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A heartwarming fall favorite, Pumpkin Sweet Potato Soup is velvety smooth, earthy and rustic, and intensely savory with a touch of sweetness! Whole pumpkin and sweet potatoes are roasted with garlic and sage, warm cinnamon and spices, and maple syrup, you'll love every bite!
- A Warm and Cozy Fall Soup! - This Pumpkin Sweet Potato soup has an incredibly unique flavor profile. It's bakery-spiced sweetness meets salty crispy prosciutto, toasted sage and roasted garlic and a tiny hint of vanilla, it's a soup you've gotta try!
- Easy! - The veggies in this soup are roasted whole, so there's no peeling or chopping! The oven works its magic and it all gets blended up smooth and creamy and topped with homemade croutons and crispy prosciutto!
- If you Love this Soup, try my Sweet Potato Corn Chowder and this Maple Roasted Butternut Squash Soup!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Healthy fall vegetables get roasted whole with fresh sage, garlic, maple syrup and cozy spices! This simple ingredient list is gluten-free (without the croutons) and could be vegetarian by using vegetable stock.
- Sweet Potatoes - Choose 2 sweet potatoes, roughly equal in size totaling 3 pounds. Sweet potatoes are the healthy bulk of the soup, and roasting brings out their natural sweetness, pairing so well with the sweet and savory flavors.
- Pumpkin - Use any small baking pumpkin, often labeled a sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin. The farmer's market is a great spot for these! We often think of pumpkins as being decorative, but they are an edible squash! Most any winter squash could be substituted such as acorn, buttercup, or a small butternut squash.
- Onion and Garlic - Roasted onion and garlic carry the savory flavors. Leave them whole, the garlic is protected from burning in the little bowl of the pumpkin! The charred outer layer of the onion should be discarded.
- Fresh Sage - Fresh sage loves pumpkin and sweet potato! It offers that earthy rustic flavor, first roasted with the veggies, and then tossed with the crouton topping.
- Maple Syrup - Just a drizzle of real maple syrup enriches the natural sweetness of the roasted veggies with deep flavor.
- Seasonings and Spices - Salt and pepper are important to season all those veggies. Paprika adds that little kick of spice while cinnamon brings the warm classic pumpkin taste!
- Chicken Stock - We love to make Homemade Chicken Stock from Bones and Veggie Scraps and keep it in the freezer for soup making. Vegetable stock could be used, making the soup vegetarian.
- Cream - Finish the soup with just a half cup of heavy cream for silky smooth texture. You could easily substitute half & half, whole milk, or leave it dairy-free. Just add a bit more stock or water if the soup gets too thick.
- Vanilla Extract - It sounds strange, but vanilla extract is so delicious here! Yes, the soup almost feels like it should be in a fall bakery with Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffins, but you've got enough strong savory flavors to keep it in balance! If you don't have vanilla extract, you can leave it out and the soup will still be good!
- Optional Toppings - Sweet Potato Pumpkin Soup is delicious on its own, but the optional toppings really boost the salty-savory aspect, while making a bowl of soup more of a complete meal. If you love prosciutto, try crispy prosciutto, it's amazing! And homemade croutons baked with fresh sage really seal the deal!
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This soup is easy to prepare with minimal chopping, just cut the veggies in half, season, roast and blend!
Step 1 - Wash your sweet potatoes and pumpkin and cut them evenly in half lengthwise.
Scoop the seeds from the pumpkin cavity.
Step 2 - Add the sweet potato and pumpkin to a large sheet pan, cut side up, and the onion halves cut side down.
Add the sage leaves and whole peeled garlic cloves to the cavity of the pumpkin.
Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup, using your hands to rub and coat everything. Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, cinnamon and paprika.
Step 3 - Roast at 425°F for about 45 to 55 minutes until the veggies are soft.
Use a fork to prick the pumpkin and sweet potato to tell if they're done.
Discard the charred outer layer of the onion.
Step 4 - Scoop and scrape the flesh of the sweet potato and pumpkin into a blender in 2 or 3 batches.
Sometimes you can easily pull off the sweet potato skin with your hands.
Add some of the stock, cream and vanilla to each batch.
Step 5 - Blend very smooth, adding enough stock to get the blender to run freely.
Step 6 - Transfer each blender batch to a large soup pot over low heat. Simmer a few minutes or until you're ready to serve.
Step 7 - At any time you can bake the optional toppings.
Lay prosciutto on half of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toss cubed bread on the other side with olive oil, salt and fresh sage leaves.
Step 8 - Bake about 7 or 8 minutes until the prosciutto is crisp. As it cools, you'll be able to crumble it.
Step 9 - Top each bowl of Pumpkin Sweet Potato Soup with croutons, crispy prosciutto and crisp or fresh chopped sage.
Helpful Tips
- Blending the Soup - A high speed blender is best for getting the soup ultra smooth. Really let it blend on a high speed for quite awhile so it's super velvety and silky. Be careful with hot soup, allow steam to escape from the hole in the top and cover tightly with a kitchen towel. You'll need to blend in 2 or 3 batches, so be sure to simmer everything in a soup pot afterward to get evenly mixed. You could also add all the roasted ingredients to a soup pot and blend with an immersion blender. This takes a bit longer and might not get quite as smooth.
- Alternate Topping Ideas and Pairings - Soup is always delicious with some type of bread, and while homemade croutons are delicious, any crusty bread will do, like my Overnight Dutch Oven Bread. Crispy prosciutto is amazing, but toasted pumpkin seeds, goat cheese, pomegranate seeds and a dash of cinnamon would all be fun toppings to try! Soup pairs well with a big salad like this autumn favorite Blue Cheese Apple Walnut Salad.
- Where to Buy Prosciutto - We love prosciutto, but it's so expensive! Skip the tiny overpriced packages and buy prosciutto from the deli counter! It's pricey per pound, but ask them to slice it super thin and not put paper between each slice. You can get the exact amount you need, it doesn't weigh much, and is usually way cheaper and fresher than the packages.
- Storage and Freezing - This soup can be made a day in advance, stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or frozen for 4 months. I love freezing individual glass jars of soup for the perfect serving size. Only fill jars ¾'s full to allow room for expansion and cool them overnight in the fridge before freezing. Then thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. You may need to thin the soup with a bit of water, stock or milk when reheating. Store extra croutons in an airtight container on the counter and the crispy prosciutto in the fridge. You can microwave it a few seconds to re-crisp.
Recipe FAQs
After about 45 minutes, you can check for softness by pricking the sweet potatoes and pumpkin with a fork. If it's soft and the fork easily comes out, it's ready. Otherwise, roast another 5 minutes. If your halves aren't perfectly equal, one may be done before the other. Usually, it's fine to keep roasting the whole pan a bit longer. But, if you think something is done and burning, you can remove it to a plate while you finish roasting the rest.
I haven't tried using canned pumpkin, but I think it would work. Roast the sweet potatoes, onion and garlic the same way, although you won't have that perfect pumpkin cavity to hold the sage and garlic! You can roast them on the sheet pan, but will need to take them out earlier so they don't burn. Then add the canned pumpkin when blending and finish by simmering on the stovetop. Adjust the thickness of the soup by simmering longer to thicken, or adding more stock or water to thin.
Yes. There are different ways to cook the veggies to achieve basically the same soup. If you prefer, you could peel and chop the sweet potato and pumpkin and saute them in a soup pot on the stove. Add in the onions, later the garlic and spices, and simmer in the stock until tender. Then blend the soup with the cream. I find roasting to be easier, less chopping, and more flavorful.
Adjusting the thickness of any pureed soup is easy. If it gets too thick, just add more stock or water. If it gets too thin, you can simmer it on the stovetop, stirring often to allow the steam to escape and the soup to condense.
Yes! This soup contains no flour as a thickener, and is naturally thickened just by blending the roasted veggies. Leave out the croutons or substitute gluten-free bread.
More Seasonal Soups!
If you made this recipe, I'd love to hear how you liked it! Be sure to leave a star rating by clicking the stars in the recipe card, or leave a comment below!
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Pumpkin Sweet Potato Soup
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Print Pin RateIngredients
- 2 sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds)
- 1 small pumpkin (about 2 pounds)
- 1 small onion
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and left whole
- 4 leaves fresh sage
- 1½ Tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 grinds fresh black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Toppings
- 4 slices prosciutto
- 3 cups baguette (about half) cut into cubes
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 leaves fresh sage
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ convection bake if you have it.
- Wash the sweet potatoes and pumpkin, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop the seeds from the pumpkin. Place them cut side up, on a large sheet pan. Add an onion, peeled and cut in half, cut side down. Add sage leaves and peeled whole garlic cloves to the cavity of the pumpkin.
- Drizzle the veggies with olive oil, maple syrup, salt, pepper, cinnamon and paprika. Use your hands to coat all the orange flesh, the onion, and the garlic and sage in the pumpkin cavity.
- Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until soft. Use a fork to prick the pumpkin and sweet potato flesh. If it comes out easily, it's done.
- Allow to cool enough to handle. Scoop and scrape the flesh from the sweet potatoes and pumpkin skins with a spoon into a blender. Add the roasted onion (discard the outer charred layer), garlic and sage leaves. You can do this in 2 or 3 batches. Add the vanilla extract and some of the stock and cream to each batch and blend until very smooth.
- Transfer each blended batch to a soup pot on the stove over low heat. Stir well to ensure everything is evenly mixed. Simmer a few minutes and it's ready to serve topped with croutons, crispy prosciutto and sage (baked or chopped fresh).
For the Toppings (optional)
- Anytime while the soup is cooking, make the topping. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Lay the slices of prosciutto on one half and the cubed bread on the other. Toss the bread cubes with olive oil, salt, and fresh sage leaves. Bake at 425℉ about 7 to 8 minutes until the prosciutto is shriveled and crisp, and the croutons are golden brown and crispy. You'll be able to crumble the prosciutto as it cools.
Notes
- Sweet Potatoes - Try to use 2 that are about the same size and cut them evenly in half so they roast in the same amount of time.
- Pumpkin - Use any small pumpkin labeled pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin, or substitute another type of winter squash like acorn, buttercup or a small butternut.
- Baking Time - Check your veggies after 35 or 40 minutes, prick them with a fork to feel if they're soft. If you find some things are soft and some need more time, you can continue to roast everything, or remove things to a plate if you feel they could burn. Baking time may vary depending on the size of the sweet potatoes and pumpkin or if you cut them not quite down the middle, giving you a larger half and a smaller half.
- Adjust the Thickness - While blending or in its final simmer on the stovetop, add more stock or water to thin the soup. If it becomes too thin, continue to simmer over low heat while stirring often to allow steam to escape. The thickness can depend on the size of vegetables you use but is easily adjusted.
Ann says
This is a great fall soup! I definitely agree that the prosciutto adds much to the flavor, balancing out the sweetness. The sage and the croutons are a must also. It makes a lot and I froze some in pint jars for later.
Meryl Downing says
Thanks Ann, so glad you enjoyed it!