Shake Up Your Squash Soup By Swapping Butternut for Kabocha

This creamy soup harnesses both the sweetness of roasted kabocha squash and saltiness of pancetta for a truly lovely fall flavor. Simple yet elegant, this soup makes a wonderful addition to the Thanksgiving table, or can be enjoyed alone for a lighter meal.  

Kabocha Squash Soup With Pancetta

Yield: 6 servings
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

2 kabocha squash, cut in half and seeded
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
3 shallots, sliced
3/4 cup chopped pancetta
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Coat squash in 2 tablespoons olive oil and place on a large baking tray in one layer. Roast in oven until flesh is soft, 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, sauté shallots in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add in pancetta and brown. Stir in ginger, vegetable broth, nutmeg, and sage.

Scoop flesh of squash into blender and pour in broth. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Photo credit: Paul Delmont