European Cafe Pumpkin and Cauliflower Soup Recipe

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This Baltic-inspired pumpkin and cauliflower soup blends the natural sweetness of pumpkin with the nutty flavor of cauliflower, creating a velvety texture that’s absolutely irresistible. It’s the perfect European cafe-style comfort food. And it’s surprisingly easy to make – no roasting required – yet delivers maximum flavour the whole family will love.

If you are looking for more soup recipes, try my cafe-style broccoli and asparagus soup this asparagus and sweet potato soup, my creamy French style cauliflower, potato and leek soup or my Baltic asparagus and dill soup. Or if you are looking for more cafe style lunches, try this asparagus ricotta quiche with phyllo dough (my absolute favorite asparagus recipe!)

Ingredients for Pumpkin and Cauliflower Soup

Don’t let this crowded photo put you off. Many spices are optional and they are pretty quick to add if you have them.

• Butter or olive oil
• Onion, chopped or sliced
• Garlic, minced
• Carrot (optional, adds sweetness). If you can, use organic carrots. They really do taste better.
• Each of these spices brings something unique to your Baltic-style soup, but are optional:
• Caraway seeds add a warm, slightly anise-like flavor with earthy undertones. They’re a signature Baltic and Scandinavian spice that brings authenticity to the recipe.
• Allspice contributes a complex flavor that’s like a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It adds warmth and subtle sweetness that enhances the pumpkin’s natural flavor. In Baltic cuisine, allspice is commonly used in savory dishes to create depth without overwhelming the main ingredients.
• Smoked paprika brings a gentle smokiness and subtle heat that balances the sweetness of the pumpkin and apple. It adds a rich, earthy quality and beautiful color depth to the soup.
• Juniper berries contribute a distinctive pine-like, slightly resinous flavor with citrus notes. They’re quintessentially Nordic/Baltic and add a forest-like quality that’s unique to Northern European cuisine. Juniper berries create an aromatic foundation that makes the soup genuinely Baltic rather than generic.
• Pumpkin – any kind (but those big Halloween ones are not that tasty), peeled and chopped you can use any kind of fresh flavorful pumpkin or butternut squash, leftover roast pumpkin pumpkin purée, canned pumpkin puree, you get the idea 😂
• Cauliflower
• Apple – adds a bit of sweetness
• Dill – quintessentially Baltic and Scandinavian. It’s one of the most characteristic herbs in Northern European cuisine, especially in countries like Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and throughout Scandinavia. I grew up in a Latvian family and pretty much every meal had dill in it 😀
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Sour cream, heavy cream or crème fraîche (optional)

Substitutions

• Spices – Yes, this recipe does call for baltic style spices, and each of the spices does contribute something to the Baltic character of the soup, but you can definitely leave out the juniper berries, caraway seeds or allspice if you don’t have them.
• Smoked paprika adds a distinct character, but regular paprika can substitute (though you’ll lose the smokiness).
• Fresh dill – you can use dried dill as well, just substitute about 1 teaspoon dried dill for every tablespon of fresh dill.

Equipment

• Stick mixer or blender. I used my thermomix, but a stick blender would be fine.
• Vegetable peeler
• Large soup pot
• Medium skillet

How to make Pumpkin and Cauliflower Soup

Although this soup looks like it would be complicated with all the ingredients, it’s actually quite easy.

Here are the quick instructions for those of you that like to wing it 😉

1. Chop onion, garlic and carrot and saute with all the spices except fresh dill for 5 minutes.
2. Add them to boiling water with pumpkin, potatoes, apple and cauliflower and boil for 20 minutes.
3. Fish out the juniper berries.
4. Blend it all up with stick blender and serve with fresh dill and sour cream or creme fraiche 😋

For those of you who like a bit more detail and to prove I am telling you the truth about how easy this is here are detailed instructions with photos.

1. Chop onion, carrot and garlic cloves.
2. Wash, peel and chop pumpkin, potato and apple and wash and chop cauliflower.

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of butter or extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the diced onion, garlic, carrot and spices (caraway seeds, juniper berries, smoked paprika and dried dill) and cook until the onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Do NOT really brown the onion and carrot. You want to cook this on medium to low heat to avoid browning the veggies. Light brown is ok, burnt brown is bad.
2. If you are using fresh dill, do not add it at this point. Save it for later, when the soup is completely cooked.

1. Transfer to a large soup pot and add the cubed pumpkin, cauliflower florets, diced apple and potatoes. Rinse out the saucepan with a cup of water and add this liquid to the soup pot to get all the spices and flavors.
2. Pour in the remaining 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium-low heat, cover, and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.
3. Remove the juniper berries (they float 😅).

1. Remove from heat. Allow the soup to cool slightly before the next step.
2. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup directly in the pot until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, transfer the soup in batches to a high-speed blender (be careful with hot liquids), then return to the pot.
3. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. If the soup is too thick, add a little more water/vegetable stock until you reach your desired consistency.
4. Reheat cauliflower pumpkin soup gently over medium-low heat if needed before serving.
5. Serve as is with some fresh dill as garnish or serve with a dollop of sour cream, heavy cream or creme fraiche or vegan cream and a generous sprinkle of fresh dill.

How to serve Pumpkin Cauliflower Soup

• Serve as a main coarse with crusty sourdough bread or Baltic dark Rye bread.
• Have it for lunch with an open faced toast, such as this avocado cottage cheese toast, canned salmon and cream cheese toast or this shrimp and avocado toast.

Pumpkin Cauliflower Soup FAQ

How did I test this Cauliflower and Pumpkin Soup?

I often make variations of soups. I was not sure about the combination of pumpkin and cauliflower but had heard (read) it could be done somewhere (I read a ton of cookbooks 🙃). Latvians cook with a lot cauliflower and potatoes and I thought I’d try the usual Baltic spices and see what happened. And it was delicious. Hubby and my boys all gave it a definite thumbs up 😀

Pumpkin and Cauliflower Soup Recipe

Marissa

A European Cafe Pumpkin and Cauliflower Soup Recipe that combines pumpkin, cauliflower, carrot, potato, apple and Baltic spices to make a creamy soup full of flavor. Serve with fresh or dried dill and sour cream (optional).

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Course dinner, lunch, Soup

Cuisine Baltic, European

Servings 6

Calories 222 kcal

Equipment

• 1 medium skillet
• 1 large soup bowl
• 1 veggie peeler

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 tbsp olive oil or unsalted butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 carrot medium size, diced (optional, adds sweetness)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• 6 juniper berries
• 1 small pumpkin or butternut squash, 500g, peeled and chopped you can use any kind of flavorful fresh pumpkin, leftover roast pumpkin pumpkin purée, canned pumpkin puree
• 1 cauliflower medium sized, cut into florets (500 grams)
• 7 water or vegetable stock or chicken stock
• 1 apple peeled, cored and diced
• 4 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 3/4 cups sour cream (200 ml) or heavy cream or crème fraîche (optional)

Instructions

 

• Chop onion, carrot and garlic cloves.
• Wash, peel and chop pumpkin, potato and apple and wash and chop cauliflower
• Heat 3 tablespoons of butter or extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the diced onion, garlic, carrot and spices (caraway seeds, juniper berries, smoked paprika and dried dill) and cook until the onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Do NOT brown the onion and carrot. You want to cook this on medium to low heat to avoid browning the veggies. If you are using fresh dill, do not add it at this point. Save it for later, when the soup is completely cooked.
• Transfer to a large soup pot and add the cubed pumpkin, cauliflower florets, diced apple and potatoes. Rinse out the saucepan with a cup of water and add this liquid to the soup pot to get all the spices and flavors.
• Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium-low heat, cover, and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.
• Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of the fresh chopped dill. Allow the soup to cool slightly before the next step.
• Using an immersion blender, blend the soup directly in the pot until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, transfer the soup in batches to a high-speed blender (be careful with hot liquids), then return to the pot.
• Season with salt and black pepper to taste. If the soup is too thick, add a little more water or vegetable stock until you reach your desired consistency.
• Reheat cauliflower pumpkin soup gently over medium-low heat if needed before serving.
• Serve as is with some fresh dill as garnish or serve with a dollop of sour cream, heavy cream or creme fraiche or vegan cream and a sprinkle of fresh dill.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 222kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 5gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 108mgPotassium: 1208mgFiber: 5gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 21552IUVitamin C: 71mgCalcium: 125mgIron: 3mg

Keyword easy

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