Kabocha Squash Soup

Beautifully bright, sweet and delicious, this kabocha squash soup makes a perfect cold weather dinner. Serve it with a side of grilled chicken or delicious crusty bread and you’ll have a light, healthy dinner on the table in no time.

This sweet Japanese squash makes an appearance in grocery stores each year around the same time Halloween pumpkins start showing up.

Because it is sweet, it pairs perfectly with savory dishes like grilled chicken (leftover rotisserie chicken is great too), oven baked ribs, oven baked wings and kalbi short ribs. You can also serve it with a Pear Salad side salad.

In this recipe, we are going to grill the squash so you can add some salt and pepper chicken thighs to the grill at the same time. If you don’t have a grill, the kabocha squash can be roasted in the oven and it will taste just as amazing!

Why You Should Try This Japanese Pumpkin

Kabocha squashes are cheap! That is just one reason I love buying them. This weekend Trader Joes had them for $2.99 each. Considering that one squash will feed a whole family, that is a great deal! They also last a long time on your counter, so pick up a couple when you see them.

We like to make this dairy free soup, but there are so many other kabocha squash recipes like roasted kabocha squash or pureed squash.

What Does Kabocha Squash Taste Like?

It has a very sweet flavor with pumpkin undertones. Given the sweetness and the smooth and creamy texture, it reminds me of a sweet potato. Roasted kabocha squash has an even sweeter flavor since roasting it brings out the sugar in the squash. It would make a delicious dessert and wouldn’t require much added sugar.

Because of the pumpkin undertones, seasonings such as cinnamon and nutmeg can be added

Ingredients You Need For Kabocha Squash Soup

• Kabocha Squash – When picking out a squash, make sure there aren’t any cuts in the skin and/or soft spots in the squash. Any cuts or bruises will cause the squash to start molding faster. Also pick one that is dark green with stripes and feels heavy.
• Vegetable broth – The pumpkin has such a light flavor that any other broth might overpower the dish. Chicken broth should be okay but I would not recommend beef broth as a substitute.
• Coconut Milk – Canned coconut milk works great. We use a whole can in this recipe so it has a very light coconut flavor. If you don’t want that, you can use 1/2 cup of coconut milk which will make it creamy but will not add a coconut flavor.
• Thyme – I like to use thyme, but experiment here. Pumpkin spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves is delicious as well as rosemary and herb de Provence. My husband likes to add turmeric and cayenne.
• Toppings (optional) – Crusty bread, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, chicken or beef

What Is The Easiest Way to Cut a Kabocha Squash?

There is no way around it – it is not fun to cut a winter squash but I have found several techniques that I rotate through:

1. Pull or cut the stem off of the squash to expose the flesh. Stick a sharp knife in the flesh and press down to cut one half of the squash. Do the same on the other side to cut it in half. This is the technique my husband likes to use. It is too tough for me.
2. Microwave the squash for about 3-4 minutes. Just until the outside starts to soften. Don’t go much longer than that or the pressure might build and it could explode. No one wants that! Let it sit in the microwave for 2 minutes before carefully removing it and cutting it in half
3. Roast it whole. I like to cut the squash in half before roasting so that the inside of the pumpkin (the part we eat) gets roasted. But you can put the entire pumpkin in the oven at 375 for 20 minutes. Place it on a cookie sheet because it will soften and may leak squash juices. After 20 minutes, let it cool and then cut it in half.

Step by step photos on making Kabocha Squash Soup

How To Make Kabocha Squash Soup

This should be a short summary of the steps, the recipe card will have more details.

1. Cut the squash in half – See above for easy ways to do that. Then scrape out the seeds. You can save these to roast or compost them (or dry them out and grow them next year!)
2. Grill or Roast the squash – In this recipe we grilled the squash outside on the gas grill. It gives it a nice smoky flavor and enhances the sweetness. But you can also do this in the oven. To do it in the oven, place the squash cut side down on a lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until soft. You will know that it is done when you press on the skin and it feels soft. We are going to blend it, so it just needs to be soft enough to scoop out.
3. Simmer with Vegetable broth – We want the squash to break down even more
4. Place it in the blender – Blend until smooth then add it back to the pot
5. Season – Add the coconut milk and desired seasonings then simmer.

Important Teaching Tips

1. Use a sharp knife – I had a cooking teacher say that a dull knife is more dangerous that a sharp one and that is the truth! Use a sharp knife and be very careful. If you are struggling to cut the squash, put it back in the microwave or oven until it is soft enough to cut safely
2. Kabocha skin is edible – The skin is edible and although we are scraping the yellow part out of the squash, it is okay if you get some of the skin in the pot. When the squash gets soft, the skin does too and it can make it difficult to avoid getting a few pieces in the pot.
3. An immersion blender works too – I use a vitamix for everything, but the squash will be so soft that you can use an immersion blender if you prefer.
4. Add nutritional toppings – Since this is a fall/winter dish, there aren’t a lot of fresh vegetables available. I like to get creative and add some nutritional toppings to the soup. Try things like roasted sunflower seeds, hemp hearts or sprouts.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kabocha Squash Soup

More Healthy Dinner Recipes You Might Enjoy:

• Instant Pot Vegetarian Pumpkin Chili
• Oven Baked Ribs – Grill Finished
• One Pan Sauteed Kale With Prosciutto
• Smash Burger Sliders In A Cast Iron Skillet
• Kalbi Short Ribs – Delicious Korean Recipe!
• Crispy Baked Chicken Wings – Using the Convection Setting
• Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps
• How to Make Potato Cakes