Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup! So creamy and comforting with coconut milk. Vegan, gluten-free, paleo, and all-around allergy-friendly.

This slow cooker pumpkin soup manages to check several boxes at once. Not only is it simple to make and so satisfying on a cold night, but it’s also vegan, gluten-free, paleo, and all-around allergy-friendly.

This winter comfort food that everyone can enjoy!

Pumpkin is a nutritional superstar: it’s low in calories, high in fiber, and provides more than double your daily dose of Vitamin A in just one serving. Plus it tastes great!

I’ve replaced the butter, milk, and cream you’ll find in many pumpkin soup recipes with coconut milk and coconut oil. These ingredients give the soup its richness and creaminess. The coconut flavor also pairs nicely with the pumpkin – it’s subtle and not overly sweet.

I love adding bay leaf to this soup. It works as a flavor booster for pumpkin, making the soup taste somehow taste more pumpkin-y.

Be sure to use the dried bay leaves from the spice aisle, not the fresh ones you sometimes find in the fresh produce section. Fresh bay leaves are a different variety and don’t have the same effect.

I recommend taking the time to sauté the diced vegetables and aromatics at the beginning of cooking. This helps give the finished soup more flavor.

This said, if you’re in a hurry or you don’t want to make extra dirty dishes, it’s fine to just throw everything in the slow cooker. Your soup will still be delicious.

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup Recipe

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Slow cooker time: 3 to 4 1/2 hours
  • Yield: 4 servings

When shopping for pumpkin puree, make sure you buy 100% pumpkin without any added sugars or spices.

If you’d like, you can make your own pumpkin puree by roasting a baking pumpkin, scooping out the insides, and pureeing the flesh.

This recipe can also be made on the stovetop. Simmer the soup for about a half an hour before pureeing.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil (olive oil is fine if you don’t have coconut)
  • 1/2 cup diced carrot
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 1/2 cup diced celery
  • 3 tablespoons grated ginger
  • 4 cloves garlic, diced
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 2 15-ounce cans pumpkin purée (or 4 cups homemade puree)
  • 1 15-oz can coconut milk, shaken
  • 2 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth (plus up to one cup more, to taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Hot chili powder, to serve (optional)
  • Chopped fresh cilantro, to serve (optional)
  • Coconut milk yogurt, to serve (optional)

Special equipment:

Method

1 Sauté the vegetables: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and warm the coconut oil. Add the carrot, onion, and celery and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the onions start to become translucent. Stir often to avoid browning.

Add the ginger, garlic, and bay leaves and sauté for another couple of minutes.

2 Combine the sautéed veggies, pumpkin puree, coconut milk, vegetable broth, and salt in a 3-quart or larger slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 1/2 hours or on high for 3 hours.

3 Remove bay leaves and use an immersion blender to purée the soup until very smooth. Alternatively, puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Add extra stock if you’d like a thinner soup. Taste and add more salt if needed.

4 To serve: I like to sprinkle on some hot Thai chili powder, fresh cilantro, and swirl in some coconut milk yogurt.