This Savory Pumpkin Stew combines pumpkin puree with ground meat, hearty vegetables, potatoes, and an herby broth for the ultimate Fall comfort meal. It's easy to make and perfect for meal prep, freezing, and big batch cooking. It's one of those simple wholesome meals you make once, think about often, and keep coming back to.
Creamy coconut milk, earthy pumpkin, hearty vegetables and just the right minimalist spice combination will show you how unforgettable this simple Savory Pumpkin Stew really is! It’s best made in the cooler months and the ingredients are available all year round. I recommend keeping a few cans of pumpkin puree in the pantry specifically for this recipe.
This Pumpkin Stew is a truly unique creation and most similar to my veggie-packed Dairy-Free Zuppa Toscana. It tastes great on its own and pairs well with a simple salad, my 3-ingredient Gluten-Free Baguette recipe, Gluten-Free Artisan Bread and No Knead Gluten-Free Bread.
For similar healthy soup and stew recipes, consider my Healthy Vegan Minestrone Soup, Thai Chicken Soup, Red Curry Soup, Tomato Soup with Shrimp (Instant Pot), Northwest Beef Stew (Instant Pot), and Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore.
For Fall dessert recipes, check out my incredible Gluten Free Apple Fritters, Gluten-Free Apple Pie, Pie Iron Apple Pie (camping recipe), Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread, Healthy Crustless Pumpkin Pie, Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Pie, and Almond Flour Pumpkin Muffins.
How to make it (with photos)
Ingredients Notes + Substitutions
This Savory Pumpkin Stew is the perfect easy recipe for minimalist kitchens, camping, or travel cooking. It requires only two spices other than salt and pepper, and uses 9 whole food ingredients.
Ground Meat
This recipe is best with ground beef or turkey. For a vegan version, I recommend using a ground meat substitution since this ingredient contributes to the overall flavor in a significant way.
Canned Pumpkin Puree
Use 100% pure canned pumpkin puree without additives. Pumpkin pie filling has spices and other ingredients that you do not want in a savory pumpkin recipe.
Canned White Beans
White beans are best because they have a very neutral flavor. Other types of beans have a stronger taste and are not recommended for this recipe.
For a paleo or Whole30 bean-free variation, simply leave them out and consider replacing them with sliced mushrooms or more ground meat.
More Ingredient Notes
- broth - Chicken, beef, or vegetable broth can be used in this recipe.
- curly kale - While I like this type of kale best, flat leaf kale and spinach can be used as substitutions in a pinch.
- coconut milk - Coconut milk does not impart a coconut flavor to this recipe. It simply makes it a little creamier. Heavy cream can be used as a substitution.
You also need olive oil, yellow onion, russet potatoes, bay leaves, dried basil, salt, and ground black pepper to make this recipe.
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients with quantities.
Substitutions + Variations
Adjust this savory pumpkin stew recipe to fit your dietary restrictions or preferences with these substitutions and variations.
- vegan - Use vegetable broth and replace the ground meat with a vegan ground meat substitute.
- paleo or Whole 30 - Omit the beans or replace them with 1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms.
- heavy cream - Instead of coconut milk, you can use heavy cream.
- fresh basil - add fresh basil to garnish in addition to the dried basil in the recipe to make it special for dinner guests.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and grain-free.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Learn how to make savory pumpkin stew in 5 easy steps.
- Onion: Add olive oil and onion to a large pot on medium-high heat. Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring on occasion, until the onions are soft and begin to caramelize.
- Meat: Add the ground meat to the pot and cook until browned, stirring on occasion (5-7 minutes). See 'Substitutions' below for a vegan version.
- Soup it up: Add all other ingredients to the pot except kale and coconut milk.
- Simmer: Stir the ingredients together. Heat to a simmer and cook, stirring on occasion, until the potatoes are soft (about 15 minutes).
- Finish: Then add kale and ⅔ cup coconut milk. Bring to a simmer again and it's done! Serve warm and enjoy.
Hint: The original Savory Pumpkin Stew recipe said to saute the potatoes with the onion before adding the meat and other soup ingredients. If you’re short on time, this will cut about 5 minutes off the cooking time. I changed the instructions because this version leads to more caramelized onions and meat browning, and is therefore a little more flavorful.
Expert Tips
Make the BEST Savory Pumpkin Stew on the first try with these expert tips!
Cut the potatoes small for a faster cook time.
Chop the potatoes in a small dice (about 1 centimeter cubes) so they cook faster. Cooking time can vary by a full 10 minutes depending on the size of the dice.
Massage the kale and add it at the end.
How you add kale to a soup or stew really does matter. The stems are tough and should be removed first and discarded. Then tear the kale leaves into bite-sized pieces. Some chefs toss the kale in at this point, but I recommend massaging the kale and adding it in the last five minutes. That way, it retains its chewy texture but is also nice and tender.
To massage kale: "Massage" is a fancy word. It really means to put the leaves in a pile and just grab and scrunch with your hands until soft. Not the kind of massage I'm into, but it works marvelously for kale.
Recipe FAQ's
Here I answered some frequently asked questions about this Savory Pumpkin Stew recipe. Don't see your question? Leave it in the comments at the end of this post and I'll answer within two business days.
Store leftover Savory Pumpkin Stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Savory Pumpkin Stew is an excellent freezer meal since it freezes and thaws flawlessly. I recommend freezing it in individual portions and I prefer to do this with Souper Cubes to save space. It was my favorite make-ahead postpartum freezer meal and have made it for many other new moms too!
Related healthy soup and stew recipes to consider...
Looking for more healthy soup and stew recipes like this Savory Pumpkin Stew? Check these out:
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card or comment field below. Thank you!
📖 Recipe
Savory Pumpkin Stew
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion , diced
- 1 pound ground beef or turkey
- 3 cups broth , chicken, beef, or vegetable
- 3 medium russet potatoes , diced
- 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
- 1 15-oz can white beans , drained and rinsed
- 4 cups curly kale , stems removed and torn into bite-sized pieces
- ⅔ cup full fat coconut milk
Spices
- 4 medium bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Onion: Add olive oil and onion to a large pot on medium-high heat. Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring on occasion, until the onions are soft and begin to caramelize.
- Meat: Add the ground meat to the pot and cook until browned, stirring on occasion (5-7 minutes). See 'Substitutions' below for a vegan version.
- Soup it up: Add all other ingredients to the pot except kale and coconut milk.
- Simmer: Stir the ingredients together. Heat to a simmer and cook, stirring on occasion, until the potatoes are soft (about 15 minutes).
- Finish: Then add kale and ⅔ cup coconut milk. Bring to a simmer again and it's done! Serve warm and enjoy.
Karla says
The soup was fabulous! In my mind the title was "Hardy Pumpkin Stew." It was very hardy! I never really follow the recipes, but I use them as inspiration and this was very inspirational! The kale was surprisingly delicious fit in this perfectly! The pumpkin disappears the coconut "milk" (I use dehydrated) disappears into a delicious "hearty" broth. I used burger meat and probably added oregano & a little Cayenne, maybe more black pepper to make it warmer and I probably used Better than Bouillon instead of salt. The potatoes were probably half inch cubes. It was just fabulous! Comfort food that you wouldn't expect from these ingredients! Also it freezed amazing! Taste exactly like before it was frozen, even 6 months after I froze it. (I did not use cream.) I might add a little bit of barley next time or if I don't have potatoes switch them out completely, But who am I kidding I always have potatoes! Oh and I used my jack-o'-lantern pumpkin "meat." I baked it to tender, mushed up and put it all in Ziploc baggies until I figured out what to make with it. This is the thing to make with it! This is one of those dishes you could throw anything that you needed to get out of the freezer or fridge into. Lima beans would go good in this partial can of tomatoes... Anything! This is a great base!
Hayley says
Forgot to rate! 5/5 will make again!
Hayley says
Really delicious and great flavour - I loved the combination of basil and bay leaves! I used leftover roasted kabocha squash and left it in chunks instead of a puree (out of laziness mostly) and it turned out wonderfully. Thanks for this lovely fall recipe!
Annie says
Excellent flavor and texture. I made this with your pumpkin bread on the side. Is there such a thing as too much pumpkin? 😋
Brittany says
fresh pumpkin from the patch and coconut from the tree made up this recipe almost to par of original recipe is soo perfect and reaping the health benefits of all the natural ingriedients just the soup to kick off my fall season what a blessing was splendid!
Jamie says
I'm so glad you liked it!
Carri says
Tried this for the first time and it’s REALLY good! Lots of flavor! I used ground beef and substituted spinach for the kale. I also added a touch of cinnamon to my portion just to try it out. Both ways were delicious! 😋
Jamie says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it Carri!
Constance Ramsey says
I made this without turkey and found it somewhat bland, like the above reviewer. If I make it again I would substitute sweet potatoes for the russets. The Impossible sausage sounds like a good idea too. It certainly is nutritious so I don't mind eating it, just would like a bit more flavor.
Jamie says
Thank you for your review Constance.
Matea says
first time ever leaving a comment on an online recipe (and ive been cooking from blog recipes for years)...this is phenomenal. 10/10. So light, nutritious, and FULL of flavour! Even my Dad who is super picky and critical about food thinks it's one of the best stews he has ever eaten.
Jamie says
Thank you so much for leaving a review Matea! This comment made my day 🙂
Dara says
I make this every fall, and also throughout the year! Just wanted to say how much I love it and how much my family relies on it during busy weekdays. Thank you for the recipe!
Darlene says
I don't know what I did wrong, but mine has no flavor.....I was really disappointed when I sat down to eat it.....I even doubled the recipe! Now I have to eat bland stew!
Jamie says
I'm so sorry to hear that Darlene. More salt or black pepper could help bring out the flavors for this current batch. Black pepper provides a really interesting contrast with squashes like pumpkin and salt is known for bringing out the flavors in any recipe. Was everything made as listed? Bay leaves?
Janine says
I love pumpkin main dish recipes this time of year. I appreciate your suggestion of beans to make it vegan. I’ll probably also add Impossible Italian sausage for added spice. Can’t wait to try it!
Jamie says
Oh wow that sounds amazing Janine! Thank you so much for the kind words 🙂
Stella says
This recipe is SHOCKINGLY delicious and hearty, even using turkey. I used full-fat plain yogurt instead of coconut milk and the puree from my Halloween pumpkins (they were uncarved!). Even my very-fussy three-year-old ate every bite. This is going into my recipe tin, so thank you for sharing it!
Jamie says
I am so glad your family loved it! Thank you so much for the review Stella.
Angèle says
Perfection!
Jamie says
Thank you so much Angele!
Erin says
I’m not one to jump on a new recipe but this was just the one to try when I realized I could get most of the produce at my local farmers market. Quick, simple, and delicious. So glad I have stew for my weekend of night shifts. I will definitely be adding this to my rotation of seasonal recipes for sure. Thank you for sharing!
Christine G. says
I love how simple this is. We made it on a weeknight and it was so filling and healthy. Definitely comfort food. We'll be making this one many more times!
Brooke says
Hey! So I've been making this for literally years now as part of a regular rotation. Just wanted to drop in and tell you how much my family loves it!
Sara says
Made this for the first time on one of our cooler days last week. I left out the coconut milk as well, and added a little extra broth. I may try for a hint of cinnamon as well for an unexpected flavor. We'll see how that one goes. :0) Thanks for kicking off my fall season - time to bring out the sweaters!!
Kara C says
Great winter soup! I was out of coconut milk, so I just used some extra pumpkin. Also substituted spinach for kale. Thank you for this yummy recipe!
Jamie says
I'm so glad to hear the substitutions were lovely too! Thank you for the review and tips Kara <3
Dink0077 says
This stew was something I would have never came up with. I was just trying to use some can pumpkin I had taking up space in my pantry. I'm so glad I did! I substituted a few of the ingredients, but thats okay. My son (3yr.) doesn't like the texture of stews potatos, so I pureed some and sprinkled with cheese and he demolished it. Just simply put, I am very grateful I came across this recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Jamie says
Thank you so much for the kind review! This is one of my favorite recipes.
Briana says
Thank you for this recipe! It came out delicious!
Jamie says
I'm so glad to hear it Briana!