Heat the olive oil in a medium to large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt. Sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the veggies start to soften.

Stir in the garlic, dried sage, thyme, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes. Cook 1–2 minutes, just until fragrant, stirring frequently so the spices don’t burn.

Add the pumpkin purée and white beans. Stir to coat in the aromatics and let cook 1–2 minutes so the pumpkin warms and deepens in flavor.

Pour in the vegetable broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook 12–15 minutes, until the carrot pieces are fork-tender and the flavors are well combined.

Turn off the heat. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until silky smooth, leaving a few whole beans for texture if you like. (If using a traditional blender, carefully blend in batches and return the soup to the pot.)

Stir in the non-dairy milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon, salt, and black pepper as needed. Warm gently over low heat if needed, but do not boil after adding the milk.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped fresh parsley or sage. Serve hot.