GF, DF

A super flavoursome and warming take on the classic pumpkin soup. This super easy Thai style soup is packed with garlic, ginger and coconut cream and will be a recipe loved by all.

We used to often make Thai style pumpkin soup at home as kids. It was like the classic but with more flavour and zing! It took a classic comfort food from something quite humble to something so fun and tasty to eat! It’s almost like a curry sauce without the meat - delicious!

I like to serve this soup with flaky roti bread to soak up all the goodness. When serving to guests, I like to top it with a drizzle of coconut cream, Asian fried shallots, fresh coriander or Thai basil and extra sliced red chili for those that like it hot. Also looks cute served with mini poppadom’s.

This recipe is also a great one for the freezer. It will keep for months and is such a beautiful hot meal at the end of a busy winter’s day. A real family favourite.

What's in this recipe?

Thai coconut pumpkin soup

Butternut pumpkin
A sweet and mellow tasting pumpkin variety. Feel free to substitute with other varieties of pumpkin (e.g. Kent). Sweet potato also works well!
Coconut cream
Tinned coconut cream is added to bring in coconut flavour and make the soup rich and creamy. Can be substituted with coconut milk if you prefer your soup less rich. Coconut cream also allows this recipe to be dairy free unlike most traditional pumpkin soup recipes.
Onion
Onion is fried at the start of the recipe to give the soup sweetness and earthiness. It helps to provide a solid flavour base = extra tasty!
Ginger & garlic
Fresh ginger and garlic are used additionally to the curry paste. They provide a punch of fresh flavour that you don’t get with storebought curry pastes (a secret to boosting storebought paste!)
Thai red curry paste
Thai red curry paste is fried off to provide a rich and deep base of flavour for the soup. Any brand here works well as the spices are quite subtle. Chose a mild paste if you are sensitive to heat.
Chicken stock
I like to use chicken stock in this soup to give it a rich full-bodied flavour. Can be substituted with vegetable stock for a slightly lighter tasting version. Homemade stock is even better!
Sesame oil
I use sesame oil to fry off the aromats at the start of the recipe. This provides a subtle sesame nutty flavour to the soup.
Fish sauce
Fish sauce is added to the soup at the end to provide saltiness and umami. Extra salt may be required to balance the soup as the salt content in stocks vary.
Honey
Honey is used to balance the soup and provide sweetness. Brown sugar can used instead however I prefer a non-refined sweetener which makes this recipe super healthy too!
Peanut butter
A secret ingredient to make this soup creamy, rich and spectacular. You don’t taste the peanut but it adds such a creamy luxe mouthfeel. Just leave it out if you have a peanut allergy.

Step-by-step photos

Frying the aromats

Cooking the pumpkin

Pureeing the soup