• Recipes
  • Contact
  • About
  • Shop

Cozy Cravings

menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT
  • SHOP
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • CONTACT
    • ABOUT
    • SHOP
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    • Freshly baked zucchini ricotta galette.
      Zucchini Ricotta Galette
    • white bean citrus salad in a serving bowl with two serving spoons.
      White Bean Avocado Citrus Salad
    • Bacon egg and cheese breakfast sliders.
      Bacon, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sliders
    • lemon honey cake with slices cut out.
      Lemon Honey Cake
    • Finished pizza topped with bruschetta, balsamic glaze and shaved parmesan cheese.
      Bruschetta Pizza
    • Kale and White Bean Salad in a bowl with serving utensils.
      Kale and White Bean Salad
    • Close up whipped honey butter in a jar.
      Whipped Honey Butter
    • Shrimp scampi risotto in a blue bowl with a wood fork.
      Shrimp Scampi Risotto
    • Close up of fresh baked sprinkle cookies.
      Sprinkle Cookies
    • Close up of pancakes with a pat of butter and pure maple syrup.
      Buttermilk Pancakes for Two
    • Assembled tacos up close.
      Rice and Bean Tacos
    • Close up of muffin with glaze drips.
      Vanilla Chai Spice Muffins
    Home » Lunch & Dinner

    Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup

    Published: Nov 3, 2023 » Modified: Nov 3, 2023 by Haley » This post may contain affiliate links

    40 shares
    • Share
    • Send
    Jump To Recipe Jump To Video
    Bowl of finished soup

    This Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup is perfect for chilly weather – tender squash roasted with plenty of spices, garlic, and onions, then blended with stock until smooth, and finished with a bit of cream. Topped with toasted pepitas for the perfect crunch. 

    Finished bowl of roasted kabocha squash soup with pepitas.
    Jump to:
    • What is kabocha squash?
    • Ingredients
    • Step by step instructions 
    • How to cut a kabocha squash
    • Tips and tricks 
    • Ingredient substitutions
    • Squash soup toppings
    • Storage and reheating
    • FAQs
    • More squash recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    What is kabocha squash?

    Kabocha squash is a Japanese variety of winter squash (also referred to as a Japanese pumpkin in America, although “kabocha” in Japan simply means “squash”) with dark green skin and bright orange flesh. The flavor is similar to other squash varieties –  earthy, nutty, and a little sweet – and not super overpowering. The texture is buttery when roasted thoroughly, somewhere between the texture of a pumpkin and a sweet potato. 

    Ingredients

    Ingredients needed to make this kabocha squash soup can be found below, with full quantities listed in the recipe card at the end of this post. 

    Ingredients for kabocha squash soup on a table
    • Kabocha squash: as mentioned above, a very delicious winter squash that has a nutty sweet flavor and gets super tender when roasted. 
    • Onion: a yellow onion gets very roughly chopped and roasted with the squash then blended too. 
    • Garlic: a whole head of garlic gets roasted alongside the squash. It becomes soft, a little sweet, and full of so much flavor. It squeezes right out of its wrapping and gets blended with the onion and squash. 
    • Nutmeg: a hint of warm nutmeg brings out the sweetness in the squash and adds a great depth of flavor.
    • Smoked paprika: a little smoky spice pairs so nicely with the natural sweetness of the squash. 
    • Vegetable stock: used to blend the roasted ingredients together to get the perfect soup consistency. Vegetable broth and vegetable stock are interchangeable.
    • Heavy cream: adds a creamy decadence to the roasted squash soup. Vegetable stock and vegetable broth are interchangeable.
    • Toasted pumpkin seeds: (also known as pepitas) are the perfect crunchy topping for this soup. Buy them pre-toasted, or do it yourself by tossing them in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes. 
    • Sage: optional topping!

    Step by step instructions 

    This roasted squash soup is as easy as can be – honestly, the hardest part is prepping the squash!

    Squash, onion, and garlic pre-roasting.

    1. Prep the veggies to be roasted. Cut the kabocha squash, onion, and the top off the head of garlic. Place the garlic in foil and drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, close up the foil. Transfer the cut veggies and wrapped garlic to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then drizzle the remaining oil over the squash and onion, and season with 2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. 

    Roasted kabocha squash, onions, and garlic

    2. Roast the veggies. Roast in a 425°F oven for 30-40 minutes until very tender and slightly browned. You should be able to very easily insert a fork into the squash. 

    Roasted vegetables and stock in blender.

    3. Blend. Let the veggies cool slightly. Once cooled a bit, peel the skins off the squash and squeeze the cloves out of the roasted garlic. Add the squash flesh, garlic, and onion to a blender with the vegetable stock. Blend until smooth. 

    Blended soup with heavy cream.

    4. Finish with cream. Transfer the squash puree to a large pot and warm over medium-low heat. When warmed through, stir in the heavy cream. Season with additional kosher salt to taste. 

    How to cut a kabocha squash

    kabocha squash is one of the more difficult squashes to cut, so you want to make sure you have a sharp knife and a stable surface. 

    • Start by turning it on its side and cutting off the stem. 
    • Then sit it back upright and carefully cut it in half. Scoop out the seeds. 
    • From there, cut the halves in half, then into quarters. You should be left with 8 large ish pieces! 

    Tips and tricks 

    One of my favorite things about this roasted kabocha squash soup is how intuitive it is, but checking out the below tips and tricks will hopefully help guide you even further.

    • Leave the skin on: To make things easy for yourself, roast the squash with the skin on. Once it’s cooked, the skin easily peels off! You can cut off the skin before roasting, but as mentioned above this is a relatively tough squash, so it’s not a fun task. 
    • Wait to add the cream. If you add the cream right into the blender with the stock, it’ll likely curdle a bit from the heat. The best way to add it is as mentioned in the directions – blend the soup, add it to a pot, then warm it over medium low. Then once warmed, stir in the cream until incorporated.
    • Customize your consistency: 
      • If you like a thinner soup, add more stock! 
      • If you like a chunkier soup, blend it less! 
    • Don’t blend hot things: you never want to blend scalding hot things in the blender because pressure from the heat can form and it can explode. Make sure you cool the vegetables down a little before adding. Even then, I like to keep the little vent open and cover it with a cloth to let any steam escape. 
    • If you don't have a high speed blender, you could add the roasted vegetables and stock to a pot and then use an immersion blender (hand blender) to carefully puree it all together. 
    Finished roasted Kabocha Squash shoup

    Ingredient substitutions

    • Dairy free: If you want to make this squash soup dairy free you can either skip the heavy cream all together and use more stock, or substitute in coconut cream, coconut milk, or cashew cream in place of the heavy cream.
    • Non-vegetarian: This soup is naturally vegetarian, but if that’s not something you are necessarily watching out for, you can use chicken broth or chicken bone broth instead of vegetable stock. 
    • Other squashes: While this is a kabocha squash soup recipe, if you can’t find them (check your farmers markets!), some other squashes that work great in this recipe are butternut squash, honeynut squash, or any kind of pumpkin.

    Squash soup toppings

    Squash soup is delicious on its own, but I love to add fun flavorful toppings (such as the toasted pepitas I recommend above). A few ideas below!

    • Toasted sourdough croutons
    • Chili crunch oil 
    • Granola
    • Crispy shallots 

    Storage and reheating

    • Storage: let it cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 4 months. 
    • Reheating:
      • If from the fridge, warm in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium low heat. 
      • If frozen, warm on the stovetop over medium low heat, stirring rather often to help break it up. 

    FAQs

    Is the skin on kabocha squash edible?

    Yes! The outer skin on kabocha squash is edible. But for the purposes of this soup recipe, it won’t blend well, so I recommend removing it. 

    Are kabocha squash seeds edible?

    They are, but a little work needs to go into them before you eat them. This recipe here has good guidance. 

    Is kabocha squash healthy?

    Like most squash, kabocha is relatively good for you! It’s high in fiber, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C. 

    More squash recipes

    • Overhead image of lasagna fresh out of the oven with sage on top.
      Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna
    • Air fryer butternut squash on a platter topped with chopped walnuts.
      Air Fryer Butternut Squash Cubes
    • Brown bowl of fettuccini pasta with butternut squash sauce on top.
      Creamy Butternut Squash Sauce with Fettuccini
    • Stuffed acorn squash topped with pomegranate seeds and pepitas.
      Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash

    Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating and review below and tag me on social!

    📖 Recipe

    Finished bowl of roasted kabocha squash soup with pepitas.

    Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup

    This Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup is perfect for chilly weather – tender squash roasted with plenty of spices, garlic, and onions, then blended with stock until smooth, and finished with a bit of cream. Topped with toasted pepitas for the perfect crunch. 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 3 servings

    Ingredients

    • 1 kabocha squash cut into 8ths
    • 1 head of garlic
    • 1 yellow onion chopped into chunks
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 tsp black pepper
    • ½ tsp nutmeg
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 3 ½ cups vegetable stock
    • ¼ cup heavy cream

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 425°F.
    • Place the garlic in foil and drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, close up the foil.
    • Transfer the cut veggies and wrapped garlic to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then drizzle the remaining oil over the squash and onion, and season with 2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. 
    • Roast the vegetables in a 425°F oven for 30-40 minutes until very tender and slightly browned. You should be able to very easily insert a fork into the squash. 
    • Let the veggies cool slightly. Once cooled a bit, peel the skins off the squash and squeeze the cloves out of the roasted garlic. Add the squash flesh, garlic, and onion to a blender with the vegetable stock. Blend until smooth. 
    • Transfer the squash puree to a large pot and warm over medium-low heat. When warmed through, stir in the heavy cream. Season with additional kosher salt to taste. 

    Video

    Nutrition Estimate

    Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 2667mg | Potassium: 1152mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 5310IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 2mg
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: kabocha squash, roasted squash, Soup, Squash
    Author: Haley

    More Lunch & Dinner

    • Sliced spinach and ricotta lasagna.
      Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna
    • Finished soup in a bowl.
      Chicken Tomato and Rice Soup
    • Dutch oven roasted chicken served on a plate.
      Dutch Oven Whole Roasted Chicken
    • Close up french onion mac and cheese.
      French Onion Mac and Cheese

    Comments

    1. MIriam says

      December 17, 2023 at 8:51 am

      A whole HEAD of garlic? What if you don't like garlic, even roasted? And can you use half & half or light cream or evaporated milk in place of the heavy cream?

      Reply
      • Haley says

        December 22, 2023 at 11:15 am

        Yes a whole head! Roasting it mellows out the flavor. If you don't like garlic (even in garlic powder form) then omit but the recipe will lose a bit of its flavor. Instead of heavy cream you can use coconut cream or half & half although less ideal.

        Reply
    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

    Recipe Rating




    HEY THERE!

    Welcome to Cozy Cravings! Happy to have you. Here, you’ll find comfort food recipes & other delicious things to enjoy and devour.

    POPULAR POSTS

    • Close up of broccoli au gratin.
      Broccoli Au Gratin (Broccoli Casserole)
    • Finished french onion pasta in a bowl.
      One Pot French Onion Pasta
    • close up image of maple candied bacon on a plate.
      Maple Candied Bacon
    • Overhead image of lasagna fresh out of the oven with sage on top.
      Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna

    Breakfast & Brunch

    Bacon egg and cheese breakfast sliders.

    Bacon, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sliders

    Close up of pancakes with a pat of butter and pure maple syrup.

    Buttermilk Pancakes for Two

    Close up of muffin with glaze drips.

    Vanilla Chai Spice Muffins

    Close up image of sliced leek and gruyere quiche.

    Leek and Gruyere Quiche

    More Breakfast & Brunch

    Lunch & Dinner

    Freshly baked zucchini ricotta galette.

    Zucchini Ricotta Galette

    white bean citrus salad in a serving bowl with two serving spoons.

    White Bean Avocado Citrus Salad

    Finished pizza topped with bruschetta, balsamic glaze and shaved parmesan cheese.

    Bruschetta Pizza

    Kale and White Bean Salad in a bowl with serving utensils.

    Kale and White Bean Salad

    More Lunch & Dinner

    Snacks, Sides, and More

    Freshly baked zucchini ricotta galette.

    Zucchini Ricotta Galette

    white bean citrus salad in a serving bowl with two serving spoons.

    White Bean Avocado Citrus Salad

    Close up whipped honey butter in a jar.

    Whipped Honey Butter

    Garlic rosemary potatoes roasted.

    Garlic Rosemary Potatoes

    More Snacks & Sides

    Sweet Treats

    lemon honey cake with slices cut out.

    Lemon Honey Cake

    More Sweet Treats

    Drinks

    Lambrusco spritz with olives and orange slice.

    Lambrusco Spritz

    More Drinks

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    about

    • ABOUT
    • CONTACT
    • PRIVACY POLICY

    Let's Keep In Touch!

    Subscribe here for delicious recipes, updates & more!

    Thank you!

    You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

    .

    recipe index

    • APPETIZERS
    • BREAKFAST & BRUNCH
    • LUNCH & DINNER
    • SNACKS & SIDES
    • DESSERTS

    Copyright © 2025 · CozyCravings.com

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.