This Pumpkin Soup — or Sopa de Abóbora as we called it growing up — is pure Portuguese comfort in a bowl. My mom made this soup the way most Portuguese mothers did: stretching simple, humble ingredients into something that fed the whole family and warmed everyone from the inside out. It’s hearty, slightly sweet from the pumpkin and sweet potato, and that touch of cinnamon makes it unlike any other pumpkin soup you’ve tried.
What is Pumpkin Soup (Sopa de Abóbora)?
Pumpkin Soup is a traditional Portuguese vegetable soup built on a pureed base of beans, pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot, and potato. What sets this version apart from the American pumpkin soups you might know is the addition of kidney beans for body, cinnamon for warmth, and the option to serve it poured over a thick slice of day-old bread — a very traditional Portuguese way of stretching a meal. It’s simple food done beautifully, and it’s been feeding Azorean families for generations.
How to Make This Pumpkin Soup
The process has two stages. First, cook the beans, onion, and garlic until completely soft, then puree everything together using a hand immersion blender directly in the pot — this becomes your flavor base. Then add the chopped vegetables and enough water to cover, season with salt, pepper, and cinnamon, and simmer until everything is tender. If you’re adding pasta, drop it in toward the end so it doesn’t overcook. Serve over a slice of day-old bread with a drizzle of good olive oil.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Soup
- Use a small sugar pumpkin if you can find one. Butternut squash is a perfectly good substitute, but a real pumpkin gives a slightly earthier, richer flavor.
- Save the pumpkin seeds. Rinse them, toss with olive oil and salt, and roast at 375°F for about 15 minutes — they make a wonderful crunchy topping for the soup.
- Don’t skip the cinnamon. It sounds unusual but it’s traditional and it works — start with one tablespoon if you’re cautious and add more to taste.
- The bread base is not optional in my house. A thick slice of day-old bread in the bottom of the bowl soaks up the soup and turns into something magical. Try it at least once before you skip it.
- Watch your water level while simmering. The vegetables absorb a lot of liquid. Add hot water as needed to keep everything covered.
- Puree the bean base thoroughly. The smoother the base, the silkier the final soup — this is where a good immersion blender earns its place.
- Leftovers thicken overnight. Add a splash of water when reheating and adjust seasoning — it’s arguably better the next day.
For this soup, two tools genuinely make a difference. An immersion blender lets you puree the bean base right in the pot without transferring hot liquid to a blender — much easier and safer. If you want to make it the traditional way my mom did, a hand-cranked food mill gives you a slightly coarser, thicker texture that an electric blender can’t quite replicate.
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Serving and Storing
Serve this pumpkin soup hot, ladled over a thick slice of day-old bread with a generous drizzle of olive oil. It makes a complete meal on its own. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and freeze well for up to 3 months — make a big batch and you’ll be grateful on a cold weeknight.
PrintPumpkin Soup (Sopa de Abobora)
- Category: Soup
Ingredients
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2 19 oz cans of beans (I used red kidney beans) rinsed well or 1 cup of dry beans (*if using dry beans, soak them in water overnight)
1 large sweet onion
3 large cloves of garlic
4 cups of water
2 tablespoons of tomato paste or 3 large tomatoes with skin and seeds removed
2 carrots chopped
1 large white potato chopped
2 large sweet potatoes chopped
1 small pumpkin chopped and de-seeded (*can substitute with butternut squash if pumpkins are not available, also save the pumpkin seeds so that you can roast them for a special crunchy treat)
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of cinnamon
1 Bunch of parsley, finely chopped
1 cup of pasta (optional)
Day old bread sliced (optional) to be placed on each plate with soup served over it
Olive oil to be drizzled (optional) on each plate
Instructions
1. In a pot, cook the beans, onion, garlic and water together until onion is cooked (about 10min) or until spoon can cut through the onion. Add the tomato paste or tomatoes and puree using a hand immersion blender. (My mom would use a hand cranked food mill when making this soup. She liked the consistency of a thicker puree than you will get with a blender. )
2. Add chopped vegetables into the puree and add enough water to cover everything. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then add the cinnamon. Stir it all together and simmer until pasta/potatoes are cooked. Be sure to keep an eye on the water level. If the potatoes are taking a while to cook and the soup is losing water you can add hot water to restore the water level. Continue to simmer.
Once everything is thoroughly cooked it is ready to serve. I usually like to serve my soup over a slice of day old bread. The bread soaks up all of the liquid. I like to dribble olive oil over it and enjoy every bite! There are no rules – you can use pasta and still serve over bread, or just use pasta and no bread. It’s really up to you and what you’re in the mood for.
