This Pumpkin Soup recipe, also known as German Kürbiscremesuppe, is velvety smooth, ultra creamy, and made with fresh pumpkin!
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Kürbiscremesuppe is a German-style pumpkin soup, often made with a base of roasted pumpkin, onions, garlic, and broth, then blended until smooth and creamy. It’s usually seasoned with spices like nutmeg, and often finished with cream or milk for added richness and to create a velvety texture.
It’s truly a rich and indulgent soup, one that’s popular on restaurant menus in Germany and Austria, especially in the mountainous regions. There’s nothing better than a piping hot bowl of pumpkin cream soup at an Austrian mountain hut on a cool day after a long hike, and we love it SO much that we just had to recreate this beloved soup recipe ourselves!
These are so many reasons we LOVE this recipe for Pumpkin Soup!
- It’s made with REAL PUMPKIN: The 100% pumpkin added makes this a healthy meal option.
- It ‘s EASY to MAKE: There are very few ingredients in this recipe making it a simple soup to make.
- It’s a great SEASONAL recipe: Once pumpkins are in season, this soup is a staple in our home – it’s so simple and versatile.
- It reminds us of AUSTRIA. We’ve enjoyed so many variations of this soup on our travels through Austria and it’s a taste of nostalgia.
Follow these tips to make the BEST Kürbiscremesuppe you’ve ever tasted!
Roasting the pumpkin instead of steaming it or cooking it in the soup liquid adds a world of flavour that you can’t even imagine until you try it. Pumpkin is a vegetable that’s relatively high in natural sugars so letting the pumpkin roast and caramelize makes all the difference in the flavour of this soup.
The secret ingredient is adding a good-quality white wine early on in the cooking process. This lends such a depth of flavour and really takes this Pumpkin Soup recipe over the top.
Blend the soup until it has a creamy texture with no pumpkin or onion pieces left behind. Using a high powdered blender helps create an ultra creamy texture.
Don’t forget the spices. Season generously, but start with small amounts and adjust to taste as you go.
Sauté the onion, garlic, and spices in melted butter to add depth to the soup’s flavour.
If you are having trouble with this Pumpkin soup recipe, follow the solutions we recommend below.
Pumpkin soup can be quite bland if not seasoned properly. Common mistakes include not adding enough salt or failing to incorporate spices like nutmeg, pepper, or cayenne. These seasonings are crucial for bringing out the natural sweetness of the pumpkin and balancing the flavours.
Chunks in the soup mean that the soup needs to be blended more thoroughly. Blend the soup until it is creamy and smooth and use a high powered blender if you have one.
The pumpkin can lose some of its flavour if it is over-cooked and it can take on a bitter taste. Make sure to monitor the roasted pumpkin to make sure it is tender, caramelized, and not overdone.
Here’s a list of items you’ll need to make this pumpkin soup recipe (paid links):
- a chef knife
- a cutting board
- measuring cups and spoons
- liquid measuring cup
- a baking sheet
- a hand blender or stand blender
These are the ingredients you need to make this recipe for pumpkin soup (paid links):
- 1 medium sugar pumpkin (the round, orange kind)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon butter or other vegan butter substitute
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 cup good quality dry white wine (I like to use Sauvignon Blanc)
- 1-2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or other vegan substitute
- extra heavy cream and pumpkin seeds for garnish
Try one of these delicious variations for a twist on the classic Kürbiscremesuppe.
- Coconut Curry – Add in coconut milk and curry powder for added richness and a bit of spicy heat to the soup.
- Carrot & Pumpkin – Add in some chopped carrot with the pumpkin to contribute to the sweetness and give an extra depth to the flavour.
- Apples & Pumpkin – Apples and pumpkin are in season at the same time and compliment each other with a delicious combination of tart and sweet. Roast some apples along with the pumpkin and then add them to the soup.
- Protein – Add in some red lentils to the pumpkin soup for a more substantial and nutritious soup.
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Time needed: 1 hour
Follow these steps for making this Kürbiscremesuppe recipe.
- Prep the pumpkin.
Wash and cut the pumpkin in the large slices, leave the skin on and scrape out the seeds and the inside of the pumpkin.
- Roast and season.
Put the pumpkin skin side down on a baking sheet, season, and roast in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) until it’s soft and slightly brown on the edges.
- Heat pot.
Over medium-heat melt the butter and add the garlic, onion, sea salt, and white pepper to the pot.
- Add in the wine.
Add in the wine and continue to cook until at least half the moisture evaporates.
- Pumpkin flesh.
Scrape the pumpkin flesh out of the skin and add to the mixture in the pot.
- Pour slowly.
Pour the chicken stock slowly until the liquid level reaches about a half-inch below the top of the pumpkin.
- Cook and stir.
Stir the soup well, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Blend.
Turn off the heat and wait until the soup stops boiling. Pour in the heavy cream and puree the soup with a hand blender.
- Garnish and serve the Kürbiscremesuppe.
Drizzle with cream and top with pumpkin seeds (optional). Serve immediately.
How many cups of fresh pumpkin are needed?
You need about 3-4 cups of fresh pumpkin for this recipe.
How do I know when the pumpkin is done roasting?
The pumpkin is done roasting when the pumpkin flesh is soft and the edges are browned slightly. Test the flesh with a fork. The fork should poke in easily.
How best to store the roasted pumpkin soup?
This pumpkin soup recipe can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days or freeze for up to one month in a freezer-safe container.
What is Kürbiscremesuppe?
Kürbiscremesuppe is a German-style pumpkin soup, often made with a base of roasted pumpkin, onions, garlic, and broth, then blended until smooth and creamy. It’s usually seasoned with spices like nutmeg, and often finished with cream or milk for added richness.
We hope you enjoy this Pumpkin Soup recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite cultural food? We’d love to know!
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Pumpkin Soup
Recipe: Ingredients
- 1 medium sugar pumpkin (the round, orange kind)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon butter or other vegan butter substitute
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 cup good quality dry white wine (I like to use Sauvignon Blanc)
- 1-2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or other vegan substitute
- extra heavy cream and pumpkin seeds for garnish
Recipe: Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) and prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
- Wash the pumpkin and cut it into large slices, leaving the skin on and scraping out the seeds and insides of the pumpkin.
- Place the pumpkin slices flesh side up (skin side down) on the baking sheet and sprinkle with the 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.
- Roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) for about 25-35 minutes, or until the pumpkin flesh is soft and beginning to brown slightly around the edges (test with a fork for softness).
- When the pumpkin is almost done roasting, heat a large pot over medium-low heat and add the butter.
- Add the garlic, onion, sea salt, and white pepper and stir together, cooking until the mixture is fragrant and the onion is translucent.
- Add the white wine and continue cooking as the wine cooks off and at least half of the moisture evaporates.
- When the pumpkin has finished roasting, scrape the pumpkin flesh out of the hardened skin and into the pot with the onion mixture. You should have about 3-4 cups of pumpkin flesh.
- Add the chicken broth slowly, just until the liquid level reaches about a half-inch below the top of the pumpkin. Adding too much liquid will make the soup too liquid-y, so only add what you need (every pumpkin is slightly different in size, so this measurement might vary slightly).
- Stir the soup well and cover, cooking on medium-low heat for about 15-20 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Turn off the heat and allow the soup to stop boiling. Add the heavy cream and puree with a hand blender on high speed until creamy and smooth (or transfer to a regular blender and puree on high speed).
- Serve immediately with a drizzle of cream and a few pumpkin seeds for garnish.
Recipe: Notes
Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
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This recipe looks so tasty and easy to follow thank you for sharing!
Thank you! Glad you like it!
Love Love Love this recipe! I’m sure these tastes are amazing! So YUMMY!
They sure are! Thanks!
So yummy! This is incredible recipe, craving for this right now!
I hope you enjoy it!
This is making me hungry! Looks so good!
Thanks so much!
I always look forward to pumpkin soup in fall – it’s sooooo good! I can’t wait to try this version, I had never herd of german style pumpkin soup!
Yes, it’s a very traditional recipe that you can find served in different ways in different parts of the country. So delicious!!
I absolutely love this!! And that color..WOW!! It looks incredibly delicious!!
Thanks so much! The colour is thanks to the roasted pumpkin! 🙂
This looks comforting! Great to enjoy for fall nights!
It sure is!
That looks really good and I am going to try this take on a German Pumpkin soup for sure. We do not have sugar pumpkin in Germany, so we use mostly Red Kuri (Hokkaido in German), add an apple and me personally like having fresh ginger in there. (and also, what is the base of many German soups: Suppengemüse (carots, celeriac and leek), potatoes and onion). Some put only carrots and some put in cream.
Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy it!!
Great recipie, but there is another secret ingredient, a swirl of styrian pumpkinseed oil just before serving, sensational!
You’re SO right!! It’s hard to find where I live, but next time I see it (or the next time I’m in Austria) I will grab some for sure!
And you find it where in the US?
And I forgot,a lump of ginger,cut some slashes,put it on a skewer and remove before pureeing
Great idea! Thanks!
We came from Germany and my husband loved the pumpkin soup at the Pumpkin Festivals, I’m so excited to find this recipe! Will definitely make it.
Hope you love it!!
We just got back from Germany and enjoyed many a bowl of kurbissuppe! So delish! Could not find any pumpkins in the store anymore but a neighbor was kind enough to give me hers on her doorstep today. It’s in the oven roasting as we speak. Looking forward to tasting it later. Brought some bags of pumpkin seeds home from Germany! I’ll let you know how it goes.
Thanks! You’ll love it!
Since my daughter and her family have lived in Germany for 0ver 20 years, I’ve been to Germany many times. Lots of favorite foods there. I love schwein hax and my favorite is flammjuchen. My daughter makes the best! Your soup looks deelish, and my daughter roasts the pumpkin just as you do to make the soup or a pie. I had pumpkin soup when we visited, and there was just a slight warmth at the back of my throat. So good. Thank you! Pinned
Hope you enjoy it!
One of the best
Thanks!
This soup was amazing! We lived in Germany for 3 years and I missed this soup very much! Your recipe was great! I just added Balsamic vinaigrette With the drizzle of cream!
So glad you loved it! 🙂
I made this soup tonight. I love the nutty flavour of the roasted pumpkin. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for sharing it.
So glad you loved it as much as we do!! Thanks for letting us know!!
I agree. I have made pumpkin soup before and roasting the pumpkin adds such great flavor. This is the recipe I will be using from now on.
I am a little late in the season to purchase fresh pumpkin, so I was going to try an alternative if I can find something close. I was wondering about how many cups your 1 medium sugar pumpkin baked or cooked down to?
Can’t wait to try this!
I got about 3-4 cups of pumpkin flesh. Happy cooking! ☺️
I know this is late, but in case it’s helpful – I used 1 kombucha squash and 1/4 red kuri squash and the soup came out great! I imagine substituting any of the milder squashes (probably any but butternut and spaghetti, tbh) would work. Haven’t tried it, but I would guess 2-3 cans of plain canned pumpkin would probably also work.
I’m wondering if I can use canned pumpkin and if so how many cans would be equivalent to a medium size sugar pumpkin?
Unfortunately, I don’t think this substitution would work.
Oh HECK yeah. This soup is SO good. Exactly what I was looking for. I have always been kinda meh on US squash soups, they tend to lean into the sweet and I prefer the salty. Had some amazing pumpkins soups when I was in Germany and googled looking for something along those lines and found this. It turned out exactly how I wanted. Made some fresh bread to go with and it was soooo good.
Pumpkins weren’t in season in my grocery store, so I used a mix of 1 Kobocha squash and 1/4 of a red Kuri (I think) squash, but otherwise followed the recipe and it came out great.
10/10 do recommend.
We’re so happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback!