Description

This Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup is a creamy, comforting, and cozy dish perfect for fall and winter. Made with fresh pumpkin, aromatic spices, and tofu for added protein, this gluten-free and vegan soup is easy to prepare and slow-cooked to develop rich flavors. It can be served hot or chilled and garnished with parsley and crushed red pepper flakes for a flavorful finish.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

2 tablespoons of olive oil
6 garlic cloves, halved and lightly crushed
1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
3 cups of rich vegetable broth
2 pounds of pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed, and cubed
¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of paprika
2 teaspoons of dry or fresh thyme
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon of black pepper
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1 (14-ounce) firm tofu, cubed

Garnish

Parsley, chopped (optional)
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

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Instructions

Sauté garlic and onions: Turn your slow cooker or Instant Pot on to the sauté function. When hot, add the olive oil and garlic cloves. Cook the garlic until it starts to lightly turn golden brown, then add the chopped onions. Stir and cook until the onions become translucent and tender.
Add spices and pumpkin: To the onion and garlic mixture, add the cubed pumpkin, cinnamon, paprika, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and cook the mixture for 30 seconds while continuously mixing to release the spices’ aroma.
Add liquids and tofu: Mix in the vegetable broth, tomato paste, and cubed tofu thoroughly into the pumpkin and spice mixture.
Slow cook: Cover with the lid and cook on high in the slow cooker for 3 hours and 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the pumpkin to become tender.
Blend the soup: After cooking, carefully remove the lid and let the soup cool for 10 minutes. Transfer the soup in batches to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to blend the soup directly in the slow cooker for about 5 minutes until smooth.
Serve: Serve the soup hot or chilled, garnished with chopped parsley and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.

Notes

This soup is creamy, comforting, and perfectly spiced to keep you warm during fall and winter.
You can use fresh or canned pumpkin depending on availability.
The recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, whole30 compliant, vegan, and freezes well for later use.
Adjust the seasoning to your taste, especially salt and pepper.
Using an immersion blender is convenient and avoids batch blending.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 256 kcal
Sugar: 11 g
Sodium: 1337 mg
Fat: 12 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 29 g
Fiber: 9 g
Protein: 12 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg