This delicious Pumpkin Leek Soup starts by roasting pumpkins and leeks to caramelize them and bring out their flavor, and ends with stirring in a little sour cream to add rich creaminess. It's the ultimate Fall soup with its savory flavors and silky smooth texture. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
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Pumpkin Leek Soup
I am a huge fan of using leek in soups. I think leeks add such a nice savory aromatic flavor, especially to creamy soups where the leeks is pureed. I have recipes for butternut squash leek soup, asparagus leek soup, sweet potato leek soup, and creamy mushroom leek soup on my blog, so if leeks sound good to you, you should definitely check those out!
For this soup I roast the pumpkin and the leek AND before pureeing them into a creamy smooth soup. Roasting the leeks and cubed pumpkin brings out their natural sweetness and flavors, and it cooks them. So when the veggies are out of the oven, you have delicious caramelized leeks and golden brown pumpkin and only about 5 minutes of simmering left to do.
I used a small sugar pumpkin in this recipe because it's just the right size for ther ecipe (you need about 1-1.5 pounds) and I love the subtle sweetness it lends, but any kind of pumpkin or even butternut squash can be used here.
More pumpkin soup recipes to try: Pumpkin Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 pounds cubed pumpkin (from 1 large sugar pumpkin, or buy pre-cubed)
- 1 leek (the whole leek, both white and green parts)
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- ½-1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup sour cream (or use heavy cream, but consider reducing the broth)
- croutons or pepitas or crusty bread for serving
More savory pumpkin recipes to try: Moroccan Pumpkin Chicken Stew
Equipment
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Oil sprayer (I love this refillable one)
- 2.5-3 quart saucepan or soup pot (I love this set!)
- Immersion blender
- Salad spinner (to wash leeks, or use a colander and a large bowl)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with oil.
Chop the leek into 1-2 inch pieces (including the green parts) and separate all the layers. Wash them thoroughly 3 times in the salad spinner to remove any sand and dirt. Spin or pat the leeks dry.
Peel the pumpkin and dice into 1-1.5 inch cubes.
Place the washed leek, diced pumpkin, and garlic cloves on the prepared baking sheet. Spray with oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Roast at 375F for 20 minutes, or until the leek starts to turn light brown on the bottom.
Transfer the roasted vegetables to a soup pot, add the broth and thyme, and cook just until simmering. If the pumpkin is not soft yet, simmer for 5 minutes, or until fully cooked.
Carefully puree the mixture with an immersion blender or a regular blender. Stir in sour cream or blend in until smooth. Give it a taste and adjust the flavor with salt and pepper, as needed.
Serve hot, garnishing with a little sour cream and your favorite soup toppings.
Kate's cooking tips
- If you don't want your soup to have a greenish color, you can use just the white parts of the leek. Use 2 leeks in this case.
- Any kind of pumpkin works well in this recipe. A firmer one like kabocha might need to be cooked longer. Sugar pumpkins cook quick and add a nice subtle sweetness to the soup.
- This recipe works great with butternut squash instead of pumpkin, or with an onion (quartered and roasted) instead of leeks.
- You can use heavy cream instead of sour cream, but reduce the broth to 1.5 or 1.75 cups in this case.
What to serve with pumpkin leek soup
Creamy pureed soups definitely need something crunchy on top, like croutons, pepitas, toasted pumpkin seeds, or crackers. Serving with crusty bread for dipping is also a great choice.
This soup has vegetables but not a lot of protein, so to make a complete meal I would pair with with a salad with grilled chicken or salmon bites, or serve it as a starter soup followed by bone broth rice and your favorite protein.
Roasted Pumpkin Leek Soup
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 pound cubed pumpkin (from 1 large sugar pumpkin, or buy pre-cubed)
- 1 leek (the whole leek, white and green parts)
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- ½-1 tablespoon olive oil I use a refillable spray bottle
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup sour cream
- croutons or pepitas or crusty bread for serving
Special equipment
- Oil sprayer (I love this refillable one)
- 2.5-3 quart saucepan or soup pot (I love this set!)
- Salad spinner (to wash leeks, or use a colander and a large bowl)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with oil.
- Chop the leek into 1-2 inch pieces (including the green parts) and separate all the layers. Wash them thoroughly 3 times in the salad spinner to remove any sand and dirt. Spin or pat the leeks dry.
- Peel the pumpkin and dice into 1-1.5 inch cubes.
- Place the washed leek, diced pumpkin, and garlic cloves on the prepared baking sheet. Spray with oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Roast at 375F for 20 minutes, or until the leek starts to turn light brown on the bottom.
- Transfer the roasted vegetables to a soup pot, add the broth and thyme, and cook just until simmering. If the pumpkin is not soft yet, simmer for 5 minutes, or until fully cooked.
- Carefully puree the mixture with an immersion blender or a regular blender. Stir in sour cream or blend in until smooth. Give it a taste and adjust the flavor with salt and pepper, as needed. Serve hot, garnishing with a little sour cream and your favorite soup toppings.
Nutrition
The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.
Dana
Monday 9th of February 2026
I made this with kabocha so I had to cook the soup a little longer or maybe I didn't cube it small enough. Came out great, will make it again!
Kate Vaynshteyn
Thursday 22nd of January 2026
I love getting my serving of vegetables in a delicious soup, and this roasted pumpkin soup is a favorite Fall/Winter soup! I hope you give it a try and let me know how you like it!