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Home » Recipes » Soup Recipes

Jamaican Pumpkin Soup- A Delicious Caribbean Soup

Published: Oct 20, 2013 · Modified: Jun 9, 2021 by Colleen 19 Comments

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This Jamaican Pumpkin Soup makes me think of the Caribbean. When we visited Jamaica, we got to eat a delicious and authentic pumpkin soup. And the memory of it is prompted whenever it's pumpkin season here. That soup was velvety smooth, with the flavours of coconut, ginger, and nutmeg. There was a hint of both orange and lime  and it was just the right bite of spice. It was like tasting the tropics in a bowl.

Jamaican Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkins In The Caribbean

In the Caribbean, pumpkins are often called calabaza, or just winter squash. Calabaza, or tropical pumpkins, are a little different from our North American pumpkins, being green-skinned instead of orange. The flesh of the calabaza is perfectly orange, though, and the taste is very similar to both pumpkin and butternut squash. Did you know that pumpkins and squash, melons, and cucumbers all originate from one single ancestral seed? Check out this fascinating read for more: The Evolutionary Event That Gave You Pumpkins and Squash

A bowl of soup with a spoon

Choose Your Peppers, Hot, or Not

Since I'm always a fan of using what's available locally, I'm using the small pumpkin that I bought at the farmer's market which has been cheerfully decorating my kitchen island this week. Usually, this soup is traditionally not pureed, instead, it has chunks of vegetables in a broth. Often, a Jamaican pumpkin soup will have a Scotch Bonnet or Habanero pepper, which are extremely hot. I didn't want to overpower the pumpkin spice flavour of this soup, so I left out the chilli pepper and used a hot sauce for garnish.

Jamaican Pumpkin Soup, Canadian Style

So obviously I'm taking a lot of liberties with the authenticity of this Jamaican Pumpkin Soup. It may not be authentic but it is so delicious and makes great use of fresh pumpkin, one of the stars of the season. You may even hear the sounds of steel drums and feel the sea breezes when you taste this soup.

And if soup is your thing, here are a couple more ideas for you: Try another pumpkin soup recipe, Southwestern Pumpkin Soup or check out Red Lentil Soup  Vegetable Miso Soup; Chicken Vegetable Noodle Soup, or Salmon Chowder.

Jamaican Pumpkin Soup

Jamaican Pumpkin Soup

Jamaican Pumpkin Soup- A Delicious Caribbean Soup

Jamaican Pumpkin Soup is easy to make, healthy, and packed with the delicious flavour of the Caribbean.
4.94 from 16 votes
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Course: Soup
Cuisine: Caribbean
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 246kcal
Author: Colleen Milne

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon peanut oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 carrots peeled and sliced
  • 2 celery stalks chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 6 cups vegetable stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 cups peeled and cubed pumpkin flesh
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 14 oz can light or regular coconut milk
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • Juice of one lime
  • salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Sriracha or other hot sauce for garnish.
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a large pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic,  and turn heat to medium low, cooking until onions are translucent and vegetables are slightly tender.
  • Add stock, bay leaves and pumpkin flesh. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover, simmering until pumpkin is tender, about 20 minutes.
  • Add allspice, nutmeg,  ginger, coconut milk, orange and lime juice. Use an immersion blender right in the pot to puree until velvety smooth. Alternately, you can transfer in small batches to a blender or food processor, being careful not to process too much at once (or you will get splashed with hot soup).
  • Reheat to boiling point, then remove from heat and season with salt & pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with a drizzle of hot sauce on top.

Notes

When you prepare your pumpkin, save the seeds and toast them, for a heathy and delicious snack or salad topping.
Pumpkin flesh can vary in color from pale yellow to deep orange. If your pumpkin isn't as brightly coloured as you would like, add a tablespoon or two of turmeric to get that nice orange hue.
Any flavour it does impart is very complimentary and it will give just the right colour boost to your soup.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5g | Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 429mg | Potassium: 814mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 13375IU | Vitamin C: 24.5mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1.6mg
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jeana

    January 09, 2023 at 6:54 am

    I was looking for a soup like this after sampling some on a Caribbean cruise. This is an excellent soup and brought back memories of my vacation! Perfect for a cold winter day up north. Not a fan of sriracha, so I sprinkled chopped scallions on top before serving. A new soup added to my rotation! Thank you, Colleen!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      January 09, 2023 at 9:22 am

      Hi Jeana! You are very welcome! This recipe is one of my favorites and I'm so happy to hear that you love it too. Thank you for your feedback, it's very appreciated. 😊

      Reply
  2. wendy cooper

    October 28, 2020 at 10:50 am

    I added grace pumpkin soup mix instead of stock! mmmm!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      October 28, 2020 at 10:58 am

      Hi Wendy, Thanks for sharing. I haven't heard of that product before, but it would sure give the soup an extra pumpkin flavor boost! So happy it worked for you.

      Reply
  3. Erica

    August 09, 2020 at 4:24 am

    Delicious! I made this with mostly fresh ingredients, so prep time was quite a bit longer. Two pie pumpkins from the garden, fresh ginger, fresh squeezed OJ, and garlic from a friend’s garden. It was awesome. My husband used it as a sauce or gravy over chicken and mashed potatoes! Today serving it with black beans and wild rice. I make a lot of soups, and now I have a new one to add to the roster. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      August 09, 2020 at 7:15 am

      Hi Erica. This soup is a favorite for us, so I'm thrilled that you love it too! Using fresh ingredients always takes a dish up a few notches, and you're lucky to have pumpkins in your garden. Thanks so much for your feedback!

      Reply
  4. Danielle Wolter

    October 08, 2018 at 3:57 am

    Love, love, love this idea so much! What great flavors for a pumpkin soup. SO unique!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      October 08, 2018 at 8:11 am

      Thanks Danielle! I also love how simple it is to make this soup, too.

      Reply
  5. Sandhya Hariharan

    October 08, 2018 at 3:49 am

    Pumpkin is in the air .. It is a beautiful Pumpkin Soup with a twist of Orange Soup and spices. Looks really delicious.

    Reply
    • Colleen

      October 08, 2018 at 8:10 am

      Yes, pumpkins everywhere at this time of year. And this soup is really delicious. Thanks for stopping by, Sandhya!

      Reply
  6. kim

    October 08, 2018 at 3:04 am

    Pumpkin soup sounds so delicious!! And this one looks fabulous, will be trying soon!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      October 08, 2018 at 8:09 am

      It really is delicious, Kim. I know you'll love it!

      Reply
  7. Jacqueline Debono

    October 08, 2018 at 2:13 am

    Love the sound of this soup. I make a sweet potato soup with coconut milk. The combo is yummy. Def want to try this one with ginger, nutmeg and allspice too. I'm sure it's delicious!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      October 08, 2018 at 8:07 am

      Hi Jacqueline, those spices are really amazing in this soup!

      Reply
  8. Brian Jones

    October 07, 2018 at 11:17 pm

    That sounds awesome, I love a bit of spice with pumpkin the sweet earthy tones really do take to a good chick of chili so very well, looking forward to trying this!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      October 08, 2018 at 8:06 am

      Hi Brian, if you like a bit of spice with pumpkin, you will love this soup!

      Reply
  9. Katina

    October 23, 2013 at 10:20 am

    Loving the concept of pairing coconut and orange with pumpkin. It feels very tropical! I just bought a can of coconut milk and have an extra pumpkin sitting around so might have to give this a try.

    Reply
  10. Chris Cooksey

    October 20, 2013 at 9:32 pm

    Nice job on a great looking soup! I have no doubt this will be a healthy, and spicy favourite this fall in our home. Your choice of ingredients I'm sure will be full of flavour. It's always a treat to read a positive review of our new Chipotle Chinook Gourmet Sauce too!! Thank you for this. We notice the way you drizzled it on your soup is exactly how we have been using this sauce for many years. Like you mentioned we use it on many other food groups. We will try the soup between now and Halloween and share our experience. Glad to be part of your foodie group here!

    Reply
    • admin

      October 20, 2013 at 9:47 pm

      Thanks Chris. Your sauce is awesmome!

      Reply

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