A bowl of warm low FODMAP pumpkin soup is a perfect meal for fall. Perfectly roasted pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and carrots brushed with garlic infused olive oil. Then, the roasted vegetables are slow cooked in a vegetable stock with warm spices and pureed until smooth. Next, the add coconut milk and almond milk; it is the perfect creamy soup for anyone on a low FODMAP diet!
Choosing the perfect pumpkin variety for this soup is important! I used a kabocha squash, also known as a Japanese pumpkin or a Kent pumpkin, depending on where you live. The significant thing about this particular type of pumpkin is that Monash University has tested the kabocha squash as the best option for low FODMAPers. It is always great to be able to tolerate more of something while on a low FODMAP diet!
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Soup Ingredients
- Kabocha Squash - The best creamy fresh pumpkin option.
- Sweet Potatoes - Compliments the kabocha squash.
- Carrots - Add additional sweetness to the soup.
- Garlic Infused Olive Oil - Perfect way to add garlic flavor to roasted vegetables without actual garlic!
- Salt and Pepper - Sprinkle over the veggies before roasting in the oven.
- Vegetable Broth - Keep this soup vegetarian. Use a version that is low FODMAP friendly without garlic or onion.
- Almond Milk - Perfect to add more creaminess.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk - Adds just a subtle coconut flavor.
- Pepitas - Pumpkin seeds hulled and roasted.
Soup Spices
A warm collection of spices compliments the roasted kabocha squash, potatoes, and carrots.
- Ginger
- Ground Coriander
- Turmeric
- Cumin
- Bay Leaf
- Ground Black Pepper
- Kosher Salt- Taste the soup and adjust the salt level to your preference.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions. Selected ingredients are based on current serving sizes measured by the Monash FODMAP App at the time of publishing. As always, follow your gut and modify as needed.
Making The Soup
Carefully slice the kabocha squash in half with a sharp knife on a cutting board. With a spoon, scrape out the pumpkin seeds and discard them. Or clean them up and roast them if you are feeling adventurous.
Cover a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper for easy cleanup. Drizzle the garlic-infused olive oil over the kabocha squash. Keep them facing up so the insides can get caramelized. Next, sprinkle salt and pepper over the squash. Roast in a 400 degree F oven for 45-60 minutes or until fork tender.
Next, peel the carrots and sweet potatoes. Dice both into similar-sized pieces. Place the diced pieces on a parchment-covered large baking sheet. Then drizzle garlic infused olive oil over the sweet potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 degree F oven for 30 minutes.
Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven. Allow them to cool a bit to make them easier to handle. Then peel the rind away from the kabocha squash and do a rough dice to break up the halves.
At this point, you can set the roasted vegetables aside in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to make the soup or proceed to make the soup from here.
In a six-quart slow cooker, add the vegetable stock and the spices. Next, add the roasted vegetables. Set the slow cooker heat to low for 3-4 hours or high for 1-2 hours.
If you do not have a slow cooker, use a Dutch oven. Heat the vegetable broth over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the roasted veggies and puree. Add the milk, stir, and remove from the heat.
Remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to puree the pumpkin soup until smooth. Be careful, the soup is very hot. If you do not have an immersion blender, use a high-speed blender. I recommend pureeing it in batches.
Next, add the coconut milk and almond milk. Stir and add salt and pepper.
Pour soup into a bowl with a spoon and top with an additional swirl of coconut milk and a sprinkle of pepitas. Serve immediately.
SHORTCUT TIP
Skip roasting the kabocha squash and use the Instant Pot pressure cooker method to cook the kabocha squash quickly!
Low FODMAP Notes
Ingredients were tested at Monash University, and what was available at the time of publishing. As always, listen to your gut and modify based on what your body tells you.
Kabocha Squash (Japenese Pumpkin or Kent Pumpkin) - Tested safe at ⅔ cup a meal.
Sweet Potatoes - Tested safe at ½ cup a meal.
Carrots - Tested safe at one medium per meal.
Coconut Milk - Tested safe at ¼ cup per meal.
Almond Milk - Tested safe at 1 cup per meal.
One serving of low FODMAP pumpkin soup is 1 cup.
Substitution Options
- Kabocha Squash - If you cannot find kabocha squash, use a sugar pumpkin or a canned pumpkin puree. Just be sure you don't grab the pumpkin pie filling.
- Almond Milk Alternative - Swap with milk higher than 1% if you can tolerate dairy or a lactose free option.
- Coconut Milk Alternative - Again, if you can tolerate dairy, use a heavy cream for a creamier option.
Be aware that any substitutions may change the amounts tested safe by Monash University.
Variations of Pumpkin Soup
Roasted Pumpkin Shortcut - If you are short on time, swap the roasted pumpkin for a canned pumpkin. It will work, but it will be missing the roasted flavor from the oven.
Sweeter Pumpkin Soup - Want to add some sweeter notes to the pumpkin soup? Drizzle in a tablespoon of maple syrup or brown sugar.
Spicy Pumpkin Soup - Add a small amount of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the soup. Start with a small amount and taste. Cayenne pepper can sneak up on you!
Topping Options - Besides the pepitas, crumble some cooked bacon on top! Microgreens or fresh parsley would be a beautiful option on the top of the soup.
Storing and Freezing Leftovers
Pumpkin soup is one recipe that tastes even better the next day. All the flavors meld together! Make sure to store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator—Reheat in a microwave safe container or a saucepan on the stove. Stir halfway between cook time to prevent cold spots.
Also, pumpkin soup freezes beautifully, too. I love to package any soup leftovers in a freezer friendly container and freeze. Perfect for lunch next month or even two months from now. I label the container with freezer tape and use a thin line permanent marker to identify the type of soup in the container. Then I know what I am grabbing for lunch! Having great healthy lunch options in the freezer helps to keep our food budget in check.
Meal Planning
For soups like this, which require an extra step before I can pour everything into the slow cooker, I like to prep the night before or the Sunday of the week I am making the soup. If I am making a meal that requires the oven to be on, like tiny roasted potatoes, I will either roast the pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and carrots at the same time as dinner or after dinner while doing the dishes. Then, in the morning, all I have to do is open the container of the roasted veggies and add the vegetable stock and spices to the slow cooker.
This creamy pumpkin soup recipe would pair perfectly with a green salad topped with a simple Italian dressing and low FODMAP bread. Serve it at your holiday table as an easy vegan soup and low FODMAP option. Bonus: it is also dairy free and gluten free! Another great vegan soup option is minestrone soup.
FAQs
Yes! How much pumpkin/squash depends on which variety. The kabocha squash, Japanese pumpkin or Kent pumpkin is the best option, according to the test results from Monash University. At the time of posting, the certified tested safe amounts for kabocha squash is ⅔ cup or 75 grams.
More Soup Recipes
Recipe
Low FODMAP Pumpkin Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs kabocha squash 3 cups
- 3 carrots 1 cup
- 2 sweet potatoes 3 cups
- 2 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 13.5 oz can coconut milk
- 2 cups vegetable stock
Spice Mix
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Carefully slice the kabocha squash in half with a sharp knife on a cutting board. Remove the stem. With a spoon, scrape out the pumpkin seeds and discard them.
- Cover a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. With the squash facing up, drizzle the garlic-infused olive oil over the kabocha squash. Next, sprinkle salt and pepper over the squash. Roast in a 400 degree F oven for 45-60 minutes or until fork tender.
- Next, peel the carrots and sweet potatoes. Dice both into similar-sized pieces. Place the diced pieces on a parchment-covered baking sheet. Drizzle garlic infused olive oil over the potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 degree F oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven. At this point, you can set the roasted vegetables aside in an airtight container until you are ready to make the soup, or proceed to make the soup from here.
- In a six-quart slow cooker, add the vegetable stock and the spices. Next, add the roasted vegetables. Set the slow cooker temp to low for 3-4 hours or high for 1-2 hours.
- Remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to puree the pumpkin soup until smooth. Be careful, the soup is very hot. If you do not have an immersion blender, use a high speed blender to puree it in batches.
- Next, add the coconut milk and almond milk. Reserve some coconut milk to swirl into the top. Stir and add in the other half of the salt and pepper.
- Pour into a bowl and top with additional coconut milk and pepitas. Serve immediately.
Whitney says
It doesn’t say how much vegetable stock in this recipe.
Venessa Mandelkow says
Thanks for letting me know! The recipe has been updated to include the vegetable stock/broth. -Venessa