Even in Hawaii we enjoy a good bowl of soup. Some of the more popular soups you’ll find are ox tail soup and Portuguese bean soup, and, of course, all different varieties of ramen. We recently added a curried kabocha squash soup to our repertoire and we really enjoy it.
Kabocha, or Japanese pumpkin, is readily available in Hawaii. It has a thick, knobby skin, and sort of resembles a buttercup squash. Because of it’s tough skin it can be difficult to cut but we find it in the grocery store already cleaned and cut into chunks.
Once cooked, the skin is edible, however, for this recipe, the kobacha is roasted with the skin on but is removed before adding to the soup.
The aromatics are what really bring this soup to life, especially the fresh ginger. We always enjoy the heat from cayenne pepper but that can be left out if you prefer a milder spiced soup.
The puréed soup has a beautifully smooth texture but to gild the lily, as Jacques Pépin would say, we finish it off with heavy cream – but you can leave it out.
Curried Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup
- Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
This hearty soup is modified from a recipe by Elsie Bauer on SimplyRecipes.com. Heavy cream makes this soup luscious and velvety but is completely optional.
Ingredients
For the roasted squash
2 1/2 – 3 pounds kabocha squash, seeded, cut into large pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
For the soup
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups sliced onions
2 ribs of celery, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped (about 1 Tbsp)
1 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4–1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
Toasted pumpkin seeds to garnish (optional)
Instructions
To prepare the roasted squash
Preheat oven to 400°F.
On a foil-lined sheet pan, toss kabocha squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 teaspoons of salt. Spread into a single layer, rind facing up where possible. Roast for 45 – 60 minutes until squash is soft and cooked through. Some edges will be caramelized. Set aside to cool.
When squash is cool enough to handle, remove the rind and discard.
To prepare the soup
In a large pot heat 1½ tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and celery and saute until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the chicken stock, kabocha, salt, and pepper. Raise the heat to high to bring to a gentle boil then lower the heat. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Remove the pot from heat. Using an immersion blender, carefully purée the soup until smooth. If you are using a blender, work in small batches, venting the lid to allow steam to escape.
Stir in the heavy cream and adjust the soup for seasoning, as needed.
Serve with a drizzle of heavy cream and a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds, if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Category: Soups
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 338.31
- Sugar: 9.66 g.
- Sodium: 1459.03 mg.
- Fat: 22.51 g.
- Saturated Fat: 9.23 g.
- Carbohydrates: 27.48 g.
- Fiber: 5.85 g.
- Protein: 10.40 g.
- Cholesterol: 45.87 g.
Keywords: kabocha, ginger, spices
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