Crockpot Pumpkin Potato Soup
This soup is a beautiful blend of pumpkin purée and potatoes, simmered slowly with garlic, onion, and spices until everything melts together into a silky, savory bowl of comfort.
Equipment
- Crockpot (Slow Cooker)
- Cutting board & sharp knife
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
- Immersion Blender (optional)
- Ladle
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 1 15 oz can pumpkin purée
- 3 medium russet potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 cup milk or half-and-half
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Add-Ins/Toppings:
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut milk for extra creaminess
- Crumbled cooked bacon
- Toasted pumpkin seeds
- Shredded cheese
- Croutons or crusty bread for serving
Instructions
Step 1: Prep Your Ingredients
- Peel and dice the potatoes into small chunks (about 1-inch pieces so they cook evenly).
- Chop the onion and mince the garlic.
- Measure out your seasonings, broth, and milk to make things easier once you start loading the crockpot.
- Pro Tip: If you're prepping in the morning before work, you can chop everything the night before and store it in the fridge—just dump and go in the morning.
Step 2: Add Everything to the Crockpot
- In your crockpot, add the diced potatoes, chopped onion, minced garlic, and pumpkin purée.
- Pour in the vegetable or chicken broth.
- Sprinkle in the nutmeg, smoked paprika, dried thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Give everything a good stir to combine.
- Pro Tip: Stir before turning on the heat to make sure nothing clumps and the flavors start blending right away.
Step 3: Cook Low and Slow
- Cover the crockpot with the lid.
- Cook on low for 6–7 hours or high for 3–4 hours, until the potatoes are fork-tender and soft.
- Pro Tip: Try not to lift the lid during cooking unless you really need to. Every peek adds extra cooking time.
Step 4: Blend to Desired Texture
- Once everything is cooked and tender, use an immersion blender right in the crockpot to blend until smooth.
- If you like a chunkier texture, blend just half the soup and leave the rest as-is.
- No immersion blender? Ladle the soup into a regular blender in batches and return it to the crockpot.
- Pro Tip: Let the soup cool slightly before blending in a traditional blender to avoid pressure buildup and splashes.
Step 5: Add Creaminess and Final Seasoning
- Stir in the milk, half-and-half, or coconut milk (whichever you're using) to add that silky, rich finish.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Pro Tip: For a deeper flavor, you can also stir in a tablespoon of butter or a splash of cream at this stage.
Step 6: Serve and Garnish
- Ladle the soup into bowls while hot.
- Top with your favorite garnishes—croutons, crispy bacon, pumpkin seeds, shredded cheese, or a swirl of Greek yogurt.
- Serve with crusty bread on the side for dipping.
- Pro Tip: This soup thickens as it sits, so if you're serving it later or reheating leftovers, just stir in a little extra broth or milk to loosen it up.
Notes
Estimated Nutritional Value (per serving):
- Calories: ~180–220 kcal
- Protein: 4–6g
- Fat: 6–9g
- Carbohydrates: 30–35g
- Fiber: 4–6g
- Sugar: 5–7g
- Sodium: ~400–600mg