Pumpkin is one of the clearest signs that fall has arrived. Beyond its beautiful color and warm, comforting flavor, pumpkin is one of the most hormone-supportive foods you can enjoy this season.
Today’s recipe is a warm, creamy pumpkin soup. I’ll also walk you through how to cook a fresh pumpkin from scratch so you have the puree ready whenever you need it.
Why Pumpkin Supports Hormone Balance
Pumpkin is more than a fall decoration. Here’s why it belongs on your plate when you’re eating for hormone balance:
🎃 It’s low on the glycemic scale — which supports steady blood sugar and calmer cortisol. Blood sugar balance is one of the most important pieces of hormone balance.
🧡 It’s an excellent source of carotenoids — which convert to vitamin A in the body and support immune health, skin and hormone production.
👁️ It’s rich in lutein and zeaxanthin — two antioxidants that support eye health and protect against oxidative stress.
🌿 It contains natural polysaccharides and pectin — compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and insulin-regulating properties.
💛 It’s full of vitamin C, fiber, B6, and omega-3 fats — plus trace amounts of many other beautiful hormone-supporting nutrients.
One important note: pumpkin is particularly good at pulling contaminants from the soil (which is wonderful for healing the earth, but not so wonderful for your body). This makes buying organic pumpkin especially important.
How to Choose the Best Pumpkin
There are at least 46 different types of pumpkins and four main species. For cooking, look for sugar pie pumpkins or heirloom varieties, these are much better for eating than the large carving pumpkins you see at the pumpkin patch.
A few beautiful heirloom varieties worth trying: Chioggia Sea, Red Warty Thing, Jarrahdale, Cotton Candy, Iran, Long Island Cheese, Queensland Blue, One-Too-Many and Rouge Vif d’Etampes.
When shopping for a pumpkin:
- Look for firm, heavy pumpkins that feel solid for their size
- Choose consistent coloring throughout
- Make sure the stem is solidly attached, a green stem means freshly harvested
- Avoid any with soft spots, mold, wrinkles, or open cuts
- Press gently on the bottom with your thumbs, if it flexes or gives, it’s not fresh
How to Cook a Pumpkin — Two Easy Methods
You can bake, steam or grill pumpkin. Here are my two favorite ways to bake it from scratch.
Method 1: Baked Pumpkin Halves
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Cut the pumpkin in half sideways with a sharp knife (do not cut through the stem). Scoop out the seeds and fibers (save the seeds for roasting later!).
- Brush the flesh with coconut or olive oil.
- Place the halves flesh-side down on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. (If using a ceramic baking sheet, you can skip the parchment, aluminum baking sheets can be toxic.)
- Bake for about 30 minutes, until the pumpkin looks wrinkled, soft, and about to collapse.
Method 2: Baked Pumpkin Wedges
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Cut the pumpkin in half sideways with a sharp knife (do not cut through the stem).
- Scoop out the seeds and fibers (save for roasting).
- Cut in half again and in half once more until you have 8 pieces. (If it’s a small pumpkin, cut into quarters.)
- Place the pieces skin-side down in a baking dish with a lid.
- Roast for about 1 hour.
- Scoop out the flesh and use it for puree, mashed pumpkin or your favorite pumpkin recipe.
The Pumpkin Soup Recipe
Pumpkin Soup
Serves 8
Ingredients:
- 2 to 3 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 1 to 2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 4 large celery stalks, chopped
- 5 large carrots, chopped
- 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
- 10 cups homemade chicken broth (or low-sodium Imagine chicken or vegetable broth)
- 8 cups cooked sugar pie pumpkin flesh (cook as directed above)
- 2 to 3 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 3 to 4 tsp Herbamare or sea salt
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk (optional, omit if you don’t tolerate coconut)
Directions:
- Heat the coconut oil over medium heat in an 8-quart pot. Add the onion and sauté until soft.
- Add the ginger, celery, carrots and apples. Sauté for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add the broth, cooked pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.
- Simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Puree the soup in batches in your blender, only fill about halfway, as hot liquid can explode out of the blender. Have another pot ready to transfer the pureed soup into.
- Once all the soup has been pureed, ladle into bowls and finish with a swirl of coconut milk.
Always use organic ingredients whenever possible, especially the pumpkin.
How to Make This a Complete Hormone-Balancing Meal
This pumpkin soup brings healthy carbohydrates from the pumpkin and vegetables, plus healthy fats from the coconut oil and coconut milk. It’s wonderful on its own as a light meal, especially paired with a simple green salad.
To make it a fully complete hormonally balanced meal, add a healthy protein. A few of my favorite pairings:
- A side of grilled or roasted chicken
- Wild-caught salmon or shrimp
- Grass-fed beef meatballs
- Hard-boiled eggs
- A scoop of your favorite animal protein stirred right into the soup
Remember, a hormonally balanced meal always includes three things: healthy protein, fats and carbohydrates.
A Few Tips for the Best Pumpkin Soup
Choose sugar pie pumpkins for cooking: The large carving pumpkins are watery and stringy. Sugar pie pumpkins (or heirloom varieties) are sweeter, denser, and perfect for soup.
Make a big batch: This soup freezes beautifully. Portion into freezer-safe containers and enjoy on busy weeknights throughout the fall and winter.
Save and roast the seeds: Rinse the seeds, pat them dry, toss with olive oil and sea salt, and roast at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes for a hormone-supporting snack.
Make your own pumpkin pie spice: Combine 3 Tbsp ground cinnamon, 2 tsp ground ginger, 2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1½ tsp ground cloves, and 1½ tsp ground allspice. Store in an airtight glass jar for up to 6 months.
Use canned pumpkin in a pinch: If you don’t have time to cook a fresh pumpkin, 100% pure organic canned pumpkin (no sugar or spices added) works beautifully. You’ll need about 4 (15 oz) cans to equal 8 cups.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a sugar pie pumpkin and a regular pumpkin?
Sugar pie pumpkins are smaller (usually 2 to 4 pounds), denser, and sweeter than the large carving pumpkins. They’re bred specifically for cooking and have less water content, which makes for better soups, purees and baked goods.
Can I use canned pumpkin instead of fresh?
Yes! Make sure it’s 100% pure organic pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which has added sugar and spices. You’ll need about 4 (15 oz) cans to replace 8 cups of fresh.
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
Absolutely. This soup actually tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Is pumpkin really good for hormones?
Yes. Pumpkin is low-glycemic (which supports steady blood sugar and calm cortisol), rich in vitamin A and carotenoids (which support immune and skin health), and full of fiber (which supports gut health and healthy estrogen elimination). It’s a beautiful fall addition to a hormone-supporting kitchen.
There’s real joy in eating food that both tastes good and supports your body. This pumpkin soup is exactly that, warm, nourishing and truly comforting on a cool fall day.
Simple, beautiful and truly nourishing. Enjoy every bite. 💛
Love,
Robin xo
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