Red Kuri Squash Soup

This creamy Red Kuri Squash Soup is a real autumn favorite! A perfect warming comfort soup that is bursting with flavor.

This delicious red kuri squash soup is perfect for a warming comfort meal in autumn and winter! It’s super quick to prepare and doesn’t require much effort. Plus, it’s vegan, healthy, low in calories, and comes with a good dose of vitamins.

You can enjoy it as a starter, side dish or as a light dinner served with a slice of freshly baked bread.

Let’s face it, this red kuri squash soup is a ture pumpkin classic and a must-try recipe during fall! I love to decorate it with a splash of dairy-free heavy cream, pumpkin seed oil, and freshly chopped herbs. A few toasted pumpkin seeds go well too as decoration.

The advantage of kuri squash is that you can use it with the skin on – meaning the skin of this winter squash is edible. I somehow find that peeling a pumpkin is a tedious work and therefore love to grab a red kuri squash whenever suitable. Just make sure you wash it thoroughly. Both, the flesh and skin turn very soft and tender once cooked.

Hint: To make the best red kuri squash soup, or in general pumpkin soup, add a splash of pumpkin seed oil.  Admittedly, the dark color can be slightly irritating when cooking, but the result can then be shown. Pumpkin seed oil provides an even more intense, nutty pumpkin flavor! Try it out!

Ingredients

See recipe card for quantities.

• Red Kuri Squash → The main ingredient! Best to use from organic farming if possible. Red Kuri Squash can be used with the skin on.
• Pumpkin Seed Oil → The secret tip for a really tasty squash soup! Gives the soup a more intense pumpkin flavor – can be added to any pumpkin soup. I love to drizzle a splash of it over the soup for garnish before serving.
• Sage → Fresh or dried! A bay leave would work too.
• Onion & Garlic → A must for more flavor. 
• Vegetable Broth → This is what the squash is cooked in! The higher quality the vegetable broth is, the better the soup tastes. 😉
• Vegan Heavy Cream → Makes the soup super creamy and a little milder in taste!

Visual Step-by-Step Instructions

This visual step-by-step instruction will help you along the way – definitely recommended if you’re a cooking beginner! 😉

• Wash and cut kuri squash in half. Scrape out seeds using a spoon and roughly chop the flesh into cubes.

• Peel and mince the onion and garlic clove.
• Heat a large pot with one tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the chopped onion and garlic for 2 minutes.
• Add kuri squash, pumpkin seed oil, and sage.

• Sauté for another 5 minutes.
• Deglaze with vegetable broth, bring to a boil, cover and simmer at medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes until the flesh is tender. Stir occasionally.

• Blend the soup in a high-speed blender, or with a hand blender, until creamy. 

• Return soup to the pot, season with dairy-free cream, salt, and black pepper. → Serve the soup in bowls and decorate with dairy-free cream, pumpkin seed oil, chopped herbs, or croutons.

Variations

• Vegetarian: This kuri squash recipe is vegan! However, you are welcome to substitute the dairy-free cream 1:1 with dairy cream for a vegetarian version. 😉
• Kuri squash soup with coconut milk: Do you love coconut milk? Then substitute dairy-free cream with coconut milk.
• Do you love ginger? Peel a small piece of fresh ginger and roughly chop it. Sauté with the onion and garlic.
• Carrot: Do you have a carrot at home that needs to be used up? Cut it roughly and add it to the pot with the red kuri squash.
• Optional Spices: Feel free to add spices of your choice to season the soup. I recommend ground cayenne pepper, cumin, ginger, or turmeric.

Storage & Freezing Instructions

How long does this soup last? You can keep it refrigerated in a sealed container for at least five days.

How do I heat soup back up? You can put it in the microwave either for a few minutes, or heat it in a pot on the stove over medium heat. The soup may thicken up slightly in the fridge, but it usually liquefies again when it’s warmed up. If it’s still too thick, add some extra water if you need to.

Can I freeze the soup? Yes, you can freeze it for a good 3 months and defrost straight into a pot over medium heat. You don’t need to let it thaw beforehand.

More Pumpkin Recipes

• Pumpkin Ginger Soup
• Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk
• Butternut Squash Curry
• Butternut Squash Ravioli
• Vegan Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta

📖 Recipe