Last Updated on April 16, 2024

This Vegan Lemongrass Coconut Pumpkin Soup is so simple to make, thick, creamy, and packed with tons of flavor.

Especially the fragrance of ginger, garlic, lemongrass, and coconut cream is probably what I like the most about this pumpkin soup.

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Pumpkin soup without cream (dairy-free), paired with homemade vegan garlic bread or vegan gluten-free breads. Trust me, you will fall in love with this soup without even knowing it!

This is my favorite soup when I want something quick and easy for a light lunch or supper in winter.

Thai-inspired Vegan Pumpkin Soup

The soup is made from fresh pumpkin and tastes naturally sweet and fragrant. Fresh pumpkin is always the best but naturally preserved canned pumpkin is a great alternative and still contains many of the nutrients.

If you don’t like peeling and cutting pumpkins, you should try to roast them in an oven and then scrape the flesh out.

ingredients You Need

Coconut Oil – for cooking.
Pumpkin: There are some common types of pumpkin you would see at markets- Butternut (Squash), Japanese (A.K.A Kent), and Queensland blue, all have the dense texture and sweet flavor to make a great soup. You can use any type of pumpkin you like. In this recipe, I used Japanese Pumpkin.

Aromatics including lemongrass, garlic, ginger, onion, and coriander: These aromatics are very commonly used in Southeast Asian Cuisine. Lemongrass gives pumpkin soup a touch of sweet citrusy flavor. Peel off the 1-2 outer layers which are often dry, cut off the bottom bulb which is about an inch long, then finely chopped or grated in order to break down the tough fibrous stalks. If you can’t find fresh lemongrass, frozen or powdered lemongrass works fine too.

Vegetable stock: Store-bought is fine, but if you wanna make your own, check this link Ultimate Asian-Style Vegetable Stock

Coconut cream or Coconut milk: It adds creaminess and a light fragrance to the soup. You can use coconut milk if you prefer lighter or lower calories.

Seasonings: Vegan fish sauce is highly recommended (check out my magic ingredients in vegan cooking) but if you don’t have vegan fish sauce in hand, salt, and pepper would do the work just fine.

Ingredient Preparation:

Dice brown onion, finely chopped ginger, garlic, coriander, and grated lemongrass.

Peel and cut the pumpkin into small pieces- The smaller the size, the faster it is to be cooked through.

How to Make Vegan Thai Pumpkin Soup

Heat up coconut oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass in, cook until softened.
Add the pumpkin in, and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add vegetable stock, and cover the ingredients.
Add chopped coriander in.
Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low, put the lid on, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Check if the pumpkin is cooked through. if yes, use a stick blender, blending until creamy and smooth. You will need to move it around in the pot to ensure you hit everything. Add coconut cream and vegan fish sauce to finish.

COOK’S NOTE:

Add coconut milk or cream at the last minute to prevent them from curdling.

High heat results in protein denaturation in coconut cream( milk). This protein denaturation will change the properties and viscosity of the coconut cream( milk) if it is heated at 80°C or higher.