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This Pumpkin Tomato Soup is one of my favorite Fall recipes. It’s made with canned pumpkin puree and diced tomatoes, so there’s minimal chopping before you get started. Spiced with cinnamon and sage, it has Fall flare, but still tastes perfect with a grilled cheese sandwich.
For added protein, top this soup with my Italian turkey sausage or sweet potato turkey meatballs, or pair it with my Pear Gorgonzola Salad.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Pumpkin Tomato Soup
- It’s delicious. Inspired by my Tuscan Pumpkin Pasta Sauce, which I want to eat directly with a spoon, I figured we could do that if we turned it into a soup!
- It’s fast to prepare. The only thing you have to chop is an onion (and maybe garlic, if you don’t use a microplane like I do). As soon as everything’s hot, it’s ready to serve.
- It’s dairy-free. If you’re serving someone with special dietary needs, this soup uses coconut milk as a dairy-free alternative to heavy cream. (But cream works, if you prefer.) It’s also gluten-free, Paleo, and vegan!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pumpkin Puree. I use an entire can of pumpkin to keep things as easy as possible. If you prefer to cook a whole pumpkin, you can do that, too.
- Diced Tomatoes. I use canned diced tomatoes because it’s a common pantry ingredient; I’m hoping you won’t have to run to the grocery store to make this recipe! If you have a can of tomato sauce (without sugar added) that would work here, too.
- Dried Spices. Again, to keep things easy. Ground cinnamon and sage help add a Fall flare, and I like to add a pinch of cayenne pepper for some spice. (But that’s optional.)
- Coconut Milk. Adds dairy-free creaminess without significant coconut flavor. If you would rather use heavy cream instead, that is fine!
- Onion & Garlic. These are the only two things you’ll need to chop or mince to get started. I like to use a microplane to finely grate the garlic. If you want to add a little fresh ginger, that would be nice here, too!
For serving this soup, you might want to make a batch of roasted chickpeas for a crunchy topping, or add a little freshly minced sage on top.
How to Make Pumpkin Tomato Soup (Step by Step)
- Heat a 4-quart pot over medium-high heat, then add a drizzle of olive oil. Cook 1 chopped yellow onion for about 8 minutes, or until it’s soft and translucent.
- Add 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of ground sage, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional). Stir briefly, just until the spices smell fragrant.
- Add 1 cup of water to the pot and use a spatula to scrape the bottom. This will make sure none of the spices stick!
- Transfer the cooked onion, spices, and water to a high-speed blender. Add a 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes (including the juices) and pumpkin puree.
- Season the soup with 2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and up to 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Secure the lid and blend until smooth.
- Taste the soup and adjust as needed. I usually add another 1/4 teaspoon of salt, but you can add this later. Pour the soup back into the pot and heat until it’s piping hot. Stir often.
- Pour 1/2 cup of coconut milk into the pot once the soup is hot. Stir well, then taste the soup again and make any necessary adjustments. If the soup is too sweet, you can add a squeeze of lemon juice. If it’s too salty, add a little more sweetness.
- Once you’re happy with the flavor, the soup is ready to serve warm with any toppings you love. Try crispy roasted chickpeas for a plant-based topping.
Pumpkin Tomato Soup Recipe FAQs
Yes, shockingly well. Since tomatoes are acidic and pumpkin leans sweet, they balance each other out in this soup. It still feels like you’re eating a savory tomato soup, but with a hint of Fall flavor. (It does not scream “pumpkin pie” at all.)
The secret to any good soup recipe is hitting all 5 flavors– sweet, salty, tangy, bitter, and umami. This one does a good job by adding a spicy element (cayenne), plus acidic tomatoes, savory spices, and sweetness from a touch of maple syrup. If you end up adding too much of something, you can usually balance it out! For example, if you make it too sweet, you can add more tangy or salty flavor. If you make it too salty, you can add more broth to dilute it, or sweetness to balance the saltiness.
Absolutely not. If you’ve ever tried my famous Chicken Vegetable Soup, Curry Chicken Soup, or Healthy Zuppa Toscana, you know you can make a flavorful soup without broth. Simmering water with veggies and spices is all you need.
More Healthy Pumpkin Recipes
If you try this Pumpkin Tomato Soup recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know what you think. Thanks for visiting!
Pumpkin Tomato Soup (Dairy-Free!)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion , chopped
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground sage (or freshly minced)
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (omit for no spice)
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes (don't drain)
- 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ cup coconut milk
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart pot over medium-high heat and sauté the onion until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic, cinnamon, sage and sauté until fragrant, about one more minute.
- Pour 1 cup of the water into the pan and scrape the bottom with a spatula, just to make sure no spices stick. Then transfer this mixture to a high speed blender.
- Add the canned tomatoes, pumpkin, remaining 1 cup of water, salt, and maple syrup to the blender. Then secure the lid and blend until smooth, about 60 seconds.
- Pour the blended soup back into the pot and heat it up over medium-high heat. Stir often, so the heat is distributed evenly. Once the soup is starting to bubble, stir in the coconut milk. Taste the soup and add extra salt and black pepper, as desired. (I usually add ¼ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper.)
- Serve warm as soon as you're happy with the flavor. This pairs perfectly with a grilled cheese for dunking, or you can add roasted chickpeas for a crunchy topping.
Notes
Nutrition
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Wow this soup is so good! I was a bit hesitant about the pumpkin and cinnamon, but somehow it just gives it a depth of flavor without tasting of pumpkin spice. It was also very easy to make and uses simple ingredients. I recommend using the cayenne pepper – it gives a bit of heat which really balances out the other flavors.
Wow, what a flavor mix! I used fresh sage from the garden. I roasted a smaller white pumpkin I had from Halloween, which was very sweet and pleasant. And I used a container of arrabbiata sauce (spicy!) for the diced tomatoes instead of canned or fresh. Absolutely delicious, thank you Megan!
I used fire roasted tomatoes, otherwise I followed the recipe. I added 1/2 tbsp brown sugar in addition to the maple syrup.
Added 1/2 cup of plain yogurt , rosemary instead of sage and skipped lemon juice and coconut milk . It’s also very good. Thanks
This recipe was very good! I used canned diced tomatoes and the flavor was great, almost like Campbells tomato soup but good for you!
This is wonderful. Can this be frozen?
Just made this soup and its delicious! I love how I will be able to make this with items I have on hand and how simple it is. I didn’t have Sage, so I substituted with Thyme. It would be delicious as a sauce as well. Thank you so much!
I make this soup every year in the fall. It’s delicious, healthy and satisfying. Turns out great every time.
I could make this from my pantry! Since I keep a can of coconut milk in the shelf. Like another reviewer i too used Chinese five spice (because I hardly use it otherwise!) but followed the rest of the recipe exactly. Making eight servings conveniently uses the whole can of pumpkin and tomatoes and Believe me you’ll want to eat this more than once! Thank you.
This soup is rich and bright and delicious!