This creamy pumpkin and sweet potato soup is warm and inviting, with cozy spices like ground ginger, smoked paprika, and a hint of cinnamon. It’s simple to prepare and can be made ahead, taking about 40 minutes—perfect for holiday menus.
Note: this post was first published in 2021 and updated in 2025 with new photos and clearer instructions. The recipe has been simplified to make prep even easier.
On chilly fall and winter days, a steaming bowl of soup sets the tone for a comforting meal. Alongside favorites like turkey sweet potato soup and carrot pumpkin apple soup, this hearty pumpkin and sweet potato soup is a must-try. It blends sweet potato and pumpkin purée with warming spices for a silky, flavorful bowl.
Because this recipe uses canned pumpkin purée, it’s quick and approachable—ready in about 40 minutes. It also stores well, so you can make it a few days ahead to streamline holiday cooking.
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Broth: Use vegetable broth to keep the soup vegetarian. Chicken or beef broth also work if you prefer.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream gives richness. For a lighter option, choose light cream or full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free version.
- Oil: Olive oil is used to sauté the vegetables, but any neutral cooking oil such as grapeseed or canola will do.
- Pumpkin purée: Don’t use pumpkin pie filling. Canned or homemade pumpkin purée is appropriate.
Step by step photos
Below is a visual walkthrough of the main steps. For full preparation and quantities, refer to the recipe card further down.
1. Heat oil in a large pot. When hot, sauté the chopped onion until softened and beginning to brown at the edges.
2. Add the spices and garlic and cook, stirring, about a minute until fragrant.
3. Add cubed sweet potato and 6 cups (about 1.4 L) of broth. Stir and bring to a gentle boil.
4. Simmer gently for 13–15 minutes, until sweet potato is fork-tender.
5. Reduce heat to low and stir in the pumpkin purée. Cook another 1–2 minutes to warm through.
6. Remove the pot from heat and stir in the heavy cream (or coconut milk). This prevents the dairy from splitting and keeps the soup silky.
7. Purée the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. For a chunkier texture, blend briefly and leave some pieces intact.
8. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If the soup is too thick, thin with additional broth or cream.
Tips and tricks
- Test sweet potato tenderness with a fork—if it slides in easily, they’re done.
- Adjust spices to taste. Increase garlic if you like, but use cinnamon sparingly; 1/4 teaspoon adds warmth without dominating the bowl.
- If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a countertop blender in batches. Allow soup to cool slightly and follow safety precautions when blending hot liquids.
Make-ahead & storage directions
Storing in the fridge:
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring frequently; avoid boiling.
- When reheating, add a splash of broth or cream if the soup thickened in the fridge.
Storing in the freezer:
- Freeze before adding the cream. Cool completely, leave headroom for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat on the stovetop, then stir in the cream and adjust seasoning before serving.
Slow cooker instructions
This recipe works well in a crock pot. Combine all ingredients except the heavy cream and reserve some broth for thinning. Add enough broth to just cover the vegetables—about 3–4 cups—because the slow cooker traps steam. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours until vegetables are very soft. Stir in heavy cream after turning off the cooker and blend to smoothness with an immersion blender. Season and thin with extra broth if needed.
Recipe variations
- Kabocha pumpkin soup: Swap cubed sweet potato for peeled kabocha squash.
- Different spice blends: Try adding ground cumin, coriander, regular paprika, or a pinch of chili powder to vary the flavor.
- Sweet potato, pumpkin & apple: Add peeled apple chunks for a subtle fruity sweetness.
- More texture: Blend partially for a chunkier, heartier soup.
Garnish ideas
Garnishes add flavor and visual appeal. Popular choices include toasted hulled pumpkin seeds, chopped chives or parsley, cracked black pepper, flaky sea salt, red pepper flakes, crumbled bacon, caramelized onions, croutons, or a swirl of heavy cream or coconut milk.
Recipe FAQs
If the soup is too thick after blending, thin it with broth or water and re-taste for seasoning. If it’s too thin, let it sit to thicken slightly as it cools, or simmer gently over low heat to reduce the liquid. If cream has already been added, keep the temperature low to avoid curdling.
Yes. Use vegetable broth and substitute full-fat canned coconut milk for the heavy cream to keep the soup dairy-free and vegan-friendly.
Related recipes
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Sweet Potato Black Bean Soup
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Turkey Sweet Potato Soup
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Carrot Pumpkin Apple Soup
If you try this recipe, please leave a rating or review below—I’d love to hear how it turned out for you.
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup
This creamy pumpkin and sweet potato soup is comforting and full of warming spices. It’s quick to make and makes a lovely starter for fall or winter gatherings.
- Author: Kate
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian (can be made vegan)
Ingredients
- 16 ounces (454 g) sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- 2 cups (about 242 g) chopped onion (1 large or 2 small)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 6–7 cups (1.4–1.7 L) broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian/vegan)
- One 15-ounce (425 g) can pumpkin purée
- 1 cup (237 ml) heavy cream (or substitute full-fat coconut milk)
Instructions
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and cook 4–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and slightly browned at the edges.
- Add garlic, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, ground ginger, and cinnamon. Cook about 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
- Add cubed sweet potato and 6 cups of broth. Stir and bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat as needed to maintain a gentle boil. Simmer 13–15 minutes until sweet potato is fork-tender.
- Lower heat to low and stir in the pumpkin purée. Cook 1–2 minutes to warm through.
- Remove the pot from heat and stir in the heavy cream or coconut milk. Blend directly in the pot with an immersion blender until smooth. If using a countertop blender, cool slightly and blend in batches.
- Adjust the soup’s consistency with extra broth if desired. Taste and add more salt or pepper as needed.
Notes
- If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a countertop blender in batches after allowing the soup to cool slightly. Take care when blending hot liquids.
- To make this vegan, use vegetable broth and full-fat canned coconut milk in place of heavy cream.
- Store cooled soup in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring frequently.
Crock Pot Instructions:
- Add all ingredients except the heavy cream and enough broth to cover the vegetables (about 3–4 cups) to the crock pot.
- Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours until vegetables are very soft.
- Turn off the crock pot, add the heavy cream, and blend with an immersion blender. Adjust seasoning and thin with broth if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 recipe
- Calories: 208
- Sugar: 6.8 g
- Sodium: 804 mg
- Fat: 12.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 19.2 g
- Fiber: 4.2 g
- Protein: 6.5 g
- Cholesterol: 21 mg