was re-published with new information and photos in May 2023.
Sylvie says
Pumpkin Soup is one of my favourite, there is something so comforting about a nice warm bowl in winter! This recipe is right up my alley 🙂
TheCookingCollective says
I totally agree Sylvie! There’s nothing more comforting than a big bowl of soup. And it’s already cold here, so I have a good excuse!