With just 5 simple ingredients, this Thai pumpkin soup delivers a curry and coconut flavor combination more often expected from a pumpkin soup recipe with far more ingredients. Bonus: It’s ready to eat in under 15 minutes!
Your Favorite Thai Flavors, Packed Into One Soup!
With just 5 ingredients as the sum total of deliciousness, this Thai pumpkin soup is the perfect last-minute fare for busy weeknights.
When I was testing this pumpkin coconut curry soup, I had every intention of putting my ready-to-be-cooked, 3 pound sugar pumpkin to work. But the first snowstorm of the year kicked that plan of action out. the. front. door.
Thanks to heavy snow on still leafed out tree limbs, the power lines in our neighborhood went down. Which meant no power for the entire day. Which meant no plugging in of any appliance that might turn a chunky pumpkin into a creamy soup and no internet to get my wickedly good recipe up on the blog.
So I raided the pantry for some canned pumpkin and made this recipe even simpler on myself.
With no chopping, no sautéeing, it seriously took maybe 5 minutes more to make this soup than opening a can of Campbell’s. And that’s mostly just because I had more cans than just one to open.
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
- Make sure you’re using pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling. That would make for a very weird soup, wouldn’t it?
- All curry pastes are different, so taste yours first. 2 tablespoons added just the right amount of heat for us, but if your red curry paste is milder you might want to add a little more.
- Making this a main meal is terribly simple with the addition of a simple protein. For poultry lovers, add in 2-3 chicken breasts chopped into bite-size chunks when you add the coconut milk and cook for about 5 minutes longer or until the chicken is cooked through. For vegetarians, add chunks of tofu and even a few green beans or peas once you’ve added the coconut milk and cook until warmed through.
These 5 Ingredients Make the Magic Happen
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Red curry paste — Something like the Thai Kitchen brand works great.
- Canned pumpkin puree — This creamy curried pumpkin soup is made with two cans of pumpkin puree.
- Canned coconut milk — Use full-fat for the richest flavor and texture. Don’t sub with coconut milk from a carton, which is too watery for using in soups.
- Broth — Chicken or veggie, your pick.
- Red chili pepper — Will add a nice kick of heat without burning your mouth.
How to Make Thai Pumpkin Soup in 10 Minutes Flat
- Sauté the curry paste until fragrant. You don’t have to add any oil to the pan, just plonk in the curry paste and cook until nice and fragrant.
- Stir in the broth and pumpkin puree. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for a couple minutes.
- Add the coconut milk. Once the coconut milk is heated through, your soup is done! I like to garnish with sliced red chili and a sprinkling of cilantro.
Love fast and easy soups? Make this quick wonton soup next! It’s also packed with Asian-inspired flavors and it takes just 20 minutes to prepare.
Want to Use a Fresh Pumpkin Rather Than Canned Pumpkin Puree?
If you prefer to use a fresh pumpkin instead of the canned variety, choose a 2-3 pound pumpkin, peel and chop it, and cook covered in the chicken or veggie broth for about 5-8 minutes or until pumpkin is tender.
Blend in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth then return to the pan. Continue the recipe at the coconut milk stage.
Or, swap out the canned puree with homemade pumpkin puree you’ve prepared in advance.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Thai Pumpkin Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth (about 32 ounces)
- 30 ounces canned pumpkin puree (two 15-ounce cans)
- 1 ¾ cups coconut milk , or a 13.5 ounce can, reserving 1 tablespoon
- 1 red chili pepper , sliced
- chopped cilantro , for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the curry paste for about 1 minute or until paste becomes fragrant. Add the broth and the pumpkin and stir.
- Cook for about 3 minutes or until soup starts to bubble. Add the coconut milk and cook until hot, about 3 minutes.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of the reserved coconut milk and sliced red chilis. Garnish with cilantro leaves if desired.
Notes
What to Serve with This Soup
- Thai Beef Salad
- Crispy Rice Chicken Salad
- Thai Chicken Larb
- Grilled Chicken and Vermicelli Noodle Salad
- Baked Thai Turkey Meatballs
- Crispy Tofu
More Easy Dinners Using Pumpkin
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Kim
So quick and easy and most of all delicious! Thanks for a great recipe I will be making over and over throughout Fall/Winter.
Thanks Kim! Glad you liked it! It is a really easy soup to make.
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
Enjoy!
Tim
Loved It
Lina joe
Yum yum!! it looks amazing going to try it tomorrow on the new year party.
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
How did it turn out Lina?
Krenz J - AllBestBlenders
Turned out AWESOME as i expected. Thanks
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
Thanks so much Krenz!
Laura
Yummiest soup i ever had. Thanks ya!
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
Thank you Laura!
Jon
Love anything pumpkin (pie, cookies, lattes, ravioli) so this is a definite addition to my to-do list. Really great recipe with super cool photos!
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
Thanks so much Jon!
Lee
I didn’t have much time today so this was perfect. I added More of the curry paste, some fresh grated ginger, a it of brown sugar and a splash of soy sauce.
Will make this again!
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
YUM! Thanks for sharing, LEe!
Patricia
Hi, were you aware of the high nickel content of spinach and raspberries? If you have a nickel allergy, for example you can’t wear a watch without getting bumps on your wrist, or silver jewellery, you might want to know that spinach and raspberries aren’t your friends. Sad I know, two really great food groups! Soy is high on that same list.
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
Thanks for the info!
Bianca
I’ve just found your pages, and tried this soup.
Wow! I make an awful lot of pumpkin soup and this is by far the best.
I used fresh butternut pumpkin and left out the chilli (fussy kids ♀️) and it was aaaaahmazing! Thank you
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
Thanks so much! Sounds delicious!