In Germany, they eat seasonally: Strawberries and Asparagus in late Spring, Pfifferlinge in Summer, and Grünkohl (Kale) in Winter. Over the past 20 years, another seasonal dish has appeared on German menus in the Fall: Kürbissuppe or Pumpkin Soup. It’s everywhere. This flavorful, orange soup makes a rich starter or even a filling main meal.
But how did Pumpkin Soup get to be so popular?
In the 1990s, Halloween was introduced to Germany, and with it came a LOT of pumpkins. It’s never been part of the German mindset to waste food, so a lot of what might have just been a decoration became soup.
There are older German recipes for a Kürbissuppe that come from Silesia. Like many Silesian dishes, the flavor is sweeter than savory. But that regional dish wasn’t terribly well-known in the rest of the country. This recipe for Kürbissuppe comes from my Tante Bärbel. (Who sent me both savory and sweet recipes.)
Best Pumpkin for Pumpkin Soup
Most German recipes for Kürbissuppe, including the one from my Tante, suggest using Hokkaido Pumpkins. I couldn’t find them in our grocery store or at the local Farmer’s Market. A local farmer suggested that I use one of these “fairy tale” style pumpkins, because they have good flavor. Pie Pumpkins are “sweeter”, which makes them perfect for pie or for the Silesian version of Kürbissuppe.
How I Made It
To increase flavor, I chose to roast the pumpkin chunks before adding them to the soup, because I think it adds a great flavor. Because I like the flavor, I used chicken stock in the soup. If you prefer to keep it vegetarian, use vegetable stock. To make it vegan, use vegetarian stock, and leave out the cream.
I serve the soup with a swirl of cream and a sprinkle of roasted and salted pumpkin seeds. Cream adds richness and makes the soup look pretty. You can choose to stir the cream into the soup with the salt and pepper if you don’t want the fuss. Or leave it out entirely.
There are Step-By-Step photos below.
Kürbissuppe- Savory German Pumpkin Soup
Serve Pumpkin Soup IN a Pumpkin!
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Kürbissuppe- Savory German Pumpkin Soup
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Soup Pot
- Sheet Pan Line with parchment paper for easy clean up
- Immersion Blender or Blender
Ingredients
- 3 ⅓ pounds Pumpkin Chunks 1.5 Kilo I used half of an 8½ pound pumpkin. Cut it in half, seeded it, peeled it, and cut it into chunks.
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 medium Onion Peel and dice
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 4 ¼ cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock 1 Liter
- 1-2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- ½ Teaspoon Nutmeg
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Topping
- 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
- ¼ cup Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (without shell)
Instructions
Prepare Pumpkin
- Preheat oven to 425℉
- Cut Pumpkin in half, remove seeds and stringy insides. I found it easier to cut into wedges first, then peel the wedges, then cut into 2 inch chunks. Weigh the pieces, you need around 3.3 lb. or 1.5 kilo. It doesn't need to be exact.
- In a bowl, toss the pumpkin chunks with the olive oil, place on the baking sheet, and roast for 25-30 minutes at 425℉.
- Remove from oven and set aside. You can start the next steps while the oven is roasting.
Make Pumpkin Soup
- In a Dutch Oven or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion, and cook, stirring, to soften the onion approximately 5 minutes.
- Add the roasted Pumpkin Chunks and Chicken or Vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer.
- Cover with a lid, then let simmer for 20 minutes
- Test that the pumpkin is fork tender by poking it with a knife or fork. If not, simmer an additional 5 minutes.Add lemon juice.Use an immersion blender to completely puree the pumpkin and onion.
- Add nutmeg, stir.Taste for salt and pepper.
Serving
- Ladle the soup into bowls, Optional- top with a bit of cream (you can swirl it to make it pretty) Sprinkle with roasted pumpkin seeds
Notes
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How to Make German Pumpkin Soup
Step by Step
Cut pumpkin in half, and remove the seeds and stringy stuff. Then cut to wedges.
Peel wedges, and cut into pieces. Toss the pieces in a bowl with some olive oil, then spread out on a prepared baking sheet. Bake 25- 30 minutes at 425 °F. If you are in a hurry, you can skip this part.
In a Dutch Oven or Soup pot, soften the onions in butter, then top with the baked pumpkin chunks.
Add Chicken or Vegetable stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes.
Puree with an Immersion Blender (or a regular blender)
Add seasoning to taste, stir and serve
Serve, without without cream
