A delicious spin on the classic "Zuppa Toscana" with pumpkin instead of potatoes. This pumpkin sausage soup is creamy, warm, comforting, and so delicious! It's very easy to make and it's perfect for winter night dinners.
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This pumpkin sausage soup it's perfect for my taste. It has a creamy flavorful broth and it's full of chunky pieces of sweet pumpkin and savory sausage that complement each other perfectly. I'm certainly going to make this soup more often, at least until I can find pumpkins at the market!
If you like fall recipes, you should also try these Wild Mushroom Pappardelle, this Sweet Potato Soup, or this Pumpkin Risotto with Gorgonzola.
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What is the difference with "Zuppa Toscana"?
"Zuppa Toscana" is a very famous soup in the US made with potatoes, sausage, kale, and bacon. It's very creamy and delicious-looking and it's what inspired me for this recipe. Although I've never tried Zuppa Toscana before. Because it doesn't exist in Tuscany or anywhere else in Italy. Like many American-Italian recipes, it's more American than Italian. 🙂
The obvious difference with this Pumpkin Sausage Soup is that I used pumpkin instead of potatoes. But I also omitted the bacon and replaced the kale with spinach. Still, it looks very similar and if you are a Zuppa Toscana lover, you're going to absolutely love this version, too!
It's low carb, and it's one of my favorite pumpkin recipes! Perfect for this time of year with flavors of fall. It has so much flavor with just a handful of simple ingredients.
Below I also recommend a variety of ingredient substitutions you can try to make your own version according to your preferences. Let me know in a comment if you tried it!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Most of the ingredients in this pumpkin soup recipe can be substituted according to your preferences or availability. The end result may differ from the original recipe though.
- Pumpkin: You can use any kind of fresh pumpkin or squash you have available. I used a small Hokkaido pumpkin, but even a small butternut squash would work fine. The cooking time for different types of pumpkins should not be different. You can also use sweet potatoes or normal potatoes.
- Sausage: Sausage is one of the ingredients that gives most of the flavor to the soup. I used a normal pork sausage but you can also use mild Italian sausage, hot Italian sausage, or flavored sausages like chorizo, andouille, or fennel sausage.
- Spinach: You can use fresh or frozen spinach, but you can also use the more classic kale or even cavolo nero.
- Cream: I used regular heavy cream for this recipe, but feel free to use the cream you prefer. You can try it with vegetable creams or even with whole milk, coconut milk, or nut milk.
- Stock: I used a mild chicken stock for this recipe, but you can also use vegetable stock or chicken broth.
Check the recipe card for full quantities.
Instructions
1. In a medium pot, add the finely minced garlic and chopped onion. Add the sausages and break them with a wooden spoon. Cook for a few minutes on medium-high heat, continuing breaking up the sausage, until it starts to brown.
2. Add the flour, mix a bit to remove clumps, then add the chicken or vegetable stock.
3. Peel and chop the pumpkin into small cubes and add it to the soup. Add also the thawed or fresh spinach to the pot.
4. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Season it with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Add the cream to the soup and mix well.
Variations
- Spicy. Add chili pepper flakes to the soup to make it spicier. You can also use spicy sausage to give it more flavor.
- Vegan. You can skip the sausage or replace it with plant-based sausage and replace the cream with vegan cream.
- Packed with Veggies. You can add more vegetables to the soup, like sweet potatoes, broccoli, leeks, carrots, fresh mushrooms, and more.
- Healthier. To reduce the number of calories and fat in this recipe, you can omit the cream or use a low-fat cream. You can also substitute the sausage with a low-fat sausage or half the quantity of sausage in the recipe.
Storage
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove, adding a bit of broth or water if it became too dense.
You can also freeze the soup in plastic or glass containers for up to 3 months. Then thaw overnight in the fridge or use the thawing function on your microwave. Reheat in a small pot for a few minutes or in the microwave.
FAQ & Tips
Yes, you can freeze the soup in plastic or glass containers for up to 3 months. Then thaw overnight in the fridge or using the thawing function on your microwave. Reheat in a small pot for a few minutes or in the microwave.
Yes, you can of course make this recipe in the slow cooker. First cook the sausage, onions, and garlic in a skillet, then add them to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
To reduce the number of calories and fat in this recipe, you can omit the cream or use a low-fat cream. You can also substitute the sausage with a low-fat sausage or half the quantity of sausage in the recipe.
Related recipes you might like
If you like this recipe, try also these other soups:
If you tried this recipe, please take a moment to rate it and share your thoughts in the comments. Your feedback means a lot to me! ★★★★★
📖 RECIPE
Ingredients
Method
- In a medium pot, add the finely minced garlic and onion. Also add the sausages and break them with a wooden spoon. Cook for a few minutes continuing breaking up the sausage, until it starts to brown.
- Add the flour, mix a bit to remove clumps, then add the chicken or vegetable stock.
- Peel and chop the pumpkin into small cubes and add it to the soup. Add also the thawed or fresh spinach to the pot.
- Turn the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and chili pepper flakes to taste.
- As last step, add the cream to the soup and mix well. Serve immediately as it is or with some grated Parmesan on top.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Notes
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BARBARA E Loendorf says
Can potatoes be substituted dor pumpkin?
Jessica Montanelli says
Hi Barbara, Yes absolutely! It would be delicious with potatoes too 🙂
Sue says
My husband loved this soup. Normally he says, “Soup isn’t real food.” But this soup he devoured.
Lisa says
Recipe calls for "7oz pumpkin, about 1/4". 1/4 of what? A can? A pie pumpkin?
Jessica - Cooking my Dreams says
Hi Lisa, thank you for your question, I will adjust the instructions to make it more clear.
7oz should equal about 1/4 of a medium/small pumpkin (I used a Hokkaido variety).