Pumpkin Chorizo Soup

This Pumpkin Chorizo Soup is a delicious bite full of seasonal goodness. The combination of pumpkin and chorizo is magical! Save this recipe so you can make it season after season!

In Grand Rapids, there’s a little soup shop on Wealthy Street called Uncle Cheetahs. It was one of the first restaurants I found when we moved here and it remains one of my favorite places today to grad a quick cup or two of soup. It’s a tiny place with a couple of two seater tables and a long, counter-like table built into one wall. It’s quirky, they change their soups daily and they let you taste test the soups in little, paper cups.

Soup Inspiration

It was here that I originally heard of Pumpkin Chorizo Soup. I have to admit, I wasn’t sure about the combination at first. I love pumpkin. And I love chorizo. But did I like them together? In soup? As it turns out, I did! And so their soup became the inspiration for my Pumpkin and Chorizo Soup recipe. While mine isn’t as spicy as their’s, it does make a delicious meal and comes really close to their recipe! It has the same lovely creaminess and blend of sweetness for the pumpkin with a zip of spice from the chorizo.

The pumpkin you use

I want to add right now that the pumpkin you use is really important in the Pumpkin Chorizo Soup. I use homemade pumpkin puree. You can find my recipe for that {HERE}. I’ve included it in the cook time for this recipe, which is why it might seem long. The added benefit to making your own means that you get pumpkin seeds too! You can find a recipe that I love for them {HERE}. If you simply cannot make your own, then just make sure to use unsweetened pumpkin puree that’s 100 percent pumpkin. You don’t want extra flavors in this recipe nor do you want extra ingredients that might come in canned pumpkin.

To make the pumpkin puree on your own, all you need it 1 pie pumpkin and my recipe.

Picking a chorizo

If you’re not familiar with chorizo then let me tell you a little about it. It’s a type of pork sausage that’s common in Mexican and Spanish cooking. It’s delicious in tacos, burritos, tostadas, queso dips and so much more! It is a spicy sausage made with garlic, paprika and peppers. I used an “original” version of chorizo for this recipe, but there are spicy versions too. I was also able to find the chorizo uncased for my Pumpkin Chorizo Soup. If you can’t find uncased, you can used cased chorizo and just cut it out of the casing.

Toppings should be considered

So, I love my Pumpkin and Chorizo Soup all on it’s own. But I have to say, I love it even more with some good toppings! This soup in particular tastes includible with pomegranate seeds! The sweetness from the seeds works so well in the soup. And I love the bright bit of color they add.

I also really loved cilantro in this dish. I know some people have an aversion to it and if that’s you, swap it with parsley.

I love the crunch of the pumpkin seeds too! If you’re not going to make your own pumpkin puree, which is where my seeds came from, then you can always buy pepitas too.

Lastly, I added a bit of goat cheese because i love cheese and I’m a firm believe that a little goat cheese on everything will cure what ails the world. Maybe just my world though.

Things you need to make the Pumpkin Chorizo Soup

Generally there aren’t a lot of items you need to make soup, but since this is a pureed soup, you do need an emersion blender. This is the one I have {HERE}. I really love the way it works and it seems to cut through everything in my soup pots. I’ve had it since 2018 and it’s still going.

You also need a large pot or Dutch oven. When I make soups I always use either my Le Creuset Dutch Oven {HERE} or my Caraway Dutch oven {HERE}. In fact I use these two pots for cooking pretty much everything from boiling noodles to making sauces and more. They’re the true workhorses of my kitchen.

Tips for making Pumpkin Chorizo Soup

• Make sure that you like mildly spicy dishes. You won’t find a chorizo without any spice because that’s kind of it’s calling card. However, the sweetness of the pumpkin and the little bit of cinnamon and cumin in this recipe really help to tone it down.
• Again, see if you can find uncased chorizo. It will just save you a bit of time.
• Use extra virgin olive oil because it’s the best. 🙂
• And please try to make your own pumpkin! {HERE!} I swear it’s so easy and you’ll never go back to canned. In fact, you can make it a few days in advance and store it in the fridge.

Looking for more seasonal soups and recipes?

If you’re a soup lover or looking for more fall season recipes, try these!

• Maple and Plum Skillet Pork Chops {HERE}
• Roasted Poblano and Corn Chowder {HERE}
• Apple and Sausage Breakfast Casserole {HERE}
• Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup {HERE}
• Apple Cider Braised Turkey Breast {HERE}
• Octoberfest Stew {HERE}
• Roasted Pumpkin Seeds {HERE}

Thank you so much for visiting today, friends! You can find the full recipe for the Pumpkin Chorizo Soup below! I hope you enjoy it and that you’ll come back again. If you’re looking for more pumpkin recipes, try my amazing Pumpkin Bread {HERE}.

Pumpkin Chorizo Soup

This Pumpkin Chorizo Soup is a delicious bite full of seasonal goodness. The combination of pumpkin and chorizo is magical! Save this recipe so you can make it season after season!

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: dinner

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: Fall soup recipe, pumpkin chorizo recipe, Pumpkin Chorizo Soup, pumpkin chorizo soup recipe

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 1 hour

Servings: 6

Author: Rachel

Equipment

• Dutch oven or large pot
• Immersion blender

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. chorizo
• 3 cups pumpkin puree
• 1/2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
• 1/2 large white onion, diced
• 32 oz. chicken broth
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
• Toppings, Cilantro, goat cheese, pomegranate seeds and pumpkin seeds

Instructions

• Add Chorizo to a large pot or Dutch oven and brown. Then remove the Chorizo from the pot and set aside. Wipe out the pot.
• Heat extra virgin olive oil in the same pot. Then add onions and stir continuously for until the onions are translucent.
• Add in the garlic and cook for two minutes.
• Add in the pumpkin mix well. Then add in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat. Using an immersion blender, blend everything in the pot together until it is smooth.
• Add in cumin, cinnamon, cream cheese and heavy cream. Mix well until the cream cheese has dissolved into the soup. If you need to, you can use the emersion blender again.
• Add in the chorizo and simmer for 20 minutes. Stirring regularly to ensure the bottom of the soup doesn't burn.
• Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
• Top with cilantro, pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seeds and goat cheese.