Slow Cooker Chai Pumpkin Soup

I’ve made a lot of pumpkin recipes over the years, but this Slow Cooker Chai Pumpkin Soup is one of the more unusual ones.

The recipe was inspired by one I found in Slow Cooker Revolution Volume 2 (affiliate link) from America’s Test Kitchen. What caught my attention was the clever use of a chai tea bag to flavor the soup.

Instead of measuring out cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves and all the other spices associated with chai, you simply drop a tea bag into the slow cooker along with the pumpkin and broth. As everything slowly cooks, those warm spices infuse the soup.

The result is a smooth, creamy pumpkin soup that’s a little sweet, a little savory and warmly spiced without tasting like pumpkin pie.

I lightened the original by using Truvia (affiliate link) in place of sugar and fat-free half-and-half instead of cream.

Why You’ll Love This Chai Pumpkin Soup

• A fun twist on pumpkin soup – Chai gives it a warm blend of fall spices.
• The tea bag does the work – No need to measure several different spices.
• Easy slow cooker preparation – Once the onion and garlic are softened, everything goes into the crock.
• Smooth and creamy – Pumpkin puree gives the soup plenty of body without needing lots of cream.
• Easy to adjust – Add a little extra broth if you prefer a thinner soup.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Onion – Provides a savory base that balances the natural sweetness of the pumpkin.

Garlic – Adds depth and keeps the soup firmly on the savory side.

Olive oil – Just a small amount is needed to soften the onion and garlic.

Broth – Chicken broth or vegetable broth (affiliate link) will work. Use vegetable broth (affiliate link) if you want to keep the soup vegetarian.

Pumpkin puree – Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which already contains sugar and spices.

Sweetener – I used Truvia (affiliate link) to lighten the original recipe. You can use the sweetener you prefer.

Chai tea bag – This is the ingredient that makes the soup special. The tea slowly infuses the pumpkin with its blend of warm spices.

Fat-free half-and-half – Stirred in at the end to give the soup a creamy finish without using heavy cream.

Salt and pepper – Add to taste after the soup is blended and finished.

How to Make Slow Cooker Chai Pumpkin Soup

Step 1: Soften the Onion and Garlic

Combine the onion, garlic and olive oil in a small microwave (affiliate link)-safe bowl.

Microwave (affiliate link) for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened.

This little extra step helps develop the flavor of the onion and garlic before they go into the slow cooker.

Step 2: Add Everything to the Slow Cooker

Transfer the softened onion mixture to the slow cooker.

Stir in the broth, pumpkin puree and sweetener, then add the chai tea bag.

Step 3: Slow Cook

Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, allowing the chai spices to infuse the soup.

Step 4: Remove the Tea Bag and Blend

Remove and discard the chai tea bag.

Using an immersion blender (affiliate link), carefully puree the soup until smooth.

If using a regular blender (affiliate link), puree the soup carefully in batches, taking appropriate precautions with the hot liquid.

Step 5: Make It Creamy

Stir in the fat-free half-and-half.

Cover and let the soup sit for about 5 minutes, or until heated through.

Taste and season with salt and pepper.

If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in a little additional broth until it reaches your preferred consistency.

Recipe Notes

The chai tea bag is the secret to this soup. It provides a ready-made blend of warm spices without requiring you to measure cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves individually.

Be sure you’re using plain canned pumpkin rather than pumpkin pie filling. They look similar on the grocery shelf but are very different ingredients.

If you’d like a thinner soup, simply stir in additional broth after blending.

You can use either chicken or vegetable broth depending on what you have on hand. Vegetable broth will keep the soup vegetarian.

For serving, I like the contrast of something savory or crunchy on top—a few pumpkin seeds or a small swirl of half-and-half is plenty.

How Many Calories and WW Points?

According to my calculations, each cup of this creamy satisfying crock pot chai pumpkin soup has:

• Calories: 142
• Points: 4
  To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
  (You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
• Old WW Points: 4 PointsPlus

If you’ve made this low calorie Slow Cooker Chai Pumpkin Soup, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Source: Slightly adapted from Slow Cooker Revolution Volume 2 (affiliate link) by America’s Test Kitchen.

More Easly Slow Cooker Soups

If you liked this chai crockpot pumpkin soup, you might also enjoy:

• Slow Cooker Curried Carrot Apple Soup Slow Cooker Curried Carrot Apple Soup – slightly sweet, slightly spicy, full of fall flavor.
• Creamy Crock Pot Potato Cauliflower Soup – hearty and healthy comfort food.
• Weight Watchers Creamy Potato Mushroom Soup – rich flavor with fewer calories.
• Potato Leek Soup – a lighter version of the classic.

Discover More WW-Friendly Recipes

This Weight Watchers chai pumpkin soup is proof that healthy comfort food can be both flavorful and easy. It is light enough for everyday meals yet special enough for a holiday table.

For even more easy and healthy meal ideas, don’t miss my Ultimate eCookbook Bundle.