Red Kuri Squash Soup

Is that not the most gorgeous soup you’ve ever seen?

Red Kuri Squash is the most luscious, vibrant orange-y red I’ve ever seen in a vegetable. And with its saturated color comes huge antioxidant power…basically the deeper the hue of any plant food, the higher the vitamin concentration. Anything orange is a sign of the antioxidant beta-carotene, the pre-cursor to Vitamin A, which is needed for clear, blemish-free skin.

I absolutely love the crisp fall weather that has hit NY pretty quickly, and it has gotten me excited to try all new winter vegetables. Last week I tried kabocha squash and this week, I picked up this red kuri squash.  I’ve never seen or heard of it before, but I liked the way it looked, and thought it would be a good alternative to pumpkin, which is one of my favorite fall foods.

Red kuri squash becomes like butter when you roast it. It has a velvety mouth feel, making it excellent for creamy soups. It also has a wonderful sweet flavor that comes out when roasted. Some people compare its taste to a cross between chestnuts and pumpkin. I’ve never really had chestnuts, so I have no comment on that. All I can say, is day-um, it was good.

I love the texture of bread freshly melted in hot soup, so I dipped some gluten free toast in there, and it was divine. I use the Food for Life rice or millet bread, and I grill it in coconut oil to toast it, sometimes rubbing it with garlic first for extra flavor.

Without further ado, here is my Red Kuri Squash Recipe:

Red Kuri Squash Soup

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Servings4

US ImperialMetric

Ingredients

• 1 red kuri squash appx. 4-5 pounds
• 1-2 Tbsp. coconut oil (unrefined)
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 1 jalapeño minced
• 1 inch fresh ginger minced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 4-6 cups vegetable broth (low or no sodium) depending on desired consistency*
• unrefined salt (real, pink, or Celtic salt) to taste
• pumpkin seeds for garnish (optional)
• cashew sour cream for garnish (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cut kuri squash in half, remove seeds, and place cut-side down on a baking sheet. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until a fork will easily pierce the skin.
• Remove from oven and let cool until comfortable to handle.
• Meanwhile, heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium low. Add the onions and saute for 3-5 minutes, before adding the chile, ginger, and garlic. Saute another 3 minutes or so, before scooping the flesh of the red kuri squash into the pan. Add vegetable broth as well, and let cook together for about 10 minutes.
• Carefully transfer veggie/broth mixture to a blender. When blending hot liquids, remove the center piece on the blender lid and hold a dish towel over the opening to allow the steam to escape without getting squash on your ceiling. Blend until velvety smooth. Add more broth (or water) for a thinner soup, or use less for a thicker one.*
• Salt to taste and serve.

Recipe Notes

*I use 4 cups liquid to appx. 4 lbs of squash, which results in a thick and creamy soup, as you can see in the photo. If you prefer a thinner soup, simply add more broth or water.

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