Easy Homemade Smoked Paprika Pumpkin Soup Recipe

There’s nothing quite like a bowl of homemade pumpkin soup when the weather starts to turn chilly. It’s warming, creamy, full of flavour and surprisingly easy to make. Plus, it’s a brilliant way to use up that pumpkin after Halloween!

This recipe gives the classic pumpkin soup a little twist with sweet smoked paprika, bringing a gentle smokiness that works beautifully with the pumpkin’s natural sweetness. Add a pinch of black pepper and a good grind of Himalayan pink salt, and you’ve got a simple soup that tastes like you’ve put in far more effort than you actually have.

Perfect for a cosy lunch, an easy weeknight dinner or batch cooking for the week ahead. Let’s get cooking!

Ingredients

Serves 4 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 35–40 minutes

• 1 medium pumpkin (around 1–1.2kg prepared weight)

• 1 large onion, roughly chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp Sweet Spanish Smoked Paprika

• 750ml vegetable stock

• Himalayan pink salt, to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 100ml double cream or coconut milk (optional)

Method

1. Prep your pumpkin. Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Carefully peel and deseed your pumpkin, then chop the flesh into roughly equal-sized chunks. Don’t worry about making them perfect - they’re all going to be blended later!

2. Place the pumpkin chunks on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with Himalayan pink salt, black pepper and the smoked paprika. Toss everything together until the pumpkin is nicely coated.

3. Roast for 25–30 minutes, turning halfway through, until soft and starting to caramelise around the edges. This is where the magic happens, as roasting brings out the pumpkin’s natural sweetness.

4. While the pumpkin roasts, heat a little olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5–7 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.

5. Bring it all together. Add the roasted pumpkin to the saucepan and pour in the vegetable stock. Bring everything to a gentle simmer and cook for around 5–10 minutes, allowing the flavours to mingle.

6. Blend until smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and blend until silky smooth using a stick blender. Alternatively, carefully transfer the soup to a heat-safe blender in batches.

7. Stir through the cream or coconut milk, if using, and add a little extra stock if you prefer a thinner consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning - a little extra smoked paprika or freshly ground black pepper can make all the difference.

8. Ladle into bowls and finish with a swirl of cream with another crack of black pepper. Serve with warm, crusty bread for the ultimate autumn comfort food.

A little seasoning goes a long way

You don’t need a cupboard full of complicated ingredients to make delicious food at home. Sometimes, a few good-quality spices and a little time in the oven are all it takes to turn everyday ingredients into something special.

So, grab your pumpkin, fire up the oven and give this smoky pumpkin soup a go. And if you make it, we’d love to see your creations - share your cooking snaps with us!

Happy cooking, from Silk Route Spice Company.