Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

This cozy Red Lentil and Pumpkin Soup combines roasted pumpkin, red lentils, carrots, celery and warm garam masala in a smooth, comforting fall soup. The recipe was contributed by CBB reader Nicola and is a practical way to use fresh pumpkin during the autumn season.

Why This Red Lentil Pumpkin Soup Works

Roasted pumpkin gives this soup a naturally creamy texture, while red lentils help make it filling without turning it into a heavy meal.

The carrots, celery and onion add familiar savoury flavour, and a small amount of garam masala gives the soup warmth without overpowering the pumpkin.

Use Fresh Pumpkin Before It Goes Outside

If you have a fresh pumpkin that is suitable for cooking, this soup is a practical way to use some of the flesh before the pumpkin becomes a decoration.

If you plan to carve a pumpkin, remove any clean, usable flesh you want to cook with before carving and before the pumpkin goes outdoors.

That pumpkin can become soup, muffins, bread, brownies or one of the ideas in our 35+ Best Pumpkin Recipes for Fall.

Why Homemade Soup Can Save Money

Homemade soup is one of the easiest ways to stretch vegetables, stock and inexpensive pantry ingredients into several servings.

This recipe uses red lentils, pumpkin, carrots, celery and onion, so most of the ingredients are simple foods that can be bought inexpensively or used up from what you already have.

You can also use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock if that is what you keep on hand or if you want a meat-free version.

Nicola originally created this soup after a neighbour surprised her with several large homegrown pumpkins. Rather than let the extra pumpkin go to waste, she started looking for ways to cook with it.

Nicola’s Pumpkin Story

Nicola’s friends and family knew she enjoyed carving pumpkin sculptures for Halloween, so her neighbour brought her some of the largest pumpkins she could find.

The pumpkins came from a family garden that had produced more than they needed. Some were too large for Nicola’s carving plans, which gave her another reason to find a good recipe for the pumpkin.

That is where this red lentil and pumpkin soup came in: a warm meal built around an ingredient she already had plenty of.

Why Red Lentils Work With Pumpkin

Nicola wanted to turn some of her pumpkin into soup and paired it with red lentils, a frugal pantry staple that helps make the soup more filling.

Red lentils soften quickly as they cook, so they blend smoothly with the roasted pumpkin rather than leaving a chunky texture.

If you have extra pumpkin after making the soup, portion and freeze the purée or use it in another fall recipe. Our 35+ Best Pumpkin Recipes for Fall has both sweet and savoury ideas.

How To Store And Freeze Pumpkin Soup

Let the soup cool before transferring it to covered containers for the refrigerator or freezer.

This soup is a good make-ahead option because the puréed pumpkin and lentils reheat well.

For the freezer, portion the soup into meal-sized containers so you can thaw only what you need.

If the soup thickens after chilling, stir in a little stock or water while reheating until it reaches the consistency you like.

Taste again after reheating and adjust the salt and pepper before serving.

Serve it with crusty bread, toast or a simple sandwich for an inexpensive fall meal.

How To Make Red Lentil And Pumpkin Soup

Recipe Type: Simple Red Lentil and Pumpkin Soup

• Author: Nicola
• Prep time: 50 mins
• Cook time: 30 mins
• Total time: 1 hour 20 mins
• Serves: 8-10

This roasted pumpkin and red lentil soup is a simple fall meal made with carrots, celery, onion, chicken stock and garam masala.

Ingredients

• 1 medium pumpkin (if very large, use only the amount needed for the soup)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 medium carrots
• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 onion
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 pints chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 knob butter
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 240°C (464°F).
2. Cut the pumpkin into small pieces and place them on a parchment-lined baking tray.
3. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season lightly with salt and toss to coat.
4. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft and golden. Leaving the skin on while roasting can make it easier to remove afterward.
5. Meanwhile, chop the carrots, onion and celery.
6. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter in a large pot. Add the vegetables and garam masala, then cook until the vegetables begin to soften.
7. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
8. Add the red lentils and roasted pumpkin.
9. Simmer until the lentils are tender, about 10 minutes.
10. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
11. Purée the soup until smooth, then serve warm.

Serve the soup warm with crusty bread, toast or a simple sandwich for an inexpensive autumn meal.

Recipe contribution: This Red Lentil and Pumpkin Soup was contributed to Canadian Budget Binder by CBB reader Nicola. We have preserved her original ingredients and method while cleaning up the instructions for easier reading.

Discussion: Do you prefer pumpkin in savoury recipes or desserts?

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Yield: 8-10

Red Lentil And Pumpkin Soup

Prep Time: 50 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

A cozy red lentil and roasted pumpkin soup made with carrots, celery, onion, chicken stock and garam masala. A frugal fall soup that makes good use of pumpkin.

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Ingredients

• 1 medium pumpkin (if very large, use only the amount needed for the soup)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 medium carrots
• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 onion
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 pints chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 knob butter
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 240°C (464°F).
2. Cut the pumpkin into small pieces and place them on a parchment-lined baking tray.
3. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season lightly with salt and toss to coat.
4. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft and golden. Leaving the skin on while roasting can make it easier to remove afterward.
5. Meanwhile, chop the carrots, onion and celery.
6. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter in a large pot. Add the vegetables and garam masala, then cook until the vegetables begin to soften.
7. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
8. Add the red lentils and roasted pumpkin.
9. Simmer until the lentils are tender, about 10 minutes.
10. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
11. Purée the soup until smooth, then serve warm.

Notes

Tip from Nicola: an ice-cream scoop is useful for removing pumpkin seeds and stringy pulp before roasting. If your pumpkin is very large, you may only need part of it for this soup.

Did you make this recipe?

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