This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Pumpkin Coconut Soup with Caramelized Pecans - savory pumpkin soup flavored with red curry paste, a small amount of honey, and cumin. A perfect balance of flavors: Thai flavors combined with pumpkin with caramelized pecans adding a touch of sweetness. While this soup is quite different in flavor from traditional pumpkin soup, it will still make a great and unique addition to Thanksgiving menu.
You may have noticed I've been posting lots of pumpkin recipes lately, such as pumpkin banana bread with apples or apple pumpkin bundt cake or pumpkin waffles. And I am not done yet! 🙂 No pumpkin menu is complete without this amazingly delicious and easy pumpkin soup.
I am very particular about pumpkin soups: I like them savory and so that the pumpkin is not the only dominating flavor. Last year, I made this pumpkin and butternut squash soup which fit these 2 criteria and was super tasty - I highly recommend that soup! Well, this year I wanted something REALLY SIMPLE that did not even involve food processor but only one saucepan, so I came up with this recipe.
In this pumpkin soup recipe I combine pumpkin puree with a little bit of coconut milk, a touch of red curry paste, cumin and honey. The soup does not have a strong overwhelming Thai flavor, neither does it taste too much like a pumpkin. It's just perfectly balanced. I use honey not to sweeten the soup but only to balance out other flavors. Even with the honey added, the soup is not sweet, the honey is just used to balance out the slight acidity of pumpkin.
This soup is highly nutritious (thanks to pumpkin) and gluten-free.
I like to sprinkle the soup with chopped pecans caramelized in brown sugar. It makes the soup pretty and even more fit for Thanksgiving. It also adds these tasty chunks of sweetness (little islands of sweetness :)) to the mostly savory soup!
If you are vegan: I do use butter to caramelize the nuts, so if you're vegan, make sure either to sprinkle the soup with plain, non-caramelized, pecans or use alternative, vegan-friendly way to caramelize them.
This soup has so many great qualities that I just fall in love with it over and over, each time I make it! It's so tasty, without Thai or pumpkin flavors overwhelming one another; it's healthy; it's super easy to make; and it looks so festive! Fit for everyday and for holidays, too!
Cook's tips
- When adding red curry paste, do it gradually to make sure you achieve the right level of spiciness and not make the soup overly spicy. Start with 1 teaspoon of red curry paste and gradually add more after you taste the soup.
- Some brands of red curry paste are spicier than others so you have to be careful not to make the soup spicier than you want.
- I would not recommend adding more than 2 teaspoons of red curry paste, no matter what brand. This way, Thai flavor is not overwhelming: it just nicely balances with the pumpkin flavor.
Pumpkin Coconut Soup with Caramelized Pecans
Ingredients
Pumpkin soup:
- 2 cups pumpkin puree , from the can
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon red curry paste , up to 2 teaspoons
- 4 tablespoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- salt
Caramelized pecans:
- ⅓ cup pecans
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
How to make pumpkin coconut soup
- In a large saucepan, combine pumpkin, water, and coconut milk on medium heat, and stir to combine.
- Add ½ teaspoon of red curry paste, stir to combine.
- Add honey.
- Add ¼ teaspoon of cumin to the soup and season the soup with salt to achieve the desired saltiness. This step is very important: the soup should be generously seasoned with salt which will help bring out the rest of the flavors together.
- Once you seasoned the soup with salt, you may add more red curry paste if desired, using ½ teaspoon.
How to caramelize pecans
- Add butter and sugar to the frying pan on medium-high heat, add pecans. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, to coat the pecans until they caramelize. Place pecans on foil and let them cool. Chop them up and sprinkle over each serving of warm pumpkin soup.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
when do you add the honey?
I can't believe I did not mention honey in the instructions! Now it's corrected! Thanks for bringing this to my attention. That's what posting late at night results in - missing instructions! 🙂 Add the honey right after adding red curry paste but before you add salt. I add honey only to balance out the flavors and acidity, it doesn't make the soup sweeter but it makes it so balanced! It's also very important to salt the soup generously after adding honey.
This soup sounds so comforting! I would love a bowl of it, as pumpkin and curry are some of my favorite foods. Great that it's healthy and not full of cream and butter too.
I couldn't agree more! And it's so flavorful, too!
Beautiful photographs! It's taking an odd amount of self control for me not to come at my screen with a spoon. This soup seriously looks incredible. I'll have to make it soon! It is the right time for all things pumpkin!
Ha-ha! Yes, poking the screen with the a spoon would not be good for the computer. 🙂
i made pumpkin soup with coconut milk this fall--such a delightful addition! i like the curry paste in yours.
I'm not sure why I've never tried pumpkin soup. I had a butternut squash soup at lunch today that was awesome, and pumpkin soup wouldn't be far off. Thanks for the great idea!
Absolutely correct - I use pumpkin and butternut squash interchangeably (or even together) in the same recipes. They are very similar!
I love easy recipes for busy weekdays...This soups looks super creamy and delicious plus the presentation is gorgeous!
I love that this uses canned pumpkin! I always say I want to make pumpkin soup but it just seems like a hassle. This sounds delicious and amazingly easy! Perfect!
Not a hassle anymore with this simple recipe! 🙂 I make this soup all the time when I am in a hurry and need a nice simple but delicious appetizer before the main course.
This is exactly how I like my soups. A nutty crunch and creaminess from the coconut. A very innovative dish.
burst of sunny colors and delicious flavors in this yummy soup...perfect fall treat 🙂
I can eat pumpkin for every single meal!! The soup looks divine.
I love coconut milk in carrot soup..cumin too..maple syrup or honey so I am sure to love this:)
Our rainy season has begun and my family appreciates a warm and satisfying dinner at the end of the day. The Pumpkin Soup is a perfect weeknight recipe, easy to prepare yet full of comfort! The pecans are so tempting they might not last until the soup is served!
Gorgeous soup, Julia! So creative, too. Love that you added a little touch of sweet and nuttiness to your savory pumpkin soup. And, it's just the way I like it...with coconut milk! Cannot wait to make. Many thanks for sharing, girl!
I love the simplicity of this soup - and especially that it's just made in a saucepan. Sometimes I don't feel like getting out the blender or food processor! And I love the added crunch from the pecans - I always like to add a little crunch!
I can eat pumpkin soup everyday, seriously. I usually put sunflower seeds on mine, but why not pecans! that looks very interesting!! Also I never tried putting curry in... I make this often, so now I can change it up a bit and pretend it's a whole new soup 😉