Instant Pot Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Fall season is here and I've got pumpkin on my mind! This amazingly delicious pumpkin soup is so easy to make and is great for meal prep too since it freezes well. Making it in the instant pot is so convenient and makes cleanup a breeze.

This pumpkin soup is quick and easy to make and is ready in just 30 minutes. It is also vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free, and can be enjoyed on most special diets. Unless you're on a pumpkin-free diet, but does that even exist?

Jump to:

• Ingredients Used
• How to make this recipe
• Make it on the stove
• Storing and Reheating
• Additional toppings
• Helpful Tips
• Recipe
• Comments

Ingredients Used

• Pumpkin puree: I love this Farmers Market Pumpkin Puree from Amazon. You can always make your pumpkin puree from scratch but the canned puree works just fine.
• Unsweetened coconut milk: For this recipe, you need the thick full fat coconut milk sold in cans, not the ones sold in the refrigerated section. I used Coco Lopez coconut milk for this recipe, but I have also used Thai unsweetened coconut milk in the past.
• Cauliflower: This helps to thicken up the soup without adding any additional thickeners. You can use a whole cauliflower or frozen cauliflower florets.
• Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt. Cayenne pepper is what makes this pumpkin soup spicy, but you can add less or omit it entirely if you wish.
• Broth: You can use any flavor of broth you like.
• Aromatics: Onions and garlic.
• Garnish: I garnish my pumpkin soup with cilantro and red pepper flakes, but this is optional.
• Olive oil.

How to make this recipe

1. If you are using a fresh cauliflower, chop it up into medium-sized florets. Also cut the onions and mince the garlic. Turn the instant pot to sauté mode. Add olive oil and when it heats up, add the onions and garlic. Sauté till fragrant.
2. Pour in the broth and scrape any browned bits from the onions and garlic.
3. Pour in the pumpkin puree and coconut milk.
4. Add the cauliflower, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt.
5. Turn the instant pot off and back on to manual mode. Set it to high pressure for 10 minutes. It will take approximately 10 minutes to come to pressure. When it is done, quick-release the pressure by turning the venting knob from sealing to venting.
6. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until it is smooth. Taste for salt and adjust if necessary. I add a tablespoon of salt but remember broth already contains some salt, so adjust how you see fit.

Optionally top with cilantro and red pepper flakes and enjoy!

Make it on the stove

If you don't have an instant pot, you can also make this pumpkin soup on the stove. The steps are the same, until after you add the cauliflower and spices.

Bring it to a boil, then simmer for 10 - 15 minutes. Turn off the stove, then puree using an immersion blender.

Your instant pot spicy pumpkin soup is ready to eat!

This recipe serves 6 and contains 8 net carbs per serving.

Storing and Reheating

This pumpkin soup keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days, and it also freezes well. You can freeze it in a container or in freezer bags, and it is best to freeze individual portions. If you use a freezer bag, make sure you remove as much air as you can.

To reheat, either defrost in the microwave, or for best results, bring it out overnight so it defrosts in the fridge.

Additional toppings

You can eat this soup just as it is for a light, hearty soup, or you can add different toppings to jazz it up.

Some of my favorite toppings are:

• Roasted veggies
• Walnuts, pecans (or your favorite low carb nuts)
• Sunflower seeds
• Sesame seeds
• Lemon juice
• A drizzle of coconut milk
• Parsley
• Shredded coconut
• Sliced almonds

Helpful Tips

• You can reduce the cayenne pepper or leave it out entirely if you wish.
• When you pour in the broth after sautéing the onions and garlic, make sure you scrape any browned bits in the instant pot. This is a crucial step to prevent your instant pot from giving a burn notice, so don't omit this.
• The combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and cumin are quite strong together, so be careful about adding additional spices, or the taste might become overwhelming.

Check out these other savory keto soups!

Spicy Cauliflower Soup

Spicy Mussel Soup

Fish Pepper Soup

Keto Cabbage Soup

Need more soups? Check out this collection of soups that will keep you warm and cozy!

Recipe