This pumpkin sausage soup is a comforting full meal in a bowl with spicy sausage, tender kale, and hearty white beans swimming in a rich canned pumpkin broth that will warm you from the inside out. Let me show you how simple it is to make at home with just a handful of ingredients.
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my leek and ginger sweet potato soup or curry chicken lentil stew, too!
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❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Easy to Make - You won't need any kitchen appliances besides the stove top and a can opener. This is the best spicy pumpkin soup recipe ever because it's beginner-friendly and requires no fancy tools or techniques!
Simple Ingredients - Fewer than 10 ingredients combine to make this pumpkin and sausage soup recipe magical, and you probably have many of them in your kitchen already. And I have plenty of substitution options below in case you want to change it up.
Satisfying Flavor - You'll taste savory, spicy, and smoky elements in this healthy pumpkin soup with a velvety smooth broth that makes it feel hearty and substantial enough to enjoy for lunch or dinner without getting hungry a couple hours later!
Want more cozy dishes that will make your whole home smell amazing? Try my applesauce loaf cake, lemon turmeric chicken soup, maple cinnamon roasted squash seeds, mulled pear cider, and sweet potato sausage breakfast hash next!
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Featured Reader Review
★★★★★
"I made this pumpkin soup for dinner after getting the recipe from your email meal-plan and WOW. It is so satisfying and full of flavor. I planned on freezing some for later but we had no leftovers! I will absolutely make it again."
-Karen
What You'll Need for this Recipe
Canned Pumpkin Puree blends with chicken broth and heavy cream to infuse the beans with flavor and create a rich, silky broth. Make sure to use canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling!
Italian Sausage has plenty of flavor built in, and I like to cook down the aromatics in its rendered fat to infuse the flavor. I like to use spicy Italian sausage, but feel free to use mild if that's your preference--it'll be good either way.
Kale of whichever variety you like. I tend to use Lacinato kale (aka "Dinosaur" or "Tuscan" kale) here, but you can use any kind that's available, including Red Russian or the very common Dwarf Blue kale. Other leafy greens like spinach and even collard greens work, too.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Sausage - If you don't want to make your pumpkin soup with pork sausage, you can use ground chicken, turkey, or beef, and up the seasoning a bit. Or if Italian sausage is not available to you, try andouille, kielbasa, or chorizo--just note that the flavor will be different.
Beans - Use any kind of white beans you like. I used Great Northern beans here, but you could instead use Cannelini, Lupini, or Navy beans.
More Vegetables - Want to make this dish more veggie-forward? Try mixing in sliced mushrooms, diced carrots, broccoli, or peas to increase fiber without changing the taste.
Vegan or Dairy-Free - To make this recipe dairy-free, use a plant-based cream alternative like full-fat coconut milk. And use vegetable broth and a vegan protein to make it vegan.
How to Make Spiced Pumpkin Soup with Sausage
- Step 1: Cook the sausage until browned and crispy, then remove it from the pan.
- Step 2: Chop the onion, mince the garlic, and tear the kale into pieces.
- Step 3: Cook down the onion, garlic, and spices in the sausage fat and a bit of cooking oil.
- Step 4: Add the chicken broth, pumpkin puree, and beans.
Pro Tip #1
When adding the canned pumpkin to the soup, make sure to mix it well. You might see some bits of puree float to the top, but they will become liquified and easier to blend as they warm up.
- Step 5: Bring the liquid to a boil, then let it simmer for an hour.
- Step 6: Stir in the kale and cream, then cook until tender.
Pro Tip #2
If you're using canned or previously cooked beans, add them in with the kale and heavy cream and cut the simmer time in half.
- Step 5: Stir in the cooked sausage and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
To store, cool the soup to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. Lasts for up to five days.
To freeze, cool the soup to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container, leaving at least one inch of space at the top. Keeps for up to three months once frozen.
How to Serve
Temperature: Serve this pumpkin sausage bean soup nice and hot for lunch or dinner. It's comforting and balanced, but not too heavy, so you can enjoy it any time of year--but it really hits the spot on a cold day!
Pairings: Pair your spiced pumpkin soup with crusty bread, honey cornbread, or sourdough croutons. If you want to add a salad, try my autumn harvest salad with orange dressing.
More Favorite Pumpkin Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I hope you'll enjoy this creamy canned pumpkin soup recipe soon and very soon. And sharing is caring, so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Sausage Soup with Kale and White Beans
Equipment
- 1 large Dutch oven or a saucepan with at least six quarts of cap
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage hot or mild
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 bunch kale about four ounces
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon rubbed sage
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- sea salt to taste
- crushed red pepper to taste
- 6 cups chicken broth or stock
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup dry white beans soaked (or 1 ½ cup canned white beans)
- 1 cup heavy cream at room temperature
Instructions
- Cook the Sausage: Add sausage to a Dutch oven or large saucepan oven medium heat and cook until fully cooked, with a slightly crispy crust (about 10 minutes), breaking up the sausage into crumbles as it cooks. Remove the sausage from the pot and add olive oil.1 pound Italian sausage, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- While the sausage cooks, dice the onion, crush the garlic, and tear the kale into bite-sized pieces.1 bunch kale, ½ onion, 6 cloves garlic
- Build the Flavor: Add diced onion to pot with spices and allow to cook in the rendered sausage fat until onions start to turn translucent and are fragrant (about four minutes). Add in garlic and cook for one minute more.1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon rubbed sage, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, sea salt, crushed red pepper
- Assemble the Soup: Stir in the chicken broth and pumpkin puree, then add white beans, increase heat to medium-high, and bring the liquid to a gentle boil.*If you're using canned or pre-cooked beans, add them with the kale and heavy cream in the next step (Step 5) instead.6 cups chicken broth, 15 ounces pumpkin puree, ¾ cup dry white beans
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for an hour. Stir in the kale and heavy cream, then continue cooking for another 20 minutes or until beans are tender and kale is wilted.*If using canned beans, reduce the simmer time to 20-30 minutes.1 cup heavy cream
- Finish and Serve: Add sausage back to the pot, taste test, and adjust seasonings as needed. Let cook for another five minutes to warm the sausage back up, then serve.
Karen says
I made this pumpkin soup for dinner after getting the recipe from your e-mail meal plan and WOW. It is so satisfying and full of flavor. I planned on freezing some for later but we had no leftovers! I will absolutely make it again.
Jazzmine Woodard says
Thanks for your note, Karen. Glad you enjoyed the soup so much and thanks for being part of my email fam!
Callum says
I honestly thought you were overhyping the soup as I read your blog but I made it and was blown away. The soup is hearty and filling without making me feel heavy afterward. Absolutely a staple in my house now. Thanks!
Jazzmine says
You're welcome, Callum! Glad this soup lived up to the hype lol.