Instant Pot Pumpkin Sage Soup, a simple healthy vegan pressure cooker pumpkin soup recipe made with sweet potatoes and sage. Ready in 30 minutes from start to finish, this will be your go-to fall soup favorite!
Do you crave all things pumpkin when autumn arrives? We do too! That’s why we’re obsessed with making this instant pot pumpkin soup. It’s the perfect way to use up pumpkin puree, and it comes together with just a few ingredients that you probably already have in your fridge or pantry!
👉 Here are three reasons why you should be making pumpkin soup with sage and sweet potatoes:
- It’s quick. The Instant Pot is key to making pumpkin soup in no time! It only takes about 30 minutes to prepare before it’s ready to serve.
- It’s so comforting. There’s truly nothing better than a warm bowl of soup on a chilly fall day. Between the warm spices and hearty vegetables, this is sure to be your favorite soup to make when the temps start dropping.
- You can make it your own. There are many fun ways that you can get creative with this recipe. Switch up the veggies, add your own spice variations, or experiment with new toppings.
Ready to learn how to make this vegan pumpkin soup in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker? Let’s do it!
🎃 Ingredients
Here is an overview of what you’ll need to make pumpkin sage soup:
- Pumpkin: we suggest using whole pumpkin, but you can use canned pumpkin (or your own homemade pumpkin puree!) as well.
- Sweet potatoes: the best vegetable to pair with pumpkin; you can also switch it up and use butternut squash or acorn squash.
- Olive oil: used to saute garlic and onion in the pressure cooker.
- Onions and garlic: brings a burst of flavor to this dish.
- Herbs and spices: we used sea salt, black pepper, fresh sage leaves, and thyme sprigs. Our favorite seasoning mix for comforting fall soups!
- Vegetable broth: the liquid base you’ll need for this recipe.
- Recommended tools: knife set, pressure cooker or crock-pot, handheld immersion blender
🥣 How to make (step-by-step photos)
1️⃣ Step One: Cook onions + garlic in Instant Pot
First, turn on your pressure cooker and set the heat to brown or sauté.
Add the onions and garlic to the pot and cook until soft. This will take about 5 minutes.
2️⃣ Step Two: Add pumpkin, sweet potatoes, spices + broth to the pot
Next, add the fresh pumpkin (or pumpkin puree) to the pot with the cut sweet potatoes, salt, pepper, and sage leaves.
Top it all off with the vegetable broth and secure the pressure cooker lid. Set the cooking function to “soup” and the timer for 15 minutes.
The Instant Pot will take about 10-15 minutes to pressurize and then the cook time will start. When the cook timer turns off, let the pot depressurize naturally or carefully hit the quick-release button. Be careful not to burn yourself on the steam!
3️⃣ Step Three: Blend the soup
When the soup is done cooking in the Instant Pot, blend it with a handheld immersion blender until smooth.
Add more water or broth if needed for a smooth consistency. Give it a taste, and add a sprinkle of salt, pepper, sage, or other spices to taste.
4️⃣ Step Four: Garnish + serve
Finally, it’s time to enjoy the pumpkin soup!
Pour the soup into a bowl and top with pumpkin seeds, a fresh sage leaf, and any other toppings of your choice.
❓ Recipe questions + quick tips
Pumpkin flesh is what you use to make soup, which is the inside part of the pumpkin. Before using pumpkin flesh to make soup, you will peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds, and then use a knife to cut it into cubes. You can also make pumpkin flesh into puree, and then use that to make soup.
Yes, pumpkin soup is healthy. In fact, pumpkin is a very nutritious vegetable, providing a variety of vitamins and minerals. It’s well-known for its vitamin A content, and is also high in vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Pumpkin is also rich in antioxidants, which provide a variety of health benefits. If you add other vegetables to the soup, you’ll get even more fiber and nutrients!
There are so many ways that you can add flavor to pumpkin soup. We love adding taste with herbs and spices like sage, thyme, salt, and pepper. You can also try it with cumin, curry powder, or ginger. Another way to spice up pumpkin soup is to add other veggies, like sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, and/or onion. Adding your favorite toppings like pumpkin seeds or dried cranberries can also add flavor and texture to the soup.
🌿 Pumpkin soup variations
While this pumpkin sage soup is perfect on its own, here are a few ways to get creative and make it unique:
- Switch the taters: Try adding squash instead of sweet potatoes.
- Spice it up: Add your favorite spices like ground cumin, paprika, or ground nutmeg.
- Get saucy: Mix in sauces or toppings like apple cider, harissa, or sliced avocado.
- Make it creamy: Pour some coconut milk or cream (vegan cream to keep it plant-based) into the soup for a thicker consistency.
🧊 How to store
This pumpkin soup is great to batch cook and eat all week, and it freezes and thaws well if you love to stock up on soups for all winter long. Here are our recommendations for how to store it for the best quality:
- Refrigerator storage: Keep the soup in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 5 days.
- Freezer storage (if applicable): Store in the freezer for 2-3 months, thawing and reheating to enjoy later.
♻️ Sustainable kitchen tips
We’re all about sustainability here at Fork in the Road. Here are some ways to make this recipe as eco-friendly as possible:
Make your own pumpkin puree. While you can use canned pumpkin to make this soup, we suggest avoiding the extra packaging waste and making it with your own pumpkin puree.
Save pumpkin seeds for roasting. If using whole pumpkins, you will need to seed them before cooking in the Instant Pot. Give the seeds a rinse and set aside for roasting later. They make for a delicious, crunchy snack!
Add food scraps to vegetable stock. Sweet potato peels and ends, as well as pumpkin skin, can be used to add flavor to a make-your-own vegetable stock. One of the best ways to re-purpose your food and get the most flavor out of produce!
🍲 More seasonal soup recipes
Craving more simple soup recipes? We’ve got you covered:
Looking for more autumn-themed recipes? Try our Maple Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed Granola, Pumpkin Seed Pesto Sauce, or Butternut Squash Cranberry Kale Salad.
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Instant Pot Pumpkin Sage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 2 whole garlic cloves
- 2 pounds pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cubed (or 1 can pumpkin puree)
- 2 large sweet potatoes, cubed
- ¼ cup sage leaves
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 quarts vegetable broth
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- Sauté ingredients: Heat pressure cooker to sauté setting. Add oil, onions, and garlic and cook until soft, about five minutes.
- Pressure cook ingredients: Add pumpkin, sweet potatoes, sea salt, black pepper, sage leaves, and vegetable broth. Secure lid and start soup pressure cook setting with a timer for 15 minutes.
- Blend soup + season before serving: When pressure cooking time is done, remove lid carefully. Remove and compost thyme sprigs. Blend soup with handheld immersion blender, adding more water or vegetable broth if needed for smooth soup consistency. Add more salt and pepper if needed to taste.
Recipe Notes
- Tools needed: Instant Pot or pressure cooker, handheld immersion blender
- Recipe notes: Add cream or coconut milk to make this light pumpkin soup thick and creamy.
- Leftovers + storage: Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to five days, or in freezer for up to two month (or longer).
- Nutrition notes: This simple plant-based pumpkin soup is a light dish that is low in calories. Pair with a side of bread with a healthy fat like avocado and a small side salad with nuts and seeds for a complete meal. This soup is an excellent source of vitamin A and a good source of vitamin C and potassium
Nutrition Information
UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in November 2018 and updated for clarity in October 2021.
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