Pumpkin Bisque
Posted: 09/15/26
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Pumpkin Bisque is creamy, flavorful, and perfect for fall! Made with solid packed pumpkin, heavy cream, and earthy seasonings, this recipe is a quick dinner (in under 30 minutes) loaded with flavor yet elegant enough for a cozy autumn gathering. Plus, it’s SO easy to make vegetarian!
Why This Bisque Recipe Is Different
- Fall means soup season in my kitchen, and pumpkin bisque is such an easy dinner or side dish that takes less than 30 minutes. It’s great for crazy busy weeknights and even a holiday side dish or starter!
- Just a few pantry ingredients are needed for this simple recipe packed with pumpkin, garlic, onions, chicken broth, shredded cheese, and nutmeg.
- No doubt about it; this is a creamy, satisfying soup, but it’s also good for you! Pumpkin brings fiber and beta-carotene, so a good way to work more vegetables into your family dinners.
Cheryl’s Tested Notes & Tips
- Roast that garlic. I add the garlic about 30 seconds to a minute before adding the broth and pumpkin. You want it to get slightly roasted and fragrant but not burnt, which happens in a flash with garlic!
- Really, don’t rapid boil; it’ll be bad if you do. Once I add the cream, I heat everything to serving temperature. Milk and cream are notorious for boiling over if not watched, so use that same wisdom. Once the soup temperature is perfect for eating and melting cheese, you’re done!
Ingredient Notes
- Canned pumpkin is the way to go here. I don’t often use canned ingredients, but in this case, it saves time and you can buy pumpkin without too many additional ingredients. Fresh pumpkin also works here but it’s ahh LOT of work.
- Butter adds depth to the bisque. To be really healthy, you could use a little bit of grass-fed butter or substitute with olive oil, avocado oil, or another neutral oil here.
- Chicken broth balances the pumpkin’s natural sweetness. I’m a low-sodium chicken broth gal, so I can adjust the salt to taste, especially since the cheese adds saltiness, too. For a vegetarian option, use a mild vegetable broth.
- Salt brings out the natural flavors. So, don’t skip this because it really helps the other seasonings stand out!
- I don’t love nutmeg, but it’s necessary. A pinch can really bring out that fall flavor of the pumpkin in this bisque. But a little goes a long way here!
- Heavy whipping cream makes the soup so extra creamy! You can use an alternative milk or coconut cream for this, but you could also skip the cream completely!
- I love a little creamy, melted cheese in my bisque. Though it’s optional, I highly encourage you to toss it in; it just makes the soup that much more delicious. Use a vegan cheese or no cheese if you want this recipe to be dairy-free!
Storage & Make-Ahead
- Fridge: Refrigerate leftovers up to 3-4 days. Warm on the stovetop over low to medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until heated through to about 165°F. Avoid a hard boil to help keep the cream and cheese smooth. If the bisque has thickened, stir in a splash of broth.
- Make Ahead: Before a big dinner, prepare the bisque 1-2 days before. Reheat gently, then add the chives, extra cheese, or swirl of cream just before serving.
- Freezing: Freezing the finished bisque may cause the dairy to separate or become grainy, so I wouldn’t recommend this. It’s best eaten fresh or out of the fridge.
Serving Suggestions
- Bread for dipping. Crusty sourdough, warm whole-grain bread, or garlic toast is SOOO perfect for scooping up every last bit. We love Air Fryer garlic bread over here!
- Crisp fall salad. I’ll do mixed greens with sliced apples or pears, toasted pecans, and a tangy apple cider vinaigrette that pairs super well with the bisque. Or go a bit heartier with a Keto broccoli salad
- Soup-and-sandwich meal. Serve a cup alongside a turkey-and-apple sandwich. Definitely check out our category of sandwiches, too!
- Holiday starter. Thanksgiving just got better! Ladle smaller portions into cups or bowls and finish with a swirl of cream before bringing out the main course.
Recipe FAQs
- Can I use fresh pumpkin instead? You could, but it does take a long time. Just note that homemade puree can vary in thickness, so adjust the broth as needed.
- Which cheese should I use? I recommend 3 in the recipe. Gouda, white cheddar or Gruyère. Gouda is a mellow, buttery flavor, white cheddar is sharper, and Gruyère has a nutty flavor.
- Is canned pumpkin the same as pumpkin puree? Totally, what you want is plain canned pumpkin, solid packed pumpkin, and pumpkin puree (100%). Don’t use pumpkin pie filling, which has sweeteners and spices that completely change the soup’s flavor.
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Pumpkin Bisque
Creamy, flavorful, and perfect for fall! Made with only a few simple ingredients, this recipe is quick and easy to make but loaded with flavor and elegant enough for company.
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 14-ounce cans solid-pack pumpkin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- Pinch black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded cheese Gouda, white cheddar, or gruyere
- 2 tablespoons chives chopped, for garnish, optional
Equipment
- Dutch oven
- Blender
Instructions
- In a dutch oven, sauté the onion in butter until tender and translucent. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
- Stir in the broth, pumpkin, salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. Cool slightly.
- In a blender, process soup in batches until smooth. Return all soup to the pan. Stir in heavy cream and heat through.
- Add shredded cheese and stir until melted.
- Garnish each serving with chives, additional shredded cheese, or a drizzle of heavy cream.
Notes
Garlic: No fresh garlic? Try garlic powder in a pinch.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 363kcal | Protein: 9g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Total Carbs: 6g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Net Carbs: 5g | Vitamin C: 16mg | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 1185mg | Potassium: 256mg | Calcium: 201mg | Iron: 1mg
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
I was looking for a creamy but not too complicated soup and this delivered. We had just roasted our leftover halloween pumpkins and it was perfectly tasty.
We’re so glad it was a hit! Thanks for sharing, Jared!
Can you use fresh pumpkin and how much?
It’ll be the same amount as canned, so about 4 cups!
If you don’t have cream, can you use whole milk?
Sure! It just won’t be as thick and creamy as it would with the heavy cream. You could also use half-and-half if you have it available.
So easy to make! Made for my dad who eats a low sodium diet so used low sodium no fat chicken broth and half and half instead of heavy cream. Turned out great!
So glad it turned out well! Thanks for sharing, Barbara!
Excellent
Thanks for sharing, Terri!
How about a nondairy version. It gets frustrating to find these recipes and they are loaded with dairy.
You can absolutely swap out the dairy products for plant-based ones! We haven’t made this vegan, but we’d love to hear how it turned out if you do! We like Ripple half and half and Miyoko’s vegan butter.
Made it with heavy coconut cream & vegan butter to be dairy free. My two teen sons loved it. I split the recipe in half, and made the other half with regular heavy cream. The only difference was the dairy one lighter in color & thinner in texture.
So happy to hear it worked both ways for you, Christine! Thanks so much for the review!