Red Kuri Squash Soup (Vegan)
Soups
Ingredients:
- 1000 g (2.2 lb, 1 medium) red kuri squash, halved and seeded
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil, for roasting
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil, for the soup
- 150 g (1 medium) yellow onion, diced
- 12 g (4 cloves) garlic, minced
- 15 g (1 tbsp) fresh ginger, grated
- 2 g (1 tsp) ground cumin
- 1 g (1/2 tsp) ground cinnamon
- 750 ml (3 cups) vegetable broth
- 240 ml (1 cup) full-fat coconut milk
- 9 g (1 1/2 tsp) fine sea salt
- 1 g (1/2 tsp) black pepper
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
- 30 g (3 tbsp) pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted, for serving
Equipments:
Features:
Meal Prep Friendly
Refined Sugar-Free
Nutrition:
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
Prep the squash: Cut the red kuri squash in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp with a spoon. If the squash is hard to cut, microwave it whole for 2 minutes to soften the skin slightly.
Chop the aromatics: Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and grate the ginger so everything is ready before you start cooking.
Toast the pumpkin seeds: Toast the pepitas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring often, until they pop and turn golden. Set aside for serving.
Salt: Vegetable broth already contains salt, so start with 6 g (1 tsp) and add more at the end. Salt brings out the natural sweetness of the squash, so season to taste before serving.
Sugar: This recipe has no added sugar. If your squash is less sweet than usual, a small splash of maple syrup, about 5 ml (1 tsp), will round out the flavor.
Oil: To skip the oil, roast the squash cut-side down on parchment paper without oil, and sauté the onion in 60 ml (1/4 cup) of vegetable broth instead, adding more as needed so it does not stick.
Instructions:
- Roast the squash: Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F). Place the squash halves cut-side up on a lined baking sheet, rub with 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Flip cut-side down and roast for 40 minutes, until the flesh is completely tender when pierced with a fork and the edges are lightly caramelized.
- Cool and scoop: Let the squash cool for 10 minutes, then scoop the flesh from the skin. A little skin left on is fine, since it is edible and blends in.
- Sauté the onion: Heat 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and spices: Stir in the garlic, ginger, cumin, and cinnamon. Cook for 90 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly so the garlic does not brown.
- Simmer: Add the roasted squash, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes so the flavors meld.
- Blend until silky: Stir in the 240 ml (1 cup) coconut milk. Blend with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender with the lid vented, until completely smooth. Stir in the lemon juice, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and top with the toasted pumpkin seeds, a swirl of coconut milk, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Common Mistakes: Under-roasting the squash, which leaves the soup fibrous instead of silky. Blending hot soup with the blender lid sealed, which can force the lid off, so always vent it. Skipping the lemon juice, which keeps the flavor from tasting flat.
Notes: Red kuri squash, also sold as hokkaido squash, has thin, edible skin, so no peeling is needed. Its flesh is smooth and naturally sweet, with a chestnut-like flavor.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, thinning with a splash of broth if needed.
Tips: If the soup is too thick, stir in a splash of vegetable broth. For extra depth, add 2 g (1 tsp) of smoked paprika with the cumin. Stir a spoonful of coconut milk into each bowl for a pretty swirl.
Swaps: Butternut squash, kabocha squash, or sugar pumpkin can replace the red kuri. Oat cream or cashew cream can replace the coconut milk for a milder flavor.
Red kuri squash is the star, with smooth, sweet flesh and edible skin that blends into the soup. Olive oil and roasting caramelize the squash and deepen its flavor. Onion and garlic build a savory base. Fresh ginger adds warmth and a bright, zesty note. Cumin and cinnamon bring cozy, earthy spice that complements the sweetness. Vegetable broth forms the body of the soup. Full-fat coconut milk makes it rich and silky without dairy. Lemon juice brightens the whole pot. Toasted pumpkin seeds add a crunchy, nutty finish.
Red Kuri Squash Soup (Vegan)
Ingredients:
- 1000 g (2.2 lb, 1 medium) red kuri squash, halved and seeded
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil, for roasting
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil, for the soup
- 150 g (1 medium) yellow onion, diced
- 12 g (4 cloves) garlic, minced
- 15 g (1 tbsp) fresh ginger, grated
- 2 g (1 tsp) ground cumin
- 1 g (1/2 tsp) ground cinnamon
- 750 ml (3 cups) vegetable broth
- 240 ml (1 cup) full-fat coconut milk
- 9 g (1 1/2 tsp) fine sea salt
- 1 g (1/2 tsp) black pepper
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
- 30 g (3 tbsp) pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted, for serving
Equipments:
Features:
Why These Ingredients:
Red kuri squash is the star, with smooth, sweet flesh and edible skin that blends into the soup. Olive oil and roasting caramelize the squash and deepen its flavor. Onion and garlic build a savory base. Fresh ginger adds warmth and a bright, zesty note. Cumin and cinnamon bring cozy, earthy spice that complements the sweetness. Vegetable broth forms the body of the soup. Full-fat coconut milk makes it rich and silky without dairy. Lemon juice brightens the whole pot. Toasted pumpkin seeds add a crunchy, nutty finish.
Prep:
Prep the squash: Cut the red kuri squash in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp with a spoon. If the squash is hard to cut, microwave it whole for 2 minutes to soften the skin slightly.
Chop the aromatics: Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and grate the ginger so everything is ready before you start cooking.
Toast the pumpkin seeds: Toast the pepitas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring often, until they pop and turn golden. Set aside for serving.
Instructions:
- Roast the squash: Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F). Place the squash halves cut-side up on a lined baking sheet, rub with 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Flip cut-side down and roast for 40 minutes, until the flesh is completely tender when pierced with a fork and the edges are lightly caramelized.
- Cool and scoop: Let the squash cool for 10 minutes, then scoop the flesh from the skin. A little skin left on is fine, since it is edible and blends in.
- Sauté the onion: Heat 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and spices: Stir in the garlic, ginger, cumin, and cinnamon. Cook for 90 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly so the garlic does not brown.
- Simmer: Add the roasted squash, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes so the flavors meld.
- Blend until silky: Stir in the 240 ml (1 cup) coconut milk. Blend with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender with the lid vented, until completely smooth. Stir in the lemon juice, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and top with the toasted pumpkin seeds, a swirl of coconut milk, and a drizzle of olive oil.
