I thought this soup was pretty good, but after tasting, I did need to add more flavor. I did so by putting a shakes of Mrs. Dash's Soutwestern seasoning in it. That gave it the needed boast. It was more soupy than we like, so next time I will use less broth and maybe add some corn to it. Will make again. As many have said, the pumpkin taste doesn't come through, so don't be afraid to try this very different combination.

Pretty good. I used dry beans to save money. I also used beef instead of ham. We liked it better.

This soup is delicious! I love to make soup, and my husband always greets them with a bit of a groan. This soup put the biggest grin on his face for a very long time. His exact words were "this is so....wierd, but great!" I made this in a vegetarian version, with 3C vegetable broth, no ham, apple cider vinegar, cumin, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. I served it with a spoon full of sour cream. It smelled like thanksgiving while it was cooking. excellent, and even better the next day!

Will become a regular soup for our winter meals. A winner. Used dry black beans istead of canned (soaked overnight, cooked next day), added Italian flavored diced tomatoes (what was on hand), used 4 boullion cubes to make my beef broth. Had no ham, fried bacon in pieces and added. Rest of recipe stayed as offered. A hit all around. Next time will venture more pumpkin, was so mild my secret ingredient was not guessed.

This was excellent the first day and even better as leftovers. The ham adds nothing. I think it would be fine without any meat at all; if I were to add meat again next time, I would try some shredded beef.

I'd give this 10 stars if I could. The pickey husband loved it! It was easy and economical. I left out the third can of beans and only put one can in the food processor. I added cumin, coriander, and chili powder. The pumpkin was awsome, but not overpowering. My husband could not guess the "secret ingredient"- he probably would not have tried it had he known there was pumkin in it. Thank you for a great recipe!

Two of my favorite foods are pumpkin and black beans. Excellent soup.

This was really good, although I did add a few more spices, as some other reviewers suggested. I added some coriander and turmeric, which made a different and delicious combination with the ham. I forgot to add the tomatoes, and didn't puree any of the beans. Used dried beans that I quick-soaked and cooked, and they were already fairly mushy, so I didn't feel like I needed to puree them. Served with chopped avocado and sour cream garnish, and corn muffins on the side. Delicious!

This is a decent base recipe, but it needs a lot of help to become something good. I would recommend the Jamaican Black Bean Chili if you want a well rounded recipe to work with. (It is the only other recipe on this site that combines pumpkin and black beans.)

This was quick, easy and yummy! I used about a cup less broth to make it thicker and also added a dash of cinnamon and a couple dashes of chili powder.

I bought a larger can of pumpkin than I needed, so I was looking for a good recipe to use the remainder of the can. This was as easy as could be. Didn't have sherry vinegar so followed others suggestions and used apple cider vinegar. It was a little strong, so I'd bring that down to 2.5 T. I used a can diced tomatoes with green chiles for flavor and added the cumin and coriander suggested by others. I think I would puree only one can of the black beans and put in two cans whole, but that's personal preference, I like soup a little chunky. Skipped the ham (didn't want the additional sodium) and did add a dollop of fat free sour cream that I'd mixed with fresh chives first from baked potatoes the night before. It wasn't mentioned in the directions, but once all the ingredients are in the pot, bring to a boil and then reduce to a med/low simmer for the balance of the cooking time, rather than straight medium the entire time. Nice recipe, thanks for sharing!

Very different and good! I added an extra can of diced tomatoes and can of hominy and omitted the ham. It was a little salty so next time will try and cut some out.

The reviewer that mentioned the appearance of this soup was not kidding. It is not pretty. But is is a very hearty and inexpensive soup that served as a great work week lunch for me. I skipped the ham, used vegetable broth and apple cider vinegar. I also used fresh beans. the pumpkin is VERY subtle. I would suggest reducing the amount of beans if you want to highlight the pumpkin more.

Mmmmm...this soup was very tasty with a few alterations. I used home made black beans, fresh tomatoes, extra garlic & onion, and added 1tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne, bay leaf, and used apple cider vinegar instead of sherry. I didn't use all of the broth either; we like our soups thicker. Definitely a keeper!

I enjoyed this recipe - I have to admit half way through it I started thinking to myself that this must be a joke. Pumpkin, black beans and beef broth? Who would have thought? I didn't use the ham and I think that would have helped the overall flavor - I did add some green chiles to the black bean and tomato mixture. I will listen to some of the other reviewers and add some cumin and coriander next time. Thanks for the recipe.

I've made this recipe several times and it has been a winner for everyone who has tried it. I can't say that it's lovely to look at, but after the first taste, any reservation is gone. Even my kids eat it. I omit the meat and leave the beans whole, but follow the recipe otherwise. This soup is regularly found on our table. I usually double the recipe for lunches throughout the following week. Thanks for the recipe!