This lettuce soup with creamy potato and pumpkin is surprisingly comforting, wholesome, and full of flavour. Made with roasted butternut, sautéed aromatics, and finished with crisp lettuce stirred in at the last minute, it’s a velvety blend of earthy sweetness and fresh crunch. Perfect for colder days or as a creative way to use up garden greens.
Almost no one is adding lettuce to their soup… but they should. This creamy potato, pumpkin and lettuce soup is a total sleeper hit. Roasted butternut and tender carrots bring warmth, while crisp lettuce stirred in at the very end gives it lift and brightness. It’s an unusual combo — but trust us, it works.
Serves:
6 people
Time to Prepare:
20 min
Time to cook or cure:
1 hour
Skill
Soup making
Serves:
6 people
Time to Prepare:
20 min
Time to cook or cure:
40 min
Skills:
Soup making
Large soup pot
Chef’s knife
Cutting board
Wooden spoon
Baking tray
Blender or immersion blender
Oven (for roasting pumpkin)
Measuring jug
Ladle
4 small carrots (approx. 250 g / 9 oz)
2 large potatoes (approx. 400–500 g / 14–17 oz), peeled and cubed
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 cm piece of ginger, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
½ natural stock cube (MSG-free)
1.5 L water (6 cups)
1 tbsp olive oil or chicken fat
Salt, to taste
400 g (14 oz) butternut squash, peeled and cubed
Drizzle of olive oil
Pinch of salt
1 small head of crispy lettuce (about 350 g / 12 oz), such as iceberg, romaine, or canasta
Optional: black pepper or toasted seeds for garnish
Use crisp, sturdy lettuces — iceberg, canasta, romaine, or Batavia work best.
Add the lettuce last to avoid overcooking — it should retain texture.
Roasting the pumpkin separately concentrates its sweetness — don’t skip it if you want full flavour.
This soup is naturally gluten-free and can be made vegan by skipping the chicken fat.
Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F).
Toss cubed pumpkin with olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Roast on a tray for about 20–25 minutes until tender and caramelized. Set aside.
In a soup pot, heat olive oil or chicken fat over medium-high.
Add garlic and ginger; sauté until fragrant and lightly golden.
Add carrots and cook for 2–3 minutes.
Add potatoes, thyme, and a bit of salt. Stir well.
Pour in 1.5 L of water and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer and cook for 25–30 minutes, or until potatoes are soft.
Stir in the half stock cube.
Add the roasted pumpkin for the final 5 minutes of cooking.
Use a blender or immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth and velvety.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Chop your lettuce into bite-sized chunks.
Stir into the hot soup.
Bring back to a gentle boil and cook for just 1 minute — enough to soften the lettuce but keep its texture.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with cracked pepper, a drizzle of oil, or toasted seeds if desired.
Store in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Reheat gently over low heat — don’t boil, or the lettuce may over-soften.
Suitable for freezing before adding the lettuce. Add fresh lettuce when reheating for best texture.
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