Halloween-themed grilled cheese sandwiches make the perfect dippers! It’s a really good thing that Halloween happens smack-dab in the middle of soup season! If it hasn’t occurred to you already, serving soup for Halloween is such a great way to get everyone warm and cozy before or after a night of trick or treating. This Halloween Pumpkin Soup is a breeze to make, and the matching grilled cheese sandwiches make it a full and satisfying meat-free meal. This soup is silky smooth and delicious and made with warm spices, canned pumpkin, and cream. Want more soup recipes? If you like the idea of pumpkin soup, but want to do it a little bit differently, try my creamy sweet potato soup or butternut squash soup recipes.
Pumpkin Soup Recipe Highlights
Quick and Easy Homemade Soup – This creamy soup comes together with just a handful of ingredients and will be ready to enjoy in less than 15 minutes. Adorable Halloween Grilled Cheese Sandwiches – Add themed cutouts to sandwich bread to make a regular old grilled cheese extra special. Kid Approved – Pumpkin soup is a healthy meal full of fiber and vitamins, and your little ones will eat it up because you’ve made it fun and Halloween-themed!
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this Halloween Pumpkin Soup and sandwiches: Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pumpkin Puree: Use canned pumpkin puree, or make pumpkin puree from scratch. Be sure not to buy canned pumpkin pie filling. That has sugar and spices added to it, and won’t make a delicious soup. Garlic and Onion: To create a savory base layer for the soup. Vegetable Stock: Use veggie broth to keep this soup vegetarian. It will also work with chicken stock if you prefer. Spices: Smoked paprika, chili powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg bring out the pumpkin flavor in the best way. Heavy Cream: To make the pumpkin soup nice and creamy. For the Sandwiches: White bread, butter, and shredded cheese. I’m using sharp cheddar cheese, but any blend of melting cheeses can be used. Try this with Colby, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, or Gruyere. American cheese slices work fine as well.
How to Make Halloween Pumpkin Soup
Recipe Tips
Measure Your Ingredients. Since this soup recipe comes together so quickly, it is important to have all of your ingredients and seasonings measured and ready before you get started. Adjust the Spice. If you’re making this recipe for young children or otherwise don’t want it to be too spicy, you can reduce the amount of chili powder in the recipe. For a super smooth pumpkin soup, you can blend the soup before adding the cream. Use a large blender or an immersion blender. To add spider web decorations, drizzle heavy cream in circles on the top of each bowl of soup, then use a toothpick to drag the cream into lines going from the center of the bowl to the edges. Perfect grilled cheese sandwiches are easy to make with the right skillet! I like to use a good non-stick pan or a well-seasoned cast iron skillet. A grill press is another tool that I love for making grilled sandwiches! It adds a bit of weight and covers the sandwich so that the cheese melts evenly.
Storing Tips
Grilled cheese sandwiches are best if enjoyed right away after making them, but pumpkin soup can be made ahead or stored if needed. Keep Halloween pumpkin soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove, or in the microwave.
What To Serve With Halloween Pumpkin Soup
The great part about this meal is that it’s already ready to go! Filling pumpkin soup is packed with veggies, and the grilled cheese sandwiches add protein. Instead of the sandwiches, you could make my spooky Witch Finger Breadsticks. They would be fun to dip into the soup too. If you’re looking for another side dish, Try a simple tossed salad, or a fall favorite like my shaved brussels sprouts salad. For dessert, pull out some fun Halloween-themed goodies! Hocus Pocus Cookies, Halloween Witch Finger Cookies, and Halloween Dirt Cupcakes are some of my faves!
Can I make soup with pumpkin carving leftovers?
The large pumpkins sold for carving are generally not the tastiest pumpkins, so I wouldn’t suggest using them to cook with. You can make pumpkin puree from “pie pumpkins” or use canned pumpkin for this soup recipe.
How can I make vegan pumpkin soup?
To make this Halloween soup recipe vegan, you can leave out the cream, or replace it with canned coconut cream. Skip the cheese sandwiches, or make them with your favorite melty vegan cheese substitute.
Should pumpkin soup be smooth?
This is up to you! You can leave the soup with the pieces of onion and garlic in it, or blend it super smooth using a blender before serving. It’s delicious either way. This warm and cozy pumpkin soup is delicious any time of the year, but it’s perfect for Halloween, especially when you add the adorable Halloween grilled cheese sandwiches! Halloween soup can easily become a new yearly tradition for your family. © Little Sunny Kitchen
