Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup with Maple Spiced Pepitas
Are you ready for soup season? I admit I really wasn’t, but now that it’s here I’m embracing it fully. Yesterday I went for a glorious hike in the crisp fall air, then came home to make a big pot of this Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup (and a batch of cookies, but more on that in a future post). And it’s a good thing I did – the forecast is looking grey, chilly, and drizzly this week. In other words, perfect soup weather.
Simple, Versatile, and Delicious
I found this recipe last fall as I was hunting for squash soup recipes online. It’s from Fare Isle, found on the Coyuchi website. The original recipe can be found here. I adapted it only slightly, using Kabocha squash instead of buttercup, because that’s what I had on hand. The only other thing I did differently is blend it in the pot with an immersion blender, rather than in a standard blender. Either one works great – use whichever you have.
I love this recipe because you don’t need any kind of pre-made broth – you build the broth yourself with simple ingredients, creating layers of flavor. This soup is full of aromatic herbs and spices (ginger, thyme, and red pepper flakes to name a few), making it perfect for a cool fall day. It can easily be made gluten free (just use tamari instead of soy sauce), and vegan (use non-dairy yogurt for topping, or skip it altogether), if you like. Simple, versatile, and delicious – all things I love in a recipe!
Maple Spiced Pepitas
One more thing to love about this soup is the addition of maple spiced pepitas. Their sweet spicy crunch really brings it over the top. They couldn’t be simpler to make – just mix all the ingredients together, spread on a cookie sheet, and bake. They’re so delicious, quick & easy, you’ll want to make a double batch and use the extra to sprinkle on salads or as a crunchy snack. YUM. Note: If you don’t have or don’t like pepitas, sliced almonds would be delicious as well.
This Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup is a great use of the beautiful squash filling Farmer’s Market stalls right now. Top it with a sprinkle of those pepitas and a dollop of plain yogurt, add some crusty whole grain bread and dinner is served!
Even if, like me, you’re not entirely ready for soup season, this soup will help you get there. Wrap yourself in your warmest sweater and give it a try. Let me know what you think in the comments below, or tag me on instagram! (@northern.ginger or #northerngingerblog)
Enjoy!
Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup with Maple Spiced Pepitas
Equipment
- Blender – Immersion or standard
Ingredients
Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup
- 1.5 lb Kabocha squash*
- 1/2 lg sweet onion, peeled
- 2 lg carrots, peeled
- 1 small fennel bulb
- 3 cloves garlic, skin on
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, +more to taste
- 3 T olive oil, divided
- 1/4 c white rice, rinsed
- 4 c water
- 2 T low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- several sprigs fresh thyme or sage
- plain yogurt (dairy or non-dairy), to top
Maple Spiced Pepitas
- 1/4 c raw pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- pinch sea salt
Instructions
Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Cut squash into 4-6 large pieces and scoop out the seeds. Leave the skin on.
- Cut the onion in half.
- Cut the carrots into quarters.
- Remove the heart of the fennel bulb (the tough part in the middle), and cut into quarters.
- Put squash, onion, carrots and fennel on to a large cookie sheet along with the garlic cloves (leave the skin on). Drizzle with 2T of olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp sea salt.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until the squash is fork tender and the other veggies are cooked through and starting to caramelize.
- While the veggies roast, add the water, rice, 1T olive oil, and the remaining seasonings to a large dutch oven or stock pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer with the lid cracked for 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked through. Remove from heat, and remove the thyme/sage sprigs.
- Once the veggies are done roasting, allow to cool just until you can handle the squash.
- Scoop squash flesh from the skin and remove the garlic skin. Add all the roasted veggies to your broth, and blend with an immersion blender until creamy and smooth. (Alternatively, blend in batches in a blender, then return to the pot). If it's too thick, add more water (1/2 c or so).
- Warm the blended soup on low heat to your desired temperature. Add more salt to taste.
- To serve, scoop into bowls and top with a dollop of plain greek yogurt and the Maple Spiced Pepitas.
Maple Spiced Pepitas
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Line a small cookie sheet with parchment or silicone baking mat.
- Mix all ingredients together, then spread onto the cookie sheet in a thin layer.
- Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until pepitas start to puff up and brown. Watch them closely to make sure they don't burn.
Notes
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