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Make a delectable dinner in minutes with my Thai pumpkin coconut soup! Made with 5 ingredients & ready in under 30 minutes, it is vegan, oil-free, and nutrition-packed!
My Pumpkin Obsession
I seem to have an issue with canned pumpkin.
It all started when there was a pumpkin shortage two years ago. Because I could not find my beloved canned pumpkin in my local stores (or online), I made it a habit to stop at grocery stores (especially small ones in the country) when en route to Houston or Dallas, and, if I was lucky enough to find a few cans, I would buy them all.
When I say all, I mean all :).
The pumpkin shortage was extinguished with the following autumn’s crop, but I never stopped purchasing excess quantities of canned pumpkin. I stir it into yogurt, add it to smoothies, use it to enrich and sauces, and stews, and mix it into countless baked goods, from protein bars to pies.
But hoarding canned goods can be tricky when you have a husband who examines expiration dates with a religious zeal, so I have been forced to use my creativity–and my pumpkin supply–at an accelerated pace. I was finding it hard to face another pumpkin smoothie when the weather took an overnight turn from sweltering to sweetly cool. I promptly made a batch of coconut and curry pumpkin soup for lunch.
Pumpkin soups are ubiquitous in the fall and winter, but this one has a spicy vibe form the addition of Thai curry paste.
How to Make Thai Pumpkin Coconut Soup
This soup is so simple to make! No chopping, no sautéing, no blending, just some stirring. The Thai curry paste has all of the aromatics in one–red chili pepper, garlic, lemongrass, galangal (Thai ginger), shallots, kaffir lime, and more. So much flavor in one small jar! I’ve added a tablespoon and a half, but you can adjust the amount.
You’ll start by dissolving the curry paste in simmering water, and then, well, stirring in everything else! The everything else is canned pumpkin, light coconut milk, a bit of coconut sugar (or sub brown sugar), some lime (juice & zest), and salt to taste.
Swap the Spices to Your Liking
If curry is not your thing, simply swap out the curry paste with spices and herbs that suit your fancy. Smoked paprika (pimenton), for example, or a combination of cumin powder and coriander would be lovely. Here is a list of other herb or spice swaps:
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Ginger
- Cinnamon
- Herbes de Provence (or Italian herb blend)
- Rosemary
- Thyme
Add a Topping!
You can top the soup with a few pumpkin seeds, cilantro, hot sauce, or toasted coconut, or toasted breadcrumbs. Sometimes I go with all of the above :).
I also like to bump up the protein by whisking in some a scoop of unflavored vegan protein (to make myself feel extra powerful).
You can reheat any leftovers the next day or freeze the cooled leftovers. The flavors only get better!
Happy cooking!
More Pumpkin Deliciousness to Try:
- Pumpkin Almond Flour Cookies (vegan, grain-free, oil-free)
- Coconut Flour Pumpkin Pie Bars {Vegan, Grain-Free, Oil-Free}
- Chickpea Flour Pumpkin Muffins (vegan, grain-free, oil-free)
- 3-Ingredient Black Bean Pumpkin Soup (vegan, oil-free)
- Chocolate Pumpkin Pudding Cups (vegan, grain-free)
- Vegan Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Cups {oil-free, gluten-free}

Thai Pumpkin Coconut Soup (5-ingredients, vegan, oil-free)
- Prep Time: 2 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 17 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups water
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (I used Taste of Thai–it’s vegan & GF)
- 1 28-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- 1 14-ounce can light unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons packed coconut sugar or brown sugar
- fine sea salt
- grated zest and juice of 2 medium limes
- Optional: cilantro leaves, roasted pepitas (green pumpkin seeds), sriracha (or hot sauce of choice), additional lime wedges
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the curry paste; whisk until it is dissolved.
- Whisk in the pumpkin, coconut milk, coconut sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let the soup come to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Whisk in the lime juice and zest, then season with additional salt to taste, as desired. Serve with any of the additional add-ons, if desired.
Notes
Pumpkin: If you cannot find a 28-ounce can of pumpkin puree, simply use 2 15-ounce cans.
Curry Options: Look for Thai curry paste in small jars where Asian foods are shelved in the grocery store. Alternatively, use 1-1/2 tablespoons of curry powder (mild or medium) in place of the curry paste.
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 126
- Fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
Keywords: 5 ingredients, easy, 5-ingredient soup, 5-ingredient vegan soup, oil-free, oil-free soup, vegan soup, Thai, thai curry paste, easy soup, healthy soup, vegan pumpkin soup, easy, coconut milk, oil-free, oil-free soup
Looks so delicious!
I promise to share my horde with you, Joyce, if ever there is another shortage 🙂
Pumpkin is godly. Savory, sweet, spicy – it can do anything! Kids will eat it and it is cheap. That pumpkin shortage was a miserable time I choose to forget. Recipe looks great.
We are peas in a pod, Joyce–it was great to see Zach yesterday! 🙂
would the unflavored unsweetened coconut milk from companies like blue diamond work in this recipe? I know it isn’t as “rich” as the canned milk.
Hi Barb,
I think it would be lovely; you might want to play around with the total proportions of broth and coconut milk to get just the thickness you like, but otherwise, great!