It’s currently late October and my local grocery stores are overflowing with pumpkins. I haven’t felt much like decorating for fall this year but I’m definitely into the idea of making fall soups as the weather cools down.
Butternut squash has always been my go-to but this year a dark green, pumpkin-shaped squash grabbed my attention at the store. This Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup features kabocha squash, or Japanese pumpkin.
If you’re new to cooking with kabocha squash, this recipe is for you!
How to roast kabocha squash
If you’re like me, the idea of cutting into a squash with a rock hard exterior is intimidating. I’m always afraid I’m going to accidentally stab myself trying to crack it open.
With a sharp knife and steady hand, you should be able to cut your kabocha squash in half with a bit of effort. If it seems impossible, you can roast the kabocha squash whole for 10 minutes and then try again.
Once you crack open the kabocha squash, scoop out the seeds and slice the squash into wedges.
Rub with coconut oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Roast the kabocha squash for 30 to 40 minutes, until you can easily pierce the flesh with the tip of a paring knife.
Meanwhile, you can start on the soup base. Fresh ginger and turmeric offer immunity-boosting health benefits, which we could all use right about now.
A word of warning: just like dried turmeric, fresh turmeric root will stain anything it touches. I recommend wearing an apron and protecting your countertop.
These colorful roots add spicy, earthy flavor to this kabocha squash soup.
The rest of this recipe is super straightforward. Simmer all of the ingredients for 20 minutes, then work in batches to blend until smooth.
I added a swirl of coconut cream to the top of my bowl simply because it’s fun and looks pretty. A spider web is very on theme with Halloween coming up this weekend.
This Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup is velvety, hearty, and flavorful. Serve it topped with roasted squash seeds and a piece of toasted bread for a satisfying fall meal!
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Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 80 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Category: dinner
- Method: stovetop
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup is velvety, hearty, and flavorful. Serve it with a piece of toasted bread for a satisfying fall meal!
Ingredients
- 1 kabocha squash
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted
- 1¼ teaspoons sea salt, divided
- Few twists of black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon fresh turmeric root, grated (or ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder)
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- ¼ cup coconut cream, plus more for swirling
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Cut the kabocha squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Discard the seeds or set them aside for roasting. Slice the squash into wedges and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet cut side up.
- Rub the squash wedges with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt, black pepper, and cinnamon. Roast the kabocha squash for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender and slightly caramelized. Remove from the oven and set aside. If you’re not roasting the squash seeds, skip ahead to step 6.
- When the squash is done roasting, decrease the oven temperature to 300F degrees. Remove any stuck on flesh from the squash seeds and rinse them clean. Pat the seeds dry between the folds of a kitchen towel.
- Transfer the squash seeds to a small baking sheet and toss with a teaspoon of coconut oil. Roast the seeds until light golden and slightly crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the seeds from the oven and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- When cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop the squash flesh away from the skin.
- Melt the remaining teaspoon of coconut oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, and onion. Sauté until the spices are fragrant and the onion is soft, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Pour the vegetable broth into the soup pot and add the squash. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Once the soup has cooled slightly, carefully ladle the soup into a blender and purée until completely smooth, working in batches.
- Pour the puréed soup back into the pot and stir in the coconut cream. Season the soup with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Ladle the soup into bowls. Add a swirl of coconut cream to each and top with roasted squash seeds, if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 225
- Sugar: 10.4 g
- Sodium: 1720.6 mg
- Fat: 6.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32.9 g
- Fiber: 5.1 g
- Protein: 3.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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Audrey Reeves
This is the BEST Kabocha squash EVER. I have searched at least twenty. I made it as stated and added a few extra spices: 1/2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp corriander, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and one half fuji apple. Absolute perfection! Thank you for the inspiration and quality recipe.