Kabocha Squash Soup

Yield

4 servings

Prep Time / Cook Time

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Activity Guide

Car Camping

Ingredients

  • 1 kabocha squash
  • 1 14-ounce can white beans
  • 8 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 small onions
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3-4 cups water
  • 3-4 teaspoons boullion
  • 1 tablespoon harissa spice mix
  • 8 ounces shitake mushrooms, sliced
  • chile flakes, to taste
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Tools

  • Can opener
  • Cutting board
  • Foil
  • Knife
  • Ladle
  • Large pot
  • Long tongs
  • Medium bowl
  • Potato masher or immersion blender

Method

  1. Wrap your squash in foil, throw it in the fire (or your oven) and roast until tender, about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from fire with tongs and set aside to cool.
  2. Slice one of the onions (save the extra half for the soup). In a stock pot, add 3 tablespoons of the oil the sliced onion. Fry until crispy. Remove from pot and set aside.
  3. Add 3 more tbsp oil and fry the mushrooms until browned. Remove from pot and set aside.
  4. Once the squash has cooled, unwrap the foil. Slice in half through the middle and scoop out the seeds. Discard or roast on their own for a delicious snack. Then scoop out the squash flesh and set aside.
  5. Finely chop the remaining onion. Add the rest of the oil to the stock pot, and saute the chopped onion and the garlic until translucent.
  6. Add the can of beans along with their juice, the squash flesh, water, boullion, and spices to the pot. Bring to a boil, and then turn to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, until everything has melded together a bit.
  7. Using a potato masher, mix up the soup to be a creamy mixture. Alternately, if you are making this at home and are looking for a really smooth texture, puree it with an immersion blender.
  8. Spoon soup into individual bowls, and top with a pile of mushrooms and fried onions in the center.