Silky Creamy Pumpkin Bisque (Printable)

A creamy blend of roasted pumpkin and warm spices for comforting autumn meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium sugar pumpkin (about 2 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cubed
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
05 - 1 celery stalk, diced

→ Liquids

06 - 4 cups vegetable broth (gluten-free if needed)
07 - 1 cup heavy cream (or coconut milk for dairy-free)

→ Spices & Aromatics

08 - 2 tbsp olive oil
09 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
11 - 1/4 tsp ground ginger
12 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

14 - Toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
15 - Chopped fresh chives or parsley
16 - Additional cream (optional, for drizzling)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss pumpkin cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized.
02 - Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and translucent.
03 - Stir in garlic and spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add roasted pumpkin and vegetable broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat and puree the soup until smooth using an immersion blender or a countertop blender in batches.
06 - Stir in cream. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add additional broth if the soup is too thick to reach desired consistency.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds, chopped chives or parsley, and a drizzle of cream if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Roasting the pumpkin brings out a natural sweetness that makes the soup taste rich without being cloying.
  • The spice blend—cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger—creates this warm complexity that keeps you coming back for another spoonful.
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you spent all day on it.
  • Works beautifully for dairy-free diets if you swap in coconut milk, so everyone at the table gets the same experience.
02 -
  • Roasting the pumpkin is non-negotiable—boiling or steaming it leaves you with watery, thin-flavored soup that tastes like you took shortcuts.
  • The spices need those few seconds of heat after the garlic goes in; this is called blooming, and it releases their essential oils so they actually taste like something instead of dusty powder.
  • Blend thoroughly until absolutely smooth; even small chunks will break the silky texture that makes a bisque feel elegant and comforting.
03 -
  • If you can't find sugar pumpkins, butternut squash works beautifully and often has a slightly sweeter flavor—treat it the same way and roast it until caramelized.
  • For a dairy-free version, coconut milk creates the same silky richness as heavy cream without any flavor clash.

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