This savory pumpkin sweet potato soup is creamy in texture, just the smoky in flavor, and packed with those comforting fall flavors thanks to smoked paprika, cooked sweet potato, pumpkin puree, and a swirl of Greek yogurt (or sour cream) for extra richness. The perfect one-pot soup for crisp fall weeknight dinners, meal prep lunches, and chilly evenings.

Two bowls of sweet potato pumpkin soup on a table. They are topped with paprika, a drizzle of oil, feta cheese, and roasted pumpkin seeds.

This might be the official soup of fall…..or at least it is in my head.

People tend to think of pumpkin and sweet potatoes as automatically sweet ingredients, but this pumpkin sweet potato soup really leans into their earthy, savory side instead. The smoked paprika does some serious heavy lifting flavor-wise here, bringing this cozy smoky depth that works so beautifully with the pumpkin and sweet potato while the little swirl of yogurt adds richness and tang that keeps the soup from feeling flat or overly sweet. It’s creamy, comforting, and exactly the kind of soup I want to curl up with on a cold fall night with a chunk of crusty bread for dunking.

And honestly, this soup has become one of my favorite things to make on a fall weekend (okay, other than my turkey pumpkin chili…both have my heart) because the leftovers are just so good throughout the week. Since there’s no pasta or rice soaking up all the broth, it reheats beautifully for lunches and easy dinners without getting thick or mushy over time. It’s one of those soups that tastes even better the next day once the flavors have had a chance to settle together a bit.

Let’s make this soup together. Just you and me…

Diced onions in a large cast iron pot.
Sautee the onions
Diced sweet potatoes, garlic, spices and diced onion in a large cast iron pot with a wooden spoon.
Add in the sweet potatoes and spices
Diced sweet potato, onion, and pumpkin puree in a pot with a measuring cup pouring broth over it.
Then the pumpkin puree and veggie broth.
The ingredients for sweet potato pumpkin soup in a pot before cooking, being stirred together with a wooden spoon.
Cook until the potatoes are tender.
Sweet potato pumpkin soup after cooking with a large scoop of yogurt in it. There is a measuring spoon pouring maple syrup into the pot.
Remove from the heat and add honey and yogurt once the soup stops bubbling.
And immersion blender in the pot of sweet potato pumpkin soup after pureeing it.
Puree smooth.

Words of Wisdom After Making This Many Many Many Times

  • Don’t skip the smoked paprika because it truly makes the savory flavor of this soup shine, and definitely use full-fat yogurt (or sour cream) if you can since it blends in much more smoothly.
  • Don’t stir in the yogurt until the soup is off the heat and no longer boiling. Adding yogurt to bubbling soup (especially lower fat yogurt) can cause it to split a bit and leave little curdles throughout the soup. It will still taste delicious, but won’t look nearly as creamy and inviting.
  • An immersion blender is the move. Super to easy to puree everything right in the pot instead of carefully transferring hot soup to a blender.
Two bowls of sweet potato pumpkin soup on a table. They are topped with paprika, a drizzle of oil, feta cheese, and roasted pumpkin seeds.
4.86 from 7 votes

Savory Pumpkin Sweet Potato Soup

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 23 minutes
Cuisine: American
Course: Soup
Author: Taesha Butler
This savory pumpkin sweet potato soup is creamy in texture, just the smoky in flavor, and packed with those comforting fall flavors thanks to smoked paprika, cooked sweet potato, pumpkin puree, and a swirl of Greek yogurt (or sour cream) for extra richness. The perfect one-pot soup for crisp fall weeknight dinners, meal prep lunches, and chilly evenings.
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Ingredients
 

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped onion , about 1 large onion
  • ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
  • 3 cups peeled, diced sweet potatoes , about 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
  • 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
  • ½ cup full fat plain yogurt, or sour cream.
  • crumbled feta cheese, pepitas, extra paprika, for garnish, optional

Instructions
 

  • Add the olive oil to a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  • Add the onion, then sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Sauté until lightly golden brown, about 2 minutes.
  • Stir in the garlic, paprika, pepper, pepper flakes (if using), and diced sweet potato. Lower the heat to medium and stir for a minute to toast the spices and cook the garlic.
  • Add the broth, pumpkin puree, and remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt to the pot and stir to combine.
  •  Bring the pot up to a simmer, cover and cook until the sweet potatoes are soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Once the potatoes are soft, turn off the heat and stir in the honey/maple syrup and yogurt/sour cream.
  • To blend, use an immersion blender in the pot or allow the soup to cool slightly then transfer to blender and blend in batches. You can blend the soup until completely smooth or stop when there are some small pieces of potato left.
  • Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper as needed.
    NOTE: broths are all very different with different levels of seasoning, so you will need to taste the soup to make sure it is seasoned to your preference.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Garnish with crumbled feta, pepitas, and/or a sprinkle of paprika.
  • To store: Once the soup is cooked, let it cool completely before transferring it to air-tight containers.
    Fridge: store in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.
    Freezer: Freeze this soup in a freezer safe container and enjoy it for up to 3 months. Be sure to leave room in your container for it to expand as it freezes!

Notes

Instant Pot directions: To make this soup in the  Instant Pot, use the Saute function for steps 1 to 4. Cancel, place the lid on the pot, then cook on Manual pressure for 10 minutes. Do a quick release, then continue with the recipe instructions, steps 7 to 9.
Slow cooker directions: To make this soup in the slow cooker, complete the recipe through step 3 in a pan on the stove. Add everything to the slow cooker along with the broth and pumpkin puree. Cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hours. Once the sweet potatoes are soft, continue with the original recipe instructions (steps 7 to 9).
Calories: 161kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 3mg, Sodium: 969mg, Potassium: 433mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 16293IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 72mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information provided here is only an estimate shared for convenience and as a courtesy. Information will vary based on ingredients + brands used to create the recipe.