Halloween Pumpkin Soup (Using Carving Leftovers)

This vegan pumpkin soup is a great way to use up the flesh from inside your Halloween pumpkin. Featuring an array of spices and creamy coconut milk, it makes for a delicious light meal that's also gluten-free.

By scraping out as much flesh as possible, you'll increase the amount that goes in your soup and help to reduce food waste. Thinner pumpkin walls also mean easier carving. Win-win.

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Can you eat Halloween pumpkins?

Carving pumpkins grown for Halloween are perfectly edible. They don't have much flavour or texture compared to other varieties (which are grown specifically for eating), but there's no reason to just throw this food away.

According to one UK study, only 42% of people realise the fleshy innards of a carving pumpkin are good for eating. Time to start spreading the word and reducing all that annual pumpkin waste.

Can I make this recipe with other pumpkins?

You can certainly make this recipe with other pumpkins or winter squash (i.e. ones that were specifically grown for eating rather than carving). These tend to have more flavour, so it's up to you if you want to tone down the spices and let that flavour come through more.

Depending on the variety, you may want to peel the squash before deseeding and chopping up the flesh. The cooking time in this recipe may also increase depending on the size of the chunks.

How to make Halloween pumpkins taste good

If you've ever tried using carving pumpkins in another recipe, you may have noticed a distinct lack of flavour. They really don't taste of anything, and the flesh is quite watery and fibrous.

Can I eat the pumpkin flesh after using it for Halloween?

Carved Halloween pumpkins are usually placed outdoors and/or have a candle inside to make them glow. Since this exposes them to dirt, bacteria, wax, and smoke, it is not recommended to eat them after being used in this way.

The good news is you can make the most of your pumpkin by removing as much flesh as possible before carving.

Scooping out the pumpkin flesh

Before carving a pumpkin, it's a good idea to scoop out most of the flesh. Not only does this make the walls thinner (and easier to carve), it also means you have more to cook with.

Cut a disc out of the top of your pumpkin, then scoop out the seeds and stringy/slimy bits. Don't forget – you can also roast the pumpkin seeds for a delicious and nutritious snack.

Next, begin scraping out as much as you can from the inside of the pumpkin and transfer to a bowl. I did this with a large metal spoon, which let me really dig into the sides.

It takes a bit of work, but you're aiming to get the walls down to around 1 cm thick. For a pumpkin weighing between 2-3 kg, you should be able to get somewhere between 700 grams and 1.2 kilograms of flesh.

Once this is done and the soup is simmering away, you can get on with carving your pumpkin...

How to make Halloween pumpkin soup

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the roughly chopped onion and carrot. Season with salt and pepper and soften on a low/medium heat for 6-8 minutes.

Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for another couple of minutes, followed by the ground cumin, garam masala, chilli powder, smoked paprika, and dried sage. Mix well and cook for a minute or so.

Next, add the coconut milk, vegan stock, and pumpkin. Stir well to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and cook for 15 minutes or until all the veg is tender.

Once the veg is soft, turn off the heat and blitz thoroughly using a hand blender. Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve.

Variations and tips

• Pumpkin size: I managed to get around 750 grams (1.5 lb) of flesh from a 2 kg (4.5 lb) pumpkin. Depending on the amount of pumpkin you have, you may want to add extra stock and/or seasoning.
• Coconut milk: If you don't want to use full-fat coconut milk, you could replace this with light coconut milk or simply use more stock.
• Extra heat: If you like your food with a kick, add more chilli powder or include fresh chilli.
• Larger blender: I find that a hand blender is good enough to achieve a smooth consistency, but you could also transfer the soup to a larger blender. If doing so, you may need to blend in batches.
• Gluten-free: If you need to ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use a vegan stock that is certified or labelled as such.

Serving suggestions for vegan pumpkin soup

This soup is great as it is, or with simple toppings such as plant-based crème fraiche or homemade cashew cream and thinly sliced spring onions. Enjoy on its own or with fresh crusty bread.

How to store pumpkin soup

Refrigerate: You can store this pumpkin soup in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pan on low heat.

Freeze: This soup freezes well for up to six months. Defrost for a few hours before reheating on the hob, adding a splash of water if necessary.

Hey you – let me know what you think

If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments 👇

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