If you’re craving a bowl that’s creamy, comforting, and just the right amount of fiery, this Spicy Chorizo Pumpkin Soup checks every box. It’s silky from pumpkin purée, rich from a touch of cream (or coconut milk), and layered with smoky heat thanks to crumbled chorizo, chipotle, and warm spices. Best of all? It comes together fast with pantry staples—perfect for a chill night when you want big flavor without a big fuss.
We’ll build flavor the smart way: brown the chorizo until crispy bits form, sweat aromatics in the drippings, bloom spices, then simmer pumpkin and stock until velvety. Finish with lime for brightness and a swirl of cream for balance. Serve it with crusty bread or a grilled-cheese dunker and you’ve got dinner that feels special yet effortless.
Hungry for more spoonable comfort?
- Learn more about Butternut Squash Soup
- Check out Creamy Mushroom Soup
- Don’t miss our Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Why you’ll Love Spicy Chorizo Pumpkin Soup
- Fiery & cozy: Smoky chorizo and chipotle meet silky pumpkin for a bold, balanced bite.
- 30-minute win: Weeknight-friendly with common pantry staples.
- Flexible heat: Dial the spice up or down effortlessly.
- Meal-prep ready: Reheats like a dream and freezes beautifully.
- Naturally gluten-free: Simple swaps make it dairy-free, too.
- Garnish playground: Crunchy chorizo, pepitas, herbs, and tangy crema keep every bite exciting.
Ingredients:
(Serves 6; about 8 cups)
Chorizo & aromatics
- 12 oz fresh Mexican chorizo, casings removed (or Spanish chorizo finely diced; see Tips)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (as needed)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped (optional but lovely)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Soup base
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin purée (100% pumpkin; not pie filling)
- 4 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
- 1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream (DF: use full-fat coconut milk)
- 1–2 chipotles in adobo, minced, plus 1–2 tsp adobo sauce (to taste)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ¼–½ tsp cayenne (optional, to taste)
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1–2 tbsp fresh lime juice (to taste)
Garnishes (choose your favorites)
- Reserved crispy chorizo bits
- Toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- Chopped cilantro or scallions
- Crumbled queso fresco or a drizzle of Mexican crema (DF: dairy-free sour cream)
- Chili crisp or extra adobo for heat
- Lime wedges for serving
- Crusty bread, warm tortillas, or grilled cheese for dunking
Step-by-Step instructions
- Brown the chorizo
Heat a Dutch oven over medium. Add chorizo and cook, breaking it up, until browned and crispy at the edges, 6–8 minutes. If very lean, add a teaspoon of oil. Using a slotted spoon, transfer half the chorizo to a small bowl for garnish; leave the rest (and drippings) in the pot. - Sweat aromatics
Add onion and celery to the pot. Sauté in the chorizo drippings over medium heat until softened and translucent, 4–5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. - Bloom the spices
Add cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, and (if using) cayenne. Cook 30–45 seconds, stirring, until the spices smell toasty—this deepens flavor. - Build the soup
Stir in pumpkin purée and chipotles with adobo; cook 1 minute. Pour in stock and add the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat and cook 10–12 minutes to meld flavors. - Finish creamy
Fish out the bay leaf. Stir in half-and-half (or coconut milk). Simmer 2–3 minutes more; don’t let it boil hard. Add lime juice, then taste and season with salt and pepper until the flavors pop. - Serve
Ladle into bowls. Top with the reserved crispy chorizo, pepitas, queso/crema, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Add chili crisp or extra adobo if you want more heat.
How to serve Spicy Chorizo Pumpkin Soup
This soup begs for contrast: something creamy, something crunchy, something bright. I like to crown each bowl with a dollop of Mexican crema (or Greek yogurt), a handful of toasted pepitas, and a spoonful of crispy chorizo. The crema softens the spice, the pepitas add roasty crunch, and the chorizo brings back that first sizzling note.
For bread, try thick slices of sourdough or a cheddar-jalapeño cornbread muffin. Warm flour tortillas brushed with butter and dusted with a pinch of smoked paprika make a quick, delightful dunker. If you want to make this a soup-and-something meal, pair it with a simple greens salad dressed in lime vinaigrette—peppery arugula, shaved radishes, and sliced cucumbers play well with the soup’s warmth.
Hosting a fall dinner? Turn this into a mini-topping bar: bowls of chopped cilantro, scallions, extra chipotles, crumbled queso fresco, quick-pickled red onions, and lime wedges. Guests can dial their bowl to mild or blazing. For extra richness, set out avocado cubes and a drizzle of chili oil. And if you’re in a snacky mood, a sheet pan of spiced chickpeas (cumin + paprika + salt) adds crispy, protein-forward croutons.
Beverage-wise, citrusy drinks love this soup: a lime spritzer, grapefruit seltzer, or a Mexican lager with a salted rim. For cozy nights, a cinnamon black tea or chai mirrors the soup’s warm spices without competing. Serving kids? Keep garnishes simple (cheese, pepitas) and offer a small side of warm tortilla triangles.
Whether you dress it up or keep it simple, the base soup delivers full, satisfying flavor. Garnishes are just where you get to have fun.
How to store Spicy Chorizo Pumpkin Soup
Cool quickly: Let the pot sit off heat until steaming subsides, then transfer to shallow containers to bring the temperature down. Quick cooling keeps the texture silky and the flavor bright.
Refrigerator: Store in airtight containers up to 4 days. The soup thickens slightly as it chills; whisk in a splash of stock or water when reheating to your preferred consistency.
Freezer: Freeze up to 3 months. For best texture, freeze the soup without dairy and stir the cream (or coconut milk) in after thawing and reheating—dairy can separate when frozen. Portion into single-serve containers for easy lunches.
Reheat:
- Stovetop: Warm over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until steaming hot. Add a splash of stock if too thick.
- Microwave: Heat in 45–60 second bursts, stirring between rounds so it warms evenly.
- Avoid boiling once dairy is in; a gentle simmer keeps it smooth.
Make-ahead components:
- Chorizo: Brown, drain, and refrigerate chorizo crumbles up to 4 days or freeze 1 month. Re-crisp in a skillet before topping.
- Pumpkin base: Cook through Step 4 and refrigerate up to 3 days. Finish with dairy and lime just before serving.
Topping storage: Keep pepitas and crunchy garnishes sealed at room temp so they stay crisp. Store crema/yogurt and queso chilled; add right before serving.
Lunch-packing tip: Fill a thermos with boiling water to preheat for 5 minutes, dump the water, then add reheated soup. It stays steamy until lunchtime, and the pumpkin base keeps its body without breaking.
Tips to make Spicy Chorizo Pumpkin Soup
- Choose the right chorizo: Fresh Mexican chorizo crumbles and renders flavorful fat—ideal for sautéing aromatics. Spanish chorizo is cured; dice it small and add a teaspoon of oil to compensate.
- Render = flavor: Let chorizo cook long enough to brown and crisp; those fondy bits deepen the soup.
- Bloom spices: Toasting cumin, paprika, and coriander briefly releases oils for a rounder, richer profile.
- Chipotle control: Start with one chipotle + 1 tsp adobo; taste, then add more. Spice levels vary between brands.
- Stock quality counts: Use a flavorful chicken or vegetable stock; thin broths make thin soup.
- Cream last: Stir in dairy or coconut milk at the end to avoid curdling and keep the texture lush.
- Acid lifts: A squeeze of lime right before serving brightens everything—don’t skip it.
- Texture tweaks: Prefer ultra-smooth? Blend briefly with an immersion blender before adding cream to avoid aerating dairy.
- Veg boost: Stir in a handful of baby spinach at the end until just wilted for color and nutrients.
- Make it mild: Skip cayenne and halve chipotle; finish with extra crema.
- Make it hotter: Add a pinch of anchos or arbol chili, or a drizzle of chili crisp.
- DF/GF swaps: Use coconut milk and veggie stock; check your chorizo label for fillers if gluten-sensitive.
Variations of Spicy Chorizo Pumpkin Soup
- Roasted Pumpkin & Chorizo: Swap canned pumpkin for roasted fresh pumpkin or butternut squash (about 3 cups puréed). Roast at 425°F with oil, salt, and paprika until caramelized, then proceed—deeper sweetness, thicker body.
- Smoky Corn Twist: Stir in 1–1½ cups fire-roasted corn during the final simmer for pop and subtle sweetness.
- White Bean Boost: Add 1 can cannellini (drained) for extra protein and creamy texture; lightly mash some beans in the pot.
- Green Chile Pumpkin Soup: Replace chipotle with roasted Hatch or poblano chiles, diced; garnish with Jack cheese and cilantro.
- Spanish Spin: Use diced Spanish chorizo, add a pinch of pimentón de la Vera (smoked paprika), and finish with a swirl of sherry cream.
- Dairy-Free Coconut Lime: Use coconut milk, extra lime, and fresh basil/cilantro for a bright, tropical-leaning profile.
- Vegetarian “Chorizo”: Swap in soy or mushroom chorizo, adding 1–2 tsp olive oil to bloom spices; finish with a splash of liquid smoke for depth.
- Pumpkin Alfredo Hybrid: Reduce stock by 1 cup; add ½ cup extra cream and a handful of Parmesan for a luxe, pasta-sauce-thick bowl. Serve with garlic bread.
FAQs
Q1: Can I use sausage instead of chorizo?
Yes—use hot Italian sausage for a similar heat or mild for less spice. Add ½ tsp smoked paprika to mimic chorizo’s smokiness.
Q2: Is canned pumpkin as good as fresh?
Absolutely. It delivers consistent texture and sweet earthiness year-round. Just be sure it’s 100% pumpkin, not pie filling.
Q3: How do I keep dairy from curdling?
Stir in cream at the end over low heat and avoid boiling. For dairy-free, use full-fat coconut milk which is quite stable.
Q4: Can I blend the soup?
It’s already silky. If you want ultra-smooth, blend before adding cream. For a chunkier style, hold back some chorizo and celery to stir in after blending.
Q5: How spicy is this?
Medium by default. Adjust by changing chipotle/cayenne levels and balancing with crema or extra lime.
Final Thoughs
This Spicy Chorizo Pumpkin Soup is the ultimate fall-to-winter hug: creamy, smoky, a little daring, and wildly satisfying. It’s built for weeknights but elegant enough for company, endlessly riffable, and friendly to both dairy-free and gluten-free needs. Keep a can of pumpkin and a pack of chorizo on standby, and you’ll always have a knockout bowl just 30 minutes away.
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Print
Spicy Chorizo Pumpkin Soup
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Creamy, smoky, and just-right spicy, this Spicy Chorizo Pumpkin Soup pairs silky pumpkin with crisp chorizo, chipotle, and warm spices. Weeknight-easy, freezer-friendly, and endlessly customizable.
Ingredients
CHORIZO & AROMATICS
- 12 oz fresh Mexican chorizo, casings removed
- 1 tbsp olive oil, as needed
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
SOUP BASE
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin purée (100% pumpkin)
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream (DF: full-fat coconut milk)
- 1–2 chipotles in adobo, minced, plus 1–2 tsp adobo sauce (to taste)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4–1/2 tsp cayenne (optional)
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1–2 tbsp fresh lime juice
GARNISH
- Reserved crispy chorizo, toasted pepitas, chopped cilantro or scallions, crumbled queso fresco or crema, lime wedges
Instructions
1. Brown chorizo over medium heat until crisp at edges, 6–8 minutes. Reserve half for garnish; leave the rest and drippings in the pot.
2. Add onion and celery; sauté 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic 30 seconds.
3. Bloom cumin, smoked paprika, and coriander 30–45 seconds.
4. Stir in pumpkin purée and chipotles. Add stock and bay leaf; simmer gently 10–12 minutes.
5. Remove bay leaf. Stir in cream (or coconut milk); simmer 2–3 minutes. Add lime juice; season with salt and pepper.
6. Ladle into bowls and top with crispy chorizo, pepitas, cilantro, and queso/crema. Serve with lime.
Notes
Make-ahead: Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze 3 months (add dairy after reheating for best texture).
Heat control: Start with 1 chipotle + 1 tsp adobo; add more to taste. Balance spice with crema or extra lime.
DF/GF: Use coconut milk and vegetable stock; verify chorizo ingredients if gluten-sensitive.
Spanish chorizo option: Dice small, add 1–2 tsp olive oil to bloom spices; flavor is smokier and firmer.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/3 cups
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 970mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 55mg