This Spiced Mexican Pumpkin Crema Soup captures everything cozy about fall. It combines sweet, earth-roasted pumpkin with smoky peppers and a velvety texture using Los Altos Foods Mexican Crema. It is finished with fried Panela cheese cubes🍁 Spiced Mexican Pumpkin Crema Soup

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 35 minutes
• Servings: 4–6

Ingredients

The Soup Base:

• Pumpkin: 2.5 lbs sugar/pie pumpkin (peeled and cubed) or 2 cans (15 oz each) of 100% pure pumpkin puree
• Aromatics: 1 medium white onion (chopped), 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• Fats: 2 tbsp butter & 1 tbsp olive oil
• Broth: 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• Spices: 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano, chipotle adobo and/or peppers (for a kick), salt and pepper to taste
• The Crema: 1/2 cup Mexicana Crema (plus extra for drizzling)

The Cheese & Toppings:

• Inside the soup: 4 oz Oaxaca cheese, shredded or pulled into strings (optional)
• The croutons: 6 oz Panela cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (optional)
• The garnish: 1/3 cup Cotija or Queso Fresco, crumbled (optional)
• The crunch: 1/4 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) (optional)

1. Sauté the Aromatics & Spices

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and chipotle powder. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

2. Build the Pumpkin Base

Add your pumpkin puree into the pot. Pour in the broth and stir well to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Fry the Panela Croutons

While the soup simmers, heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with a tiny drizzle of oil. Add the Panela cheese cubes. Panela holds its shape when heated; fry them for about 2–3 minutes per side until golden-brown and crispy on the outside, then set aside.

4. Blend and Make it Creamy

Remove the soup from the heat. Use an immersion blender (or transfer in batches to a traditional blender) to puree the soup until entirely velvety and smooth. Stir in the Mexican Crema until fully incorporated.

5. Add the Melting Cheese (optional)

Return the pot to low heat. Drop the shredded Oaxaca cheese directly into the hot soup and stir gently for 1–2 minutes. It will melt beautifully into long, creamy, stringy pockets throughout the base. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Assemble the Bowls

Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Top each serving with a heavy drizzle of extra Los Altos Mexican Crema, a handful of the fried Panela croutons, crumbled Cotija or Queso Fresco, and a sprinkle of toasted pepitas.

So tasty and perfect for the coming rain.

Enjoy!

Con Cariño,

Silvia