Last Updated on 23 May, 2026 by Elby | The Tasteful Pantry
This Spicy Thai Pumpkin Soup recipe makes a warming bowl of soup with a little kick – it really hits the spot on a cold night. Combining velvety pumpkin with coconut milk, red curry paste, and a hint of fresh coriander, it’s both comforting and bold.
While you’re here, you might enjoy these other easy recipes of warming bowls for cosy nights in:
- Roasted Pumpkin Soup
- Thai Red Chicken Curry (with Lychees)
- Thai Green Chicken Curry
- Middle Eastern Cauliflower Soup
- Satay Chicken Curry
- Creamy Chicken and Corn Soup
- Chicken Chilli Soup
This Thai soup recipe is quick to prepare and makes great use of leftover pumpkin – ideal if you’ve roasted a batch and need a new way to use it up. You can use fresh or precooked, depending on what you have on hand. If using precooked, it will reduce the time needed to cook. The Thai red curry paste adds warmth, but feel free to adjust the spice level to suit your taste.
Top with a swirl of coconut cream (or coconut milk), fresh herbs, and crunchy roasted pumpkin seeds for extra texture. It also freezes well, making it a handy option for batch cooking.
Thai Pumpkin Soup Ingredients
- coconut oil
- red onion, finely chopped
- garlic, finely chopped
- fresh ginger, minced
- lemongrass (discard the husk), finely sliced
- Thai red curry paste
- pumpkin, cut into 2cm pieces
- vegetable stock
- canned coconut milk
- kaffir lime leaves
- sugar (optional)
- fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- salt & pepper
- optional: lime juice, drizzle of coconut cream or milk, extra fresh coriander, fresh red chilli, roasted pumpkin seeds
Method
It only takes a few simple steps to make the flavoursome Spicy Thai Pumpkin Soup.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Sauté the onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, ginger, lemongrass and red curry paste. Cook for another 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the pumpkin and coat with the onion mix.
- Stir in the stock, coconut milk and lime leaves. Bring to a rapid simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid and simmer for a further 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The pumpkin should mash when pushed to the side of the pot with a spoon. If not, continue cooking until the pumpkin is falling apart.
- Remove from the heat and discard the lime leaves. Add the sugar, coriander, salt and pepper.
- Use a stick blender to make a smooth pumpkin soup (or transfer to a blender in batches).
- Serve hot with fresh coriander and any optional toppings you like.
Tips to Reducing Food Waste with Pumpkin Soup
The Thai soup recipe is perfect for using up odds and ends of fresh pumpkin or squash that might otherwise go to waste. You can also stir in leftover roast vegetables for extra depth. Got half a tin of coconut milk sitting in the fridge? Use it up here. The soup is forgiving and adaptable – a great base for using what you already have.
Feedback and More
Did you try the Spicy Thai Pumpkin Soup recipe? I would love to hear from you. Why not leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ or a comment below to let me know. Cheers, Elby!
If you liked this recipe, check out some of my other warming Soups. Also, follow The Tasteful Pantry on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for all the latest recipes.
Spicy Thai Pumpkin Soup
*Note: Adjusting servings will not adjust the ‘light grey’ quantities
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil - or vegetable oil
- 1 red onion - diced
- 2 cloves garlic - minced or finely chopped
- 10 grams ginger - minced or finely chopped
- 1 lemongrass - discard husks, chopped
- 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 900 grams pumpkin - peeled and cut into 2cm pieces
- 700 ml vegetable stock
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 2 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 tsp sugar - optional
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander - roughly chopped
- ¼ tsp salt
- pepper - to taste
Optional
- squeeze of lime
- drizzle of coconut cream
- fresh red chilli - finely chopped
- fresh coriander - finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot and cook the onion for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, lemongrass and curry paste and stir for a further minute.
- Add the pumpkin and coat with the curry mix.
- Add the stock, milk and lime leaves to the pot. Cover and simmer rapidly for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid and simmer for a further 10 minutes. The pumpkin should mash when pushed to the side of the pot with a spoon. If not, continue cooking until the pumpkin is falling apart.
- Remove from the heat and discard the lime leaves. Add the sugar (if using), coriander and salt.
- Using a stick blender, blend the soup until smooth and creamy. Serve hot with any optional toppings you like.
Notes
Nutrition
*Nutrition and calorie figures are estimates only.
The spice was the perfect amount. One of the best pumpkin soups I have had