AIP Instant Pot pumpkin coconut soup with turmeric, ginger, curry leaves, and cranberries - seed-spice-free, vegan

Some days the ambitious version of eating well is not available to you, and that is fine. This soup does not ask you to chop much or hover over a pot. Coconut oil, onion, celery, garlic, ginger, curry leaves if you can find them, canned pumpkin, and canned coconut milk go into the Instant Pot in under 10 minutes of prep, and 5 minutes of actual pressure cooking finishes the rest. On a day when the elimination phase already feels like enough work, this is the recipe that asks the least of you and still hands you something real.

Pumpkin is the reason to make this again next week. Pumpkin's soft texture is part of why it turns up in so many early-elimination soups: canned or roasted, it needs almost no digestive effort, which matters on the exact kind of day this recipe is built for. The curcumin in the turmeric is one of the more studied plant compounds for its relationship to inflammatory pathways, though what a half teaspoon in a bowl of soup delivers is a small, steady contribution rather than a dramatic one. Cranberries do something less obvious: their tartness lifts a pumpkin base out of the flatness it can fall into, the same job a squeeze of lime or a spoonful of tamarind does in a lot of Indian cooking. This is why the soup tastes finished instead of just orange.

Spoon it into a bowl of its own instead of eating straight from the pot, and give yourself the 5 minutes it takes to actually taste it. On a low day, that is not nothing.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 2 celery stalks, chopped fine
• 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped (about 3 to 4 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
• 4 to 5 fresh curry leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• sea salt, to taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon and adjust)
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2 cups pumpkin puree (homemade roasted pumpkin or plain canned pumpkin - no spices or sweeteners added)
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (canned, organic, unsweetened)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, to serve

Note on cumin: the original source uses both whole cumin seeds and cumin powder, flagging them as optional for AIP. Both are excluded on AIP elimination (seed spices). This version omits them entirely. The turmeric, ginger, garlic, and curry leaves carry the depth without them.

Method

Set the Instant Pot to Saute mode over medium heat. Add the coconut oil. When it is warm, add the curry leaves if using and let them sizzle for about 20 seconds. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for another minute.

Add the turmeric and sea salt and stir for 30 seconds to coat the aromatics. Add the cranberries, pumpkin puree, and water. Stir to combine. Cancel Saute mode.

Seal the Instant Pot lid and set to high pressure for 5 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then vent the remaining steam.

Add the coconut milk to the pot. Using an immersion blender, blend until completely smooth. If using a countertop blender, allow the soup to cool slightly first, blend in batches with the lid ajar, and return to the pot to reheat gently.

Taste and adjust salt. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh cilantro.

Stovetop variation

Follow the same saute steps in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the aromatics are fragrant, add the cranberries, pumpkin puree, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 15 minutes. Add the coconut milk, remove from heat, and blend smooth with an immersion blender. Adjust seasoning and serve.

*Adapted from cook2nourish.com*