Mexican-style Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin soup is one of those comforting classics, but sometimes it's nice to mix it up a little bit and try something different. This recipe is based on my Quick and easy pumpkin soup recipe and has a few simple changes to turn the pumpkin soup everyone knows and loves into something new and exciting.

This recipe takes the classic pumpkin soup and turns it into a Mexican inspired soup with cumin and smoked paprika, along with corn and black beans. Garnished with corn chips, tomato, avocado, coriander and sour cream or yoghurt it makes an impressive dish on the table.

This post is built on my pumpkin soup recipe, which goes into more details about preparing the vegetables and making the soup, pureeing it in a blender or using a stick blender. If this is your first time making a pumpkin soup, you should give that post a read 🙂

Mexican-style pumpkin soup ingredients

• Pumpkin, the star of our show today. My preference is to use butternut squash, but any good eating pumpkin should work well. Don’t use decorative pumpkins like what you’d use for a Jack-o'-lantern.

• Stock - vegetable or chicken stock. Powdered stock is usable but ideally get a decent carton of stock or use some freshly made stock.
• Onion brings a little sweetness and a good amount of savouriness to the dish. We'll slowly fry this in oil to bring out the sweetness.
• Spices - cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper. The cumin and smoked paprika are evocative of Mexican flavours. Use salt and pepper to season to taste at the end.
• Corn and black beans added whole to the soup after blending.
• Sour cream or Greek yoghurt - we use this in place of cream that we'd normally use in pumpkin soup.
• Garnishes - coriander/cilantro leaves, corn chips, diced tomato, jalapeño, avocado and a little corn and black beans.

How to make Mexican-style pumpkin soup

This is based on my Quick and easy pumpkin soup recipe which has step-by-step photos if you need a visual guide on making pumpkin soup.

1. Prepare the vegetables - cut the pumpkin into manageable pieces, peel and deseed, and then cut into smaller chunks. Slice the onion.
2. Cook onion - add oil to a large pot and heat over medium heat. Cook the onion slowly for about 6-7 minutes until translucent and soft - don't let it brown. Add the cumin and smoked paprika and stir well and cook for a further 30 seconds.
3. Cook pumpkin - add the stock and pumpkin. Bring to the boil, reduce heat slightly and cook, covered, until the pumpkin is tender - about 15-20 minutes.
4. Blend - use a stick blender, blender or food processor to process the soup until smooth.
5. Adjust consistency - if needed, adjust the soup consistency. If it's too thick, add some water and stir to combine. If it's too thin, return to the heat and reduce, checking every few minutes.
6. Add corn and black beans - add the corn and black beans to the soup and stir them through. Optionally reserve 1-2 tbsp of each for garnishing.
7. Season - season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Serve - serve in a bowl, garnished with corn chips, sour cream or yoghurt, diced tomato & avocado, sliced jalapeño and cilantro/coriander leaves.

How to reheat and store leftovers?

Reheat in the microwave or on the stove over a low heat - if using the stove, you might need to add a little water to account for evaporation.

The soup will keep in the fridge for 4 days and will freeze for at least 3 months. Don't add the garnishes until you're serving the soup, so don't put them in the fridge or freezer in the soup itself.

Mexican-style Pumpkin soup

5 from 6 votes

Sam Knight

Vegetable soup Pumpkin Mexican cuisine

Serves 6

A Mexican-inspired twist on classic pumpkin soup, this soup packs Mexican flavours and toppings - try it next time you want pumpkin soup!

• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 litre (1 qt) chicken or vegetable stock
• 1.5kg (3.3 lbs) pumpkin, peeled and seeded, diced use any eating pumpkin, see note 1
• Water to adjust soup thickness after blending
• Salt and pepper, to taste

To garnish

• Plain, salted corn chips see note 2
• Sour cream or unsweetened Greek yoghurt
• Diced tomato
• Sliced jalapeño
• Diced avocado
• Sliced cilantro/coriander leaves

Steps

1. Prepare the vegetables - cut the pumpkin into manageable pieces, peel and deseed, and then cut into smaller chunks. Slice the onion.
2. Cook onion - add oil to a large pot and heat over medium heat. Cook the onion slowly for about 6-7 minutes until translucent and soft - don't let it brown. Add the cumin and smoked paprika and stir well and cook for a further 30 seconds.
3. Cook pumpkin - add the stock and pumpkin. Bring to the boil, reduce heat slightly and cook, covered, until the pumpkin is tender - about 15-20 minutes.
4. Blend - use a stick blender, blender or food processor to process the soup until smooth.
5. Adjust consistency - if needed, adjust the soup consistency. If it's too thick, add some water and stir to combine. If it's too thin, return to the heat and reduce, checking every few minutes.
6. Add corn and black beans - add the corn and black beans to the soup and stir them through. Optionally reserve 1-2 tbsp of each for garnishing.
7. Season - season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Serve - serve in a bowl, garnished with corn chips, sour cream or yoghurt, diced tomato & avocado, sliced jalapeño and cilantro/coriander leaves.

Notes

1. Pumpkin - I like to use butternut squash, but use whichever eating pumpkin you like.
2. Corn chips - these will go soggy after about 5 minutes in the soup. If you want to keep them firm, add just when serving or place in a bowl on the table.
3. Leftovers - keep in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for about 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or over a low heat in a pan.