• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Craving California

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Dinner
    • Healthy Recipes
    • 30 Minutes or Less
    • Chicken and Turkey
    • Fish and Seafood
    • Beef
    • Pasta
    • Pork
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Salads
    • Sides
    • Dessert
  • About
  • Contact
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • How-Tos
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • How-Tos
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Category Home » Soup » Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup with Buttery Croutons

    Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup with Buttery Croutons

    Published: Oct 13, 2022 · Modified: Nov 1, 2022 by Leigh Anderson · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Move over butternut — this creamy soup gets its thick, velvety texture from roasted kabocha squash aka Japanese pumpkin. With a perfect balance of savory roasted squash, a touch of cream and layers of maple, cinnamon and nutmeg…this soup is autumn in a bowl!

    A blue bowl filled with orange, pureed soup, toasted croutons and a drizzle of olive oil.

    It’s officially fall, which means it’s the start of soup season! This Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup is perfect for blustery, cold days when you’re craving something savory and warming to take the chill off.

    This recipe leaves a lot of wiggle room to tweak and adjust as you go. You’ll see I’ve left notes throughout the recipe card with easy ingredient substitutions. For instance, heavy cream can be swapped out for canned coconut milk and vegetable stock can easily be used in place of chicken stock. Feel free to play around with flavors and proportions.

    Hungry for more winter squash recipes? Check out: Honey Roasted Squash with Burrata and Pumpkin Seed Dukkah as well as, Maple-Brown Butter Roasted Squash with Toasted Hazelnuts and Sage.

    Ingredients You’ll Need:

    • For the Soup: kabocha squash, chicken stock, shallot or onion, garlic, fresh or dried thyme, nutmeg, cinnamon, maple syrup and heavy whipping cream.
    • For the Croutons: slightly stale bread like a seedy country loaf, ciabatta or sourdough, butter and flakey sea salt.
    A whole Kabocha squash, a pyrex pitcher of chicken stock, two whole shallots, a small bowl of olive oil, spices on a white plate and a cup of heavy whipping cream.

    How to Make Kabocha Squash Soup:

    Step 1. Roast the Squash

    Carefully cut the squash in half. If you’re having trouble slicing through it pop it in the microwave for 30-60 seconds to soften the flesh–this trick works for all types of hard winter squash. Scoop out and discard the seeds and stringy membrane then coat the squash all over with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until tender. You can do this step up to a day ahead if you feel so inclined.

    Two stainless steel pots filled with soup being blended with a hand blender.

    Step 2. Toast the Croutons

    Cut the bread into bite-sized cubes, toss with melted butter and flakey salt. As soon as the squash is done, turn down the oven temp and pop in the croutons. Bake until golden brown.

    A baking tray with cubed bread drizzled with olive oil.

    Step 3. Simmer and Blend

    In a large pot or dutch oven sauté the aromatics until soft and translucent. Your kitchen is going to smell amazing! Next add in the rest of the ingredients, excluding the cream, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes then turn off the heat, pour in the cream and blend until smooth.

    A blue bowl of soup topped with croutons with a spoon dipping into the side.

    FAQs and Expert Tips

    What is “Kabocha” squash?

    Kabocha Squash, also known as Japanese Squash or Japanese Pumpkin has a hard and rough exterior, dull dark-green skin and a bright yellow-orange flesh that becomes rich and fluffy when roasted. Flavor-wise it’s very sweet, even sweeter than butternut squash. Kabocha squash can be used just like acorn or butternut squash, it’s great for roasted, mashed or added to soups, stews and curries.

    How to Purée Soup – With or Without an Immersion Blender:

    By far the easiest way to purée a soup is with an immersion blender. Place the blade end of the immersion blender into the bottom of your soup pot and puree until smooth. To avoid splatters, be sure the blade is completely submerged while blending. My immersion blender or “stick blender” is one of my holy grail kitchen appliances. It’s perfect for quickly blending together soups, sauces, salad dressing, aioli.. etc. It’s compact and easy to clean, if you don’t have one already I highly recommend this one by Kitchen Aid.

    If you don’t have an immersion blender you can use a regular countertop blender but you need do so carefully and in small batches. Before getting started allow the soup to cool off on the stove, uncovered for 5-10 minutes. In batches, transfer the soup to you blender filling it no more than halfway, then place the lid on loosely leaving it slightly ajar so steam can escape then blend on the lowest/slowest setting until smooth and creamy. Repeat as needed until all of the soup is puréed.

    Check Out More Delicious Fall Recipes:

    • All Craving California Fall and Winter Recipes
    • Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Apple and Bacon
    • Butternut Squash Coconut Curry
    • Root Vegetable Mash with Caramelized Leeks
    • Roasted Cauliflower Carbonara with Garlic Breadcrumbs
    • Creamy Cheddar, Bacon, and Potato Soup
    • ‘Nduja Pasta with Butternut Squash and Rosemary Fried Walnuts

    I love to hear from readers and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! Don’t forget to follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    A blue bowl filled with orange, pureed soup, toasted croutons and a drizzle of olive oil.

    Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup with Buttery Croutons

    Move over butternut — this creamy soup gets its thick, velvety texture from roasted kabocha squash aka Japanese pumpkin. With a perfect balance of savory roasted squash, a touch of cream and layers of maple, cinnamon and nutmeg…this soup is autumn in a bowl!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 512kcal
    Author: Leigh Anderson

    Ingredients

    • 1 medium kabocha squash (about 2lbs) halved vertically, seeds removed
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 4 tbsp butter
    • 3 large shallots, or 1 small yellow onion thinly sliced
    • 3 cloves garlic grated
    • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
    • ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream or 1 can full-fat coconut milk
    • 3 tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
    • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
    • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
    • salt

    Buttery Croutons (Optional)

    • 2 cups cubed, slightly stale bread; seeded country loaf, sourdough or ciabatta
    • 4 tbsp melted butter
    • 1 tsp flakey sea salt or ½ tsp kosher salt

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 425 F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place the squash on the pan and drizzle each half with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the the inside. Rub the oil over the inside of the squash and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Bake, cut side down, until tender and completely cooked through, about 40 to 50 minutes. Set the squash aside until it’s cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
    • Line an additional baking tray with parchment paper and scatter the bread cubes in a single even layer. Drizzle the melted butter and salt over the bread and toss to coat. As soon as the squash comes out of the oven, turn the oven temperature down to 375 F and bake the croutons until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes, stirring half way through.
    • Meanwhile, in a large pot or dutch oven melt the butter over medium heat then add the sliced shallot and a generous pinch of salt. Cook over medium – low heat for 10 minutes, or until soft and translucent then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring frequently about 2 minutes.
    • With a large spoon, scoop out the flesh of the roasted squash and transfer it into the pot, discard the skin. Next, add the chicken stock, maple syrup, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg and another generous pinch of salt. Bring the soup to a low simmer, cover and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, then turn off the heat, pour in the cream and blend with an immersion blender (or in batches with a countertop blender, see notes below) until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
    • To serve, divide the soup between bowls, top with croutons and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve right away.

    Notes

    How to Purée Soup–With or Without an Immersion Blender:

    • By far the easiest way to purée a soup is with an immersion blender. Place the blade end of the immersion blender into the bottom of your soup pot and puree until smooth. To avoid splatters, be sure the blade is completely submerged while blending. My immersion blender or “stick blender” is one of my holy grail kitchen appliances. It’s perfect for quickly blending together soups, sauces, salad dressing, aioli.. etc. It’s compact and easy to clean, if you don’t have one already I highly recommend this one by Kitchen Aid.
    • If you don’t have an immersion blender you can use a regular countertop blender but you need do so carefully and in small batches. Before getting started allow the soup to cool off on the stove, uncovered for 5-10 minutes. In batches, transfer the soup to you blender filling it no more than halfway, then place the lid on loosely leaving it slightly ajar so steam can escape then blend on the lowest/slowest setting until smooth and creamy. Repeat as needed until all of the soup is puréed.
     
    Storing and Re-heating Leftovers:
    • Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat over low heat in a saucepan or in the microwave. Add a few tablespoons of water to loosen up the soup as needed.
    • Freezing Instructions: Cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in fridge then reheat in the microwave  or on the stove until piping hot, stir well. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 455mg | Potassium: 1193mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 24929IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 174mg | Iron: 3mg
    Did you make this recipe?Share a picture on Instagram and tag me: @Craving_California and use the hashtag: #CravingCalifornia!
    « Butternut Squash Coconut Curry
    Pan-Seared Salmon with Basil Butter Sauce »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    photo of Leigh Anderson on a green and white background.

    Welcome to Craving California!

    I'm so glad you're here. My name is Leigh and this is my food blog where I share California inspired recipes and tons of tips and tricks for better home cooking!

    Learn more about me →

    A bowl of green pasta. Title: "spring things" "pea pesto pasta"

    What's for Dinner:

    • Steamed Clams with White Wine, Garlic and Butter
    • Parchment Baked Cod with Chorizo + Tomatoes
    • Blackened Shrimp with Garlic-Lime Aioli
    • Slow-Roasted Salmon with Green Olive Salsa Verde
    A platter of snap pea salad. Title: "spring things" "snap pea salad"

    Winner Winner Chicken Dinner:

    • Homemade Chicken Stock
    • Perfectly Poached Chicken with Herbs and Olive Oil
    • Mexican Grilled Chicken Marinade–Perfect for Tacos, Fajitas, Burritos and More!
    • Jalapeño-Cheddar Chicken Smash Burgers

    Featured In:

    Shop:

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    Follow

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook

    About

    • Learn more about Craving California
    • Privacy Policy

    Contact

    • E-mail

    Copyright © 2020 Craving California

    Privacy Policy