Kabocha Soup with Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Kabocha Soup
Kabocha Soup. This is my daughter Bella’s favorite soup. I brought her a vat of it when she had her baby. Still she doesn’t seem to tire of it and now enjoys it with her baby. I always notice with pleasure that all kids big and small love it! A snap to make: All aboard, then blend it at the end of cooking.
Kabocha, tiny red lentils, sweet potatoes and carrots all pull in their weight to impart naturally sweet layers of flavor, and contribute to the silky texture and bright orange shade of the finished soup.
Kabocha is my favorite squash of all
No hit-or-miss surprises. Lean, dense, meaty, deeply flavored, nutritious—there’s nothing you can’t do with it: Kabocha soup, stews, even salads, grated raw, skin and all!
If I had a kitchen hammer, I would eat my Veggies More Often!
In answer to the very frequent question: “how did you get the idea to use a hammer in the kitchen?”You may find the use of a hammer in the kitchen somewhat odd and unbecoming, but you will quickly change your mind when you see how many thankless tasks it performs in a jiffy. A hammer makes short work of cutting all those monolithic items that usually cause us so much grief in the kitchen: butternut squash, pumpkin, chocolate blocks, big turnips, and more. No force and no pressure whatsoever. Simply place a cleaver with the blade poised on the spots where you want to cut. Hit the cleaver with a hammer, with one clean strike to the brute, and voila!
Kabocha Soup Freezes Beautifully!
Make the whole batch, and freeze the portion you are not serving. Oh boy you’ll be happy to find it on a cold day! Just heat it up and drink it straight from the mug.
Ingredients
- 1 kabocha squash, about 2 pounds, unpeeled, seeded, and cut into large chunks (use a hammer)
- 1 large sweet potato, cut into large chunks
- 1 large red onion, cut into large chunks
- 1 cup tiny red lentils (Passover: double up on the sweet potato) 2 cups canned chickpeas will be great here too!
- 6 ribs celery, peeled
- 1 large bunch dill, fronds and stems
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 6 bay leaves, or 1 teaspoon ground
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- Sea salt to taste
- 3 quarts (12 cups) water
- Ground pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
- Optional: 1 can full-fat coconut milk (add all the way at the end, if using)
Garnishes
- Swirl a little Greek yogurt or vegan yogurt on top
- Add croutons
- Sprinkle with roasted pumpkin seeds
Instructions
Bring all ingredients except the optional coconut milk to boil in a wide heavy pot
Reduce the flame to medium, cover, and cook 1 hour.
Cream the soup with an immersion blender. Adjust the texture and seasonings. Add the coconut milk at this point if using.
Add your favorite toppings if desired.
Makes a dozen ample servings
Remove bay leaf before blending!
I think Debbie Rubin asked a great question, “What is the difference in taste and/or texture of the soup when using the red lentils as compared to using the yellow split peas?” The favor of your expert reply, for those of us trying to decide which one to use, is greatly appreciated…Thank you.
I think I did answer that. It’s all about the flavor, no other reason, and no expertise needed here. I developed the recipe, just as I do all of my recipes. And the choice of the grain I have here is I believe the right one. Those of you who have my books, especially the last one, know that there’s never a time where a dish would benefit from some variations without my mentioning it. Having said that, if you want to use lentils instead of peas or vice versa, and you like the finished dish, by all means enjoy it. And let me know how it comes out!
what is the difference in taste and/or texture of the soup when using the red lentils or the yellow split peas?
Debbie, this is not the question. Its not only the texture we want, its the flavor. Lentils and peas are certainly not interchangeable in this recipe, and in quite a few others.
does kabocha squash have another name?
i can’t seem to find it in my grocery store?
No, kabocha is the right name. Look for it in a good produce store, especially in Latin neighborhoods but it’s available pretty much everywhere