Haitian Pumpkin Soup

Name: Haitian Pumpkin Soup
Prep time: 35

4.5

4.5 out of 5 stars (based on 17 reviews)

35 min prep

6 servings

Carrot Icon for Number of Ingredients Size

22 ingredients

In Haiti, Squash Soup or ‘Soupe Joumou’, is really a hearty stew of meat and squash that is traditionally eaten to celebrate the New Year. It is usually made with beef, but it is just...

2 pounds skinless chicken thighs
Juice of 1 lime
10 cups water
Salt and pepper, to taste

Marinade:

2 scallions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 small cubanelle pepper, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1-2 thin slices habanero, or 1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon black pepper

Soup:

1 medium onion, quartered
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds kabocha or butternut squash
4 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
10 cabbage, leaves quartered
2 large carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 medium turnips, washed quartered
2 medium potatoes, washed quartered
4 to 6 cloves
½ cup whole wheat spaghettini or cappellini, broken into pieces
1 whole habanero pepper, pricked twice with a toothpick
Lime wedges, for garnish (optional)

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Nutrition Facts

Calories

404 cals

Fat

7 g

Saturated Fat

2 g

Polyunsaturated Fat

2 g

Monounsaturated Fat

2 g

Carbohydrates

52 g

Sugar

10 g

Fiber

10 g

Protein

36 g

Sodium

2284 mg

Directions

Mix the marinade ingredients together. Set aside.
Marinate the chicken in the lime juice for 5 minutes or until the meat turns white. Rinse under cold water and pat dry. Rub the meat with the marinade and let sit, covered, in the fridge for at least an hour. The longer you can leave the meat in the marinade, the better it is.
Put the chicken in a large stockpot with 3 cups of water, the quartered onion and 1 teaspoon of salt. Over a medium heat, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, wash, peel, and core the squash and cut into 1-inch chunks. In a stockpot cover the squash with cold water, bring to a boil then cover and turn down to a simmer. Cook until the squash is tender, about 10 minutes. Reserve 2 cups of the cooking water and puree the squash in the reserved cooking water.
Add the squash puree to the chicken. Bring to a boil again and add the celery, cabbage, carrots, turnips, potatoes and cloves. Cook uncovered until the vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes. Adjust for salt and pepper.
Add the spaghettini and the whole habanero pepper and cook until the pasta is al dente. Let the soup rest for 5 minutes. Discard the habanero and the cloves and serve with lime wedges on the side.

Registered Dietitian Approved

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