25-Minute Curried Thai Pumpkin Soup Recipe (Vegan and Gluten Free) {video}

Aromatic and flavorful, this vegan Thai pumpkin soup recipe with red curry paste and coconut milk is rich, creamy, and well-balanced; it is healthy comfort food at its finest!

At the beginning of fall I can’t wait for all things pumpkin.

Then there inevitably comes a point when Ooh, pumpkin soup! turns into Oh…pumpkin soup. I’m not quite at that point yet (I’m a die-hard fan, I still can’t get enough Sugar-Free Pumpkin Spice Syrup!), but if you are already at that point, then this soup is for you. (Really! I wouldn’t steer you wrong.)

It’s less like pumpkin soup and more like peanut-y satay sauce. That happens to have pumpkin.

And I don’t know about you, but the sauce is my favorite part of satay.

Do you remember my Autumnal Afternoon Tea? This was the soup I served. One of my guests – a self-proclaimed avid pumpkin-hater – loved it so much she asked for the recipe. It makes my day when that happens. :)

The Best Easy Vegan Thai Pumpkin Soup

Thai curry is completely different than Indian curry, and the well-balanced flavor profile of soup is classic of Thai cuisine. Red curry paste, peanut butter, and coconut milk make it something really special!

If you can find kaffir lime leaves (also sometimes called makrut lime leaves or Thai lime leaves) at an Asian grocery store or market near you, add a few of them at the end to really elevate the flavor profile!

Ingredients

In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas. For the full recipe (including ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.

• Coconut oil – we use coconut oil to sauté the aromatics like onion, garlic, and ginger; along with a touch of coconut milk added at the end, this gives the soup a subtle underlying coconut flavor
• Onion, garlic, and ginger – these aromatic vegetables add complex depth of flavor and aroma
• Thai red curry paste – look for this in the Asian aisle of the grocery store or buy Thai red curry paste on Amazon; this is a red chili-based condiment that adds a balanced spicy, sweet, salty, sour, and umami flavor backdrop for Thai dishes
• Vegetable stock – or chicken stock for richer flavor if keeping this dish vegan isn’t a concern
• Canned pumpkin – or you can use homemade pumpkin puree
• Mango nectar – mango nectar is thick juice with a sweet and slightly tangy flavor; you can find mango nectar on Amazon or use peach juice or pineapple juice instead
• Smooth peanut butter – I use sweetened creamy peanut butter (Skippy is my preference)
• Rice vinegar – or you can use fresh lime juice and add a little more
• Hot sauce – for a touch of spicy heat to create balance; feel free to adjust the amount up or down to suit your personal preference
• Salt and black pepper – to season the soup
• Canned unsweetened full-fat coconut milk – coconut milk adds richness and creaminess to this red curry Thai pumpkin soup

How to Make Curried Thai Pumpkin Soup

1. Heat the coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened but not browned, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in the red curry paste.
2. Cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
3. Add the vegetable stock, pumpkin puree, mango nectar, peanut butter, rice vinegar, hot sauce, salt, and black pepper.
4. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and remove from the heat.

Pro Tip: For a Silky Smooth & Creamy Soup

Carefully puree the soup in a blender (working in batches if necessary), or using an immersion blender.

Storage and Reheating

Store leftover pumpkin coconut soup covered in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Leftovers reheat well in a saucepan on the stovetop or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave.

Special Diet Friendly

As it is written, this Thai pumpkin curry soup is vegan and gluten free.

Thai Pumpkin Curry Soup FAQs

How Do You Make Pumpkin Soup Thicker?

In general, you can make soup thicker in one of three ways:

1. Use less liquid.
2. Add a thickener (such as cornstarch, flour, or a nut butter).
3. Puree some or all of the soup (this works well if your soup has things like potato, onion, beans, etc., which naturally thicken soup when pureed).

This pumpkin soup is fairly thick. We use just the right amount of liquid, we add peanut butter, we use pumpkin puree, and we blend once it’s cooked. However, if you want this soup even thicker, you can reduce the amount of vegetable stock to 1 1/2 cups.

Does Pumpkin Soup Freeze Well?

This Thai pumpkin soup with coconut milk freezes really well! Store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months.

When you reheat this soup, the texture is the same as it was on the day you made it.

What Can I Use Instead of Red Curry Paste?

If you can’t get your hands on Thai red curry paste, you have a couple options.

The first option is to search for a recipe for Thai red curry paste and make your instead of using store-bought.

Alternatively, for a similar (yet less nuanced) flavor profile, you can make the following changes to this recipe:

• Increase the garlic to 5 cloves.
• Increase the ginger to 2 tablespoons.
• Increase the hot sauce to 3 tablespoons (or more to taste).
• Add 1 small minced shallot.
• Add 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander along with the salt and pepper.

What to Serve with Curried Thai Pumpkin Soup

To make this aromatic soup into a full meal, you can serve it with any or all of the following:

• Steamed jasmine rice
• Cucumber Salad with Peanuts, Basil, and Ginger Miso Dressing
• Easy Chicken Satay Recipe with Homemade Peanut Sauce

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Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media.

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Thai Pumpkin Soup Recipe

By: Faith Gorsky

Prep TimePrep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook TimeCook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Yields: 4 servings

Aromatic and flavorful, this vegan Thai pumpkin soup recipe is rich, creamy, and well-balanced; it is healthy comfort food at its finest!

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Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• ▢ 1 medium onion diced
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh-grated ginger
• ▢ 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• ▢ 2 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock for richer flavor if keeping this vegan isn't a concern
• ▢ 15 ounce can pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
• ▢ 1 cup mango nectar
• ▢ 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• ▢ 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• ▢ 1 1/2 tablespoons hot sauce more or less to taste
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1/4 cup canned unsweetened full-fat coconut milk

Optional Garnish Ideas:

• ▢ Chopped cilantro
• ▢ Crushed peanuts
• ▢ Lime wedges
• ▢ Crushed red pepper flakes

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

 

• Heat the coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened but not browned, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the garlic and ginger and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in the red curry paste and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
• Add the vegetable stock, pumpkin puree, mango nectar, peanut butter, rice vinegar, hot sauce, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and remove from the heat.
• If you want a smooth and creamy soup, carefully puree it in a blender (working in batches if necessary), or using an immersion blender.
• Serve with any garnishes you like.

Video

Notes

• Nutrition Information: The nutritional information for this recipe was calculated without the optional garnish ideas.
• Storage and Reheating: Store leftover pumpkin coconut soup covered in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Leftovers reheat well in a saucepan on the stovetop or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 980mg | Potassium: 390mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 19011IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Thai

Keyword: Curried Pumpkin Soup, Easy Thai Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Coconut Soup, Pumpkin Curry Soup, Red Curry Pumpkin Soup, Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup, Thai Pumpkin Curry, Thai Pumpkin Curry Soup, Thai Pumpkin Soup, Thai Pumpkin Soup Recipe, Thai Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk

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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on November 14, 2012 and updated on November 8, 2023.

I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.

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