Pumpkin Soup

This low-FODMAP pumpkin soup uses kabocha (Japanese pumpkin) and carrot with garlic-infused oil in place of onion and garlic bulb, then finishes silky with lactose-free cream.

Prep 20 min

Cook 30 min

Serves 4

Gluten-freeNut-free

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
• Green tops of 3 scallions (spring onions), green part only, thinly sliced
• 900 g (2 lb) kabocha or Kent (Jap) pumpkin, peeled, seeded, cut into 2 cm cubes (about 6 cups)
• 2 medium carrots (about 150 g), peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (optional)
• 4 cups (1 liter) low-FODMAP chicken broth or low-FODMAP vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) lactose-free cream, plus a little extra to swirl
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• Pinch of ground cumin or nutmeg (optional)
• 2 tablespoons pepitas (pumpkin seeds), for garnish (keep to about 2 tablespoons per serving)
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives or extra scallion greens, for garnish

Instructions

Build the base

1. Warm the garlic-infused oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the scallion greens and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
2. Add the pumpkin, carrot, and ginger. Stir to coat and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring now and then, to draw out some sweetness.

Simmer

1. Pour in the broth and add the salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer.
2. Cover partly and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until the pumpkin and carrot are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Blend and finish

1. Take the pot off the heat. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender, or work in batches in a countertop blender (vent the lid and hold a folded towel over it, since the liquid is hot).
2. Stir in the lactose-free cream, maple syrup, cumin or nutmeg, and a few grinds of pepper. Warm gently over low heat and do not let it boil once the cream is in. Taste and adjust the salt.
3. Ladle into bowls, swirl in a little extra cream, and top with pepitas and chives.

Tips & Substitutions

• Pick the right pumpkin. Kabocha and Kent (Jap) pumpkin are the low-FODMAP choices here. Butternut caps at a smaller serving, so measure it if you swap. Check the Monash app for current tested serving sizes.
• Canned pumpkin cap. If you use canned pumpkin puree instead of fresh, keep it under 75 g (about 1/4 cup) per serving and let carrot and broth carry the volume, since larger amounts move into moderate FODMAP territory.
• Broth matters. Most boxed stock lists onion and garlic near the top. Use a homemade or certified low-FODMAP broth so the pot stays clean.
• Dairy-free version. Swap the cream for lactose-free milk, or stir in a modest splash of canned coconut milk (keep it to about 1/4 cup per serving so the coconut portion stays low).
• Add warmth without onion. Fresh ginger, a pinch of cumin, or grated fresh turmeric build savory depth. Skip onion and garlic powder, which are high in fructans.
• Thin or thick. Loosen with extra broth for a thinner soup, or simmer uncovered for a few minutes before blending to concentrate it.

Why This Works

• Fructans stay behind. Garlic's fructans are not oil-soluble, so garlic-infused oil carries the flavor without the FODMAP. The same logic applies to the scallions: fructans concentrate in the white bulb, so the green tops are the part you keep.
• Pumpkin choice. Kabocha and Kent pumpkin test low-FODMAP at usable servings, while butternut and canned pumpkin cap lower. Carrot has no FODMAPs detected by Monash, so it stretches the pot without adding load.
• Lactose-free cream. Cream is naturally low in lactose, and the lactose-free version keeps the finish silky without the FODMAP hit of a big pour of regular milk.
• From-scratch flavor. Garlic oil, scallion greens, and ginger stand in for the onion and garlic that hide in most bottled stocks and soup bases.

Storage

Cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It freezes well for up to 3 months; if you can, freeze it before adding the cream, then stir the cream in as you reheat. Warm gently over low heat and avoid boiling once the cream is in. If it thickens in the fridge, loosen with a splash of broth or lactose-free milk.

Not sure about an ingredient? The FODMAP Foods app rates 1,000+ foods low, moderate, or high FODMAP, with the safe portion for each, so you can cook with confidence.