Velvety, hearty, and just oh so delicious in each bite! If you don’t know about kabocha squash yet, hurry up and get your hands on one and make this roasted kabocha squash and white bean soup. It's a soul-warming bowl of autumnal goodness that’s really simple to prepare and will taste restaurant quality.
What is this squash? This kabocha squash?
Kabocha squash is a Japanese winter squash, also known as Japanese pumpkin. Its kind of a cousin of butternut and acorn but has a sweeter taste like sweet potato
Basically, she's a goddess of fall deliciousness we're going to cook up in all the ways possible starting with this roasted kabocha squash soup.
I tried my first one a few years ago and was thrilled with the results. I love love love using it in soups because the flavor contrast with the savory ingredients is phenomenal.
It can also be roasted and pureed like this maple butternut squash, perfect for Thanksgiving!
Some ideas for using this winter squash:
- soups
- puréed smooth
- tempura battered and fried
- roasted in salads or as a side
- in pastas like ravioli or gnocchi
How to roast kabocha squash
First, we have to break down this squash-pumpkin combo.
Like a pumpkin, the squash is tough to cut into. Be sure to use a sharp knife. I start by cutting the ends, slicing in half, scooping out the seeds, then cut into 1 to 2-inch slices for roasting.
You can also microwave the squash for 4 or 5 minutes to soften it or roast it for about 20 minutes, then cut off the ends and slice.
Veggies roast at 400°F with a drizzle of oil and salt and pepper sprinkle in our house. Roast until it's fork tender.
Is the skin edible?
Kabocha squash skin is edible, for this soup recipe we will remove the skin though.
Tips for Making Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup
Honestly, this baby is oh so simple, there's not a lot to it!
- For an easy throw together meal, roast the squash in advance!
- Don't over cook the leeks! They cook fast so watch out they don't burn.
- It's easier to remove the skin after roasting the squash than peeling it before,.
- Let the squash cool after roasting until you can handle it. The soup can simmer on low if the squash needs more time to cool.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup smooth right in the pot. If you need to use a countertop blender - be careful for the hot liquid! It's worth the investment for the immersion blender.
For a fun way to serve the soup, you can use hollowed out halves of acorn squash!
Ingredients and Substitutions
You just need a handful of ingredients for roasted kabocha squash soup and it's pretty versatile for substitutions.
- kabocha squash, about 3 to 4 pounds
- great north beans
- leeks
- garlic
- thyme
- sage
- stock
But if you're unable to get your hands on any of the above, here are some easy swaps you can make:
- Substitute butternut, acorn, or hubbard squash
- Navy beans, cannelini beans, or butter beans can swap for the great north beans - I've even made this soup with pinto beans and the taste was great.
- Half a yellow onion is a quick swap for the leek.
- Heavy cream, milk, or a plant based cream would work perfectly especially if you wanted a vegan soup
- Veggie stock or chicken stock can be used
- If you don't want to use the white wine, just give the pan a splash of stock!
What to serve with your soup
Personally, I've been eating this soul warming deliciousness for lunch and dinner. It's just so satisfying!
My favorite way to eat this is with some cast iron grilled sourdough bread with melty cheese on top. I keep them open faced so it's like toast meets grilled cheese.
This whole wheat sourdough loaf is a standard in our house and there's always a slice somewhere, but I'm also loving a softer all purpose pumpkin and sage version. Brown bread is such a tasty option too with a little sweetness to the bread - it also makes great croutons!
Soup and salad is a natural combination too! Pear and cheddar salad has the same play on sweet and savory, but is still light enough to eat alongside soup.
What's your favorite pairing to have with soup? Tell me in the comments and let me know how your squash and white bean soup is!
I'd love for you to leave a star rating in the comments as well! Thank you for being here!
Roasted Kabocha Squash and White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 small kabocha squash (about 4 pounds)
- 1 15-ounce can great north white beans (drained and rinsed)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 leek (trimmed and diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 2 springs thyme (leaves removed)
- 4 sage leaves (roughly chopped)
- ¼ cup white wine
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the ends of the squash off, cut in half and remove the seeds. Slice the squash into 2 to 3 inch pieces. Arrange in a single layer on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes until fork tender.
- While the squash cools, start the soup. In a heavy bottom soup pot, melt the butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the leeks until translucent, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and herbs and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Deglaze the pan with white wine (or substitute a little stock if you don't want wine). Let it simmer for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, then add the white beans and chicken stock to the pan.
- Remove the skin from the cooled squash and add the squash to the soup pan. You should be able scoop the squash from the skin. Cover the pan and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. Using a hand blender, carefully, blend the ingredients into a smooth texture. Once all the ingredients are blended smooth, add in the cream. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately or cool and store in an air tight container in the fridge for 5 days.
Notes
- Kabocha squash is hard! Be sure to use a sharp knife to cut. The smaller ones are a little easier to slice (more like a butternut squash). You can always microwave the squash for 3 to 4 minutes to soften it.
- It's too difficult and time-consuming to peel the squash before roasting. Just let it cool until you can handle it and scoop the squash from the skin.
- You can use any white beans available, they all taste great - navy, great north white beans, cannellini. In addition, you can substitute butternut squash for kabocha squash for a slightly less sweet but still delicious taste.
- This soup is great for leftover roasted squash or roast the squash in advance to make this recipe even faster.
- If you don't have a hand blender, you can use a countertop blender to puree the soup. As always, be extra careful transferring the hot ingredients between gadgets.
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