• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Peter's Food Adventures
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • recipes
  • about
  • travel
  • Follow and Share!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • recipes
    • about
    • travel
  • Follow and Share!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Soups

    Pumpkin Leek Soup

    Author: Peter Kolesnichenko · Published: Oct 6, 2022

    Jump to Recipe

    This Pumpkin Leek Soup is heartwarming and easy to make. Perfect comfort food for autumn and winter, this soup is naturally thickened with potatoes, flavored with leek and spices like Cumin and Turmeric. This is an Australian favorite!

    pumpkin soup in a bowl beside mini pumpkins
    pumpkin soup ingredients
    frying leeks

    As soon as autumn arrives, this Creamy Pumpkin Leek Soup is a family favorite. Here is Australia, pumpkins are usually served as a savory dish, and pumpkin soup is very popular. Even Campbell's Soup sells it in cans. However, homemade pumpkin soup always tastes better!

    Ingredients for Pumpkin Leek Soup

    Try to use the freshest ingredients when cooking to ensure maximum nutrients. You can use store bought broth or stock cubes for an easy shortcut, but Instant Pot Bone Broth always tastes best.

    • Pumpkin
    • Leek
    • Potatoes
    • Spices - Cumin, Nutmeg and Turmeric to add color and flavor
    • Chicken Broth/Vegetable Stock
    • Milk (fewer calories than using whipping cream)
    • Butter
    • Salt and Pepper

    What Pumpkin is Best for Soup?

    You can use any hard pumpkin when making pumpkin soup, but avoid varieties that are 'stringy' like Spaghetti Squash. For obvious reasons, they won't blend well in the soup. Here are my suggestions.

    • Butternut Squash - most popular for soups and higher in pumpkin
    • Japanese Pumpkin - also called Kabocha Squash, a winter squash
    • Jarrahdale or Queensland Blue - popular Australian varieties for soups
    sautéed vegetables in pot
    pouring stock into pot

    Equipment You'll Need

    Stick Blender or Immersion Blender is the only appliance you'll need for this recipe. It's easy to blend all the ingredients while still in the pot, saving you extra washing time. If you don't have a Hand Blender, then you can transfer the soup to a traditional blender and blend in batches.

    How to Peel a Pumpkin

    The hardest part of making Pumpkin Soup is peeling the pumpkin. Don't be fooled by the Jamie Oliver nonsense that you can eat the pumpkin peel in the soup. (well, that's not for me!)

    1. Using a sharp knife, cut the pumpkin into quarters or wedges.
    2. Carefully slice the peel away from the pumpkin, taking care not to slice your fingers.
    3. Alternatively, you can roast the pumpkin and the peels remove easily.

    How to Thicken Pumpkin Soup

    Some people thicken soups and sauces by adding cornstarch mixed with water. Whatever you do, please do not do that! This recipe uses 3 medium potatoes to thicken the Pumpkin Leek Soup, use 5 for extra thick soup. You can also blend a can of Chickpeas with the potatoes to make it even thicker.

    Making Pumpkin Soup Creamy

    This recipe uses milk to make pumpkin soup creamy. Milk is a lower fat alternative to whipping cream. If you want to use cream, use 1 cup of cream and increase your chicken stock in your soup. Alternatively, you can use coconut milk for an Asian twist.

    pumpkin soup base with milk
    blending pumpkin soup

    How to Make Pumpkin and Leek Soup

    You'll need a 4½ pound or 2kg pumpkin. By the time you peel and de-seed it, you should have the right amount for this recipe. Leek adds a gently onion-y flavor to the soup. If you don't have leek, you can substitute with an onion instead.

    1. Saute sliced leeks in butter, add ground cumin.
    2. Add diced pumpkin, potatoes and soup broth.
    3. Simmer for 20 minutes until vegetables are cooked.
    4. Remove from heat and add nutmeg and turmeric.
    5. Using immersion blender, mix until smooth.
    6. Season with salt and pepper.

    Roasted Pumpkin Soup

    Roasting Vegetables adds great flavor to soups, but also add extra time and cooking steps. Here is how I make Roasted Pumpkin Soup.

    1. Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C
    2. Toss diced pumpkins with oil and bake for about 40 minutes until tender.
    3. Saute sliced leeks in butter, add cumin.
    4. Add diced potatoes and soup broth and simmer for 20 minutes until cooked.
    5. Add roasted pumpkin, nutmeg and turmeric.
    6. Using immersion blender, mix until smooth.
    7. Season with salt and pepper.

    Garnish for Pumpkin Soup

    • dollop of sour cream with chives
    • roasted pepitas or pumpkin seeds
    • crumble fried bacon
    • croutons or cheesy garlic bread loaf
    • save a few pieces of roasted pumpkin for garnish
    • fresh parsley
    pumpkin soup in a bowl beside mini pumpkins

    Recipe Tips

    • Add More Potatoes - The potato is added as a thickener. If you like a thick soup, add an extra potato or a can of chickpeas
    • Freeze Leftovers - This is a large batch of Pumpkin Leek Soup - it's perfect to freeze to enjoy in a few weeks
    • Add Roots - Add fresh ginger or turmeric for extra flavor
    • It's HOT! - Blending hot soup can be dangerous! Allow soup to cool before blending, or cover pot with a kitchen towel while blending so it doesn't splatter everywhere
    • Boost Vegetables - For extra veggies, add 2 carrots to your soup
    • Blend well - My soup as photographed, was a bit thick and chunky. This soup should be smooth and velvety

    Pumpkin Recipes You'll Love

    • Cinnamon Roasted Pumpkin
    • Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese
    • Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
    • Pumpkin Hummus

    Like all my soup recipes, it's a full stock pot, I'm not going to go through all this work and not have any leftovers! This thick Pumpkin, Leek and Potato Soup that really hits the spot during the colder months. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!

    pumpkin soup in a bowl beside mini pumpkins

    Pumpkin Leek Soup

    Tasty Pumpkin Leek Soup - thick and creamy, with potatoes, cumin, turmeric and nutmeg. Classic comfort food served with a dollop of sour cream. Everyone loves this cold weather autumn favorite.
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Course: Dinner, Soup
    Cuisine: American, Australian
    Keyword: Pumpkin and Leek Soup, Pumpkin Leek Soup
    Servings: 10 people

    Equipment

    • 1 Immersion Blender

    Ingredients

    • 1 pumpkin or butternut squash about 1.5kg (3lbs) peeled and diced
    • 1 large leek sliced
    • 3 large potatoes peeled and diced
    • 2 teaspoons cumin ground
    • 2 teaspoons turmeric ground
    • ½ teaspoon nutmeg ground
    • 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable stock
    • 3 ½ cups milk
    • 4 tablespoons butter
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • In a stockpot, sauté sliced leek in butter. Stir in cumin.
    • Add the diced pumpkin, diced potato and soup stock.
    • Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until vegetables are cooked.
    • Remove soup from the heat and add nutmeg and turmeric.
    • Using a stick blender, carefully blend the cooled soup mix until desired consistency achieved.
    • Taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a crusty loaf of bread.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @petersfoodadventures or tag #petersfoodadventures!

    ©PetersFoodAdventures.com

    pumpkin and leek soup
    pumpkin soup in bowl with baby pumpkins

    More Soups

    • Vegetarian Cabbage Soup
    • Creamy Turkey Soup
    • Turkey Broth
    • Soup Broth

    Primary Sidebar

    Peter's Food Adventures - where you'll find Russian recipes, Slavic and International favorites with some fun travel and cooking videos. A Russian Food Blogger.

    Hi, I'm Peter!

    Are you looking for a little inspiration in the kitchen? Let me show you how to create tasty meals for your family!

    Food is the ingredient that brings people together. I love authentic foods, and have a very multicultural food background. I am genuinely happy to share the recipes of foods that make me and my family happy. And hopefully yours too. 

    Learn more about me →

    As Featured On

    As Featured On various magazine brands

    Popular Recipes

    • Crispy Asian Potatoes
    • Hungarian Stuffed Peppers (töltött paprika)
    • Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
    • Mango Sauce

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Intellectual Property

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Peter's Food Adventures

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    1059 shares
    • 391