Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Pesto
on Oct 06, 2022, Updated Jul 29, 2024
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I love this roasted pumpkin soup with pesto! This roasted pumpkin soup recipe is one of the first dishes I make when it comes Fall. The flavors from the roasted pumpkin topped with the pesto is just everything. Make this for a Fall evening, serve with grilled cheese, serve as an appetizer for Thanksgiving, or even in fun pumpkin bowls for Halloween.
For another Fall soup option, we also have a delicious roasted butternut squash soup that is completely vegan made with coconut milk!
What ingredients do you need to make roasted pumpkin soup?
Pumpkin: We are using sugar pumpkins here, I find them to be smaller and easier to handle. BUT, you can use any pumpkin you can get your hands on. Others that I feel would be delicious could be kabocha squash or cinderella pumpkins, as some options.
Onions, olive oil and garlic cloves: These ingredients build out the base of the soup! Truly the best three ingredients and can go such a long way for any soup recipe.
Vegetable broth or vegetable stock: Chicken broth works too!
Heavy cream: You can opt to use coconut milk here as well, or even omit all together if you don’t want to have it creamy.
Kosher salt and black pepper
Herbs of choice: Like fresh thyme, sage or even fresh oregano or rosemary!
For the dreamy pumpkin seed sage and basil pesto: We are utilizing the pumpkin seeds here, roasting them and making a pesto for the topping. Mixed with basil, sage, parmesan and garlic. SO good.
Other ingredients you can add: If you’re looking to add more vegetables or have your soup have a stronger orange hue, you can add carrots or sweet potatoes, even butternut squash as well if you want to make this more vegetable forward.
You can also add some spice or make it sweeter by added cinnamon, or nutmeg as well.
Instructions to make this roasted pumpkin soup recipe
Roast your vegetables
Prep your ingredients and preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Slice your pumpkin in quarters and then once more in half, roughly chop your onions and cut your garlic head in half. Place all on a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Roast until all the vegetables are fork tender, about 40-50 minutes.
Make your pesto
While your vegetables are roasting, make your pesto. In a food processor, blend basil, pumpkin seeds, fresh sage, shredded parmesan, salt, pepper, garlic cloves while streaming in olive oil. Set aside until ready to serve.
Blend!
Once all your vegetables are ready, peel off the outside skins of the pumpkin and place the flesh in a blender with your onions, and squeeze out your garlic.
*Pour and blend in a high speed blender, or you can use an immersion blender as well.
After all your vegetables are in, add in your broth. Blend until smooth. Finish with your heavy cream, blend again adjusting with salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Adjust with sherry vinegar if you prefer, I like a little bit of acid in my soup to balance everything, but it’s up to you!
Serve in bowls, top with fresh sage leaves and your pesto with a drizzle of oil, cream for garnish and black pepper.
Tips, Tricks and Substitutions
Is it better to steam or roast pumpkin? I love the deeper flavors when I roast the pumpkin and then blend it, but you can opt to just steam it or place on the stovetop.
What types of pumpkin can I use for this recipe? We are using a sugar pie pumpkin here, I find them to be smaller and easier to handle. BUT, you can use any pumpkin you can get your hands on. Others that I feel would be delicious could be kabocha squash or cinderella pumpkins, as some options.
What goes well with pumpkin soup? I would serve this pumpkin soup with any of our recipes like Sweet Potato and Kale Couscous with Spicy Basil Tahini or our Persimmon & Avocado Salad with a Citrus Vinaigrette.
Can I make this on the stovetop instead of the oven? If you’re looking to make this in a pan, vs. roasting in the oven, you definitely can. Boil, simmer, medium heat,
Check out the below Fall recipes for more dinner inspiration!
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Honeynut Squash Risotto with Fontina and Sage
- Roasted Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Hummus
If you do make this Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Pesto recipe (first of all, thank you!!), be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram and through social media so I can be sure to see what you’re making! If you’d like to stay in touch and get the latest to your inbox, sign up for our Newsletter here as well!
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Watch How To Make This Recipe
Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 large sugar pie pumpkin, about 4 cups
- 1 yellow onions, quartered
- 1 head of garlic, cut in half
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- salt, pepper, sugar, sherry vinegar to taste
For the pumpkin seed pesto
- 1 large bundle of basil
- a few leaves of sage
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan, adjust with more if you prefer
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Roast your vegetablesPrep your ingredients and preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Slice your pumpkin in quarters and then once more in half, roughly chop your onions and cut your garlic head in half. Place all on a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Roast until all the vegetables are fork tender, about 40-50 minutes.
- Make your pestoWhile your vegetables are roasting, make your pesto. In a food processor, blend basil, pumpkin seeds, fresh sage, shredded parmesan, salt, pepper, garlic cloves while streaming in olive oil. Set aside until ready to serve.
- Blend!Once all your vegetables are ready, peel off the outside skins of the pumpkin and place the flesh in a blender with your onions, and squeeze out your garlic.*Pour and blend in a high speed blender, or you can use an immersion blender as well.
- After all your vegetables are in, add in your broth. Blend until smooth. Finish with your heavy cream, blend again adjusting with salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Adjust with sherry vinegar if you prefer, I like a little bit of acid in my soup to balance everything, but it’s up to you!
- Serve in bowls, top with fresh sage leaves and your pesto with a drizzle of oil, cream for garnish and black pepper.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love it, super easy recipe no need to measure anything. You really can’t go wrong. Pumpkins, I get from my neighbors when I throw them out after Halloween.😉 Let’s see how it freezes.
Thank you, John!!