This Roasted Red Kuri Squash Soup is silky, smoky, and full of warming Moroccan-inspired spices! Sweet, nutty squash and apple are blended with harissa into a creamy, flavorful soup, then topped with crispy roasted chickpeas, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a cooling swirl of yogurt. A cozy vegetarian meal that’s vegan-adaptable.
Have you ever tried red kuri squash? Sweet, nutty, and almost chestnut-like in flavor, this beautiful little winter squash has me completely smitten!
Here, it’s roasted until tender, then blended with apple, garlic, and smoky harissa into a silky, flavorful soup. The apple adds a subtle sweetness that balances the warming spices, while crispy roasted chickpeas, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a swirl of cooling yogurt make every spoonful irresistible.
The squash and chickpeas roast together in the oven, making this a surprisingly easy, satisfying vegetarian meal. And while I especially love the rich flavor and vibrant color of red kuri squash, other winter squash varieties work beautifully, too.
I was looking for a squash soup recipe and the chickpeas and harissa were callling my name! It's just as delicious as it sounds and looks. I used 1 tablespoon of Trader Joe's harissa and it was the perfect spice level for us. Will definitely make again!
What Is Red Kuri Squash?
Red kuri squash is a beautiful, teardrop-shaped winter squash with vibrant reddish-orange skin and sweet, golden flesh. Its flavor is rich, nutty, and slightly reminiscent of chestnuts, making it especially delicious roasted or blended into soups.
Like delicata squash, red kuri has edible skin when cooked, although I always removed it for a smoother soup. If you can’t find red kuri squash, substitute kabocha, butternut, or another sweet winter squash.
Kuri Squash Soup Ingredients
- Kuri squash: Sweet, nutty, and slightly chestnut-like in flavor. Substitute a small pumpkin, acorn squash, or butternut squash.
- Chickpeas: Roasted until crispy for a delicious, protein-rich topping. Use canned or cooked chickpeas.
- Olive oil: Helps the chickpeas crisp up in the oven.
- Smoked paprika: Adds a warm, smoky flavor to the roasted chickpeas.
- Coconut oil, ghee, or butter: Creates a rich, flavorful base for the soup. Use coconut oil to keep it vegan.
- Onion: Adds savory sweetness and depth.
- Apple: Brings a subtle sweetness that balances the earthy squash and spicy harissa.
- Garlic: Adds aromatic, savory flavor.
- Harissa paste: Adds smoky heat and complex flavor. Substitute cumin, coriander, caraway, smoked paprika, and cayenne for a homemade spice blend.
- Apple cider vinegar: A splash of acidity brightens the soup and balances the sweetness.
- Maple syrup: Enhances the natural sweetness of the squash and apple.
- Vegetable stock or water: Creates the soup’s silky consistency. Vegetable stock adds extra depth of flavor.
- Salt and pepper: Bring all the flavors together.
- Garnishes: Plain yogurt or smoked yogurt, crispy chickpeas, toasted pumpkin seeds, cilantro, and scallions add creaminess, crunch, and freshness. Use plant-based yogurt for a vegan version.
How to Store Kuri Squash Soup
- Refrigerate: Let the soup cool, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store the crispy chickpeas and other toppings separately to preserve their texture.
- Freeze: This soup freezes beautifully! Freeze without the yogurt or garnishes in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Leave a little room for expansion.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or vegetable broth if the soup has thickened. Garnish with crispy chickpeas, toasted pumpkin seeds, fresh herbs, and yogurt just before serving.
- Make ahead: Prepare the soup 1-2 days in advance and refrigerate. The flavors deepen as it sits, making it a lovely option for meal prep.
Chef’s Tips
- Roast the squash for deeper flavor. Roasting brings out red kuri squash’s natural sweetness and gives the soup a richer, more complex flavor.
- Adjust the harissa to taste. Harissa varies considerably in heat. Start with a little, taste, and add more as needed.
- Get the chickpeas crispy. Drain and dry them thoroughly before roasting. Excess moisture prevents them from crisping up.
- Blend until silky. For an especially smooth texture, use a high-speed blender. Add a splash of broth if the soup is too thick. Don’t include the skin.
- Don’t skip the toppings! The contrast between creamy soup, crunchy chickpeas, toasted pumpkin seeds, and cooling yogurt is what makes this recipe so special.
On the home front: Our house has been filled with music lately. Brian surprised us with a record player and new speakers, and we’ve been revisiting all our old favorites.
It never ceases to amaze me how music, much like food, can transport us to another place and time. Listening to songs I loved as a teenager brought back a younger version of myself-the one who loved to dance, be silly, and feel completely carefree.
I’d almost forgotten about her! What a lovely thing to remember.
More cozy fall recipes
Roasted Kuri Squash Soup with Harissa and Chickpeas
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner, fall dinner, fall soup, Soup, vegetarain
- Method: roasted
- Cuisine: American, Moroccan
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Description
Roasted Red Kuri Squash Soup with smoky harissa, crispy chickpeas, and toasted pumpkin seeds. A creamy, flavorful vegetarian soup that’s vegan-adaptable!
Ingredients
- 2 lb Red Kuri Squash ( or small pumpkin, or acorn squash)
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed ( or 1 cup soaked, dry garbanzos), patted dry.
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- pinch salt
- pinch pepper
- ——
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, ghee or butter
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 apple, diced
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1–2 tablespoons harissa paste (or sub: 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (or ground),1 teaspoon coriander seeds (or ground) 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, 1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (for medium spicy)
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4– 4 1/2 cups water or stock
- Garnish – plain yogurt, “smoked yogurt”, crispy chickpeas, toasted pumpkin seeds, chopped cilantro and scallions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Roast the squash. Cut the red kuri squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 30-40 minutes, until very tender and caramelized.
- Roast the chickpeas. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then pat thoroughly dry. Toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a separate baking sheet. Roast alongside the squash for about 20 minutes, until golden and crispy, shaking the pan halfway through. They won’t take as long as the squash.
- Sauté the aromatics. While the squash roasts, heat the coconut oil, ghee, or butter in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and apple and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, reduce heat to medium, and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and garlic is fragrant. Stir in the harissa paste (or spice blend) and cook for 1 minute to toast the spices.
- Blend the aromatics. Transfer the onion and apple mixture to a blender with 1 cup of the water or stock, using the liquid to rinse out the pot. Blend until completely smooth, then return the mixture to the pot. If blending while hot, vent the lid and cover with a towel to allow steam to escape.
- Blend the squash. When the squash is tender, let it cool slightly, then scoop the flesh from the skin. Blend the squash with the remaining water or stock and salt until silky smooth. Add to the pot with the blended aromatics and stir to combine.
- Finish the soup. Warm over medium-low heat. Stir in the apple cider vinegar and maple syrup. Taste and adjust the salt, harissa, or consistency, adding a little more stock if needed.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a swirl of plain yogurt or smoked yogurt, crispy chickpeas, toasted pumpkin seeds, Aleppo pepper, fresh cilantro, and scallions.
- Smoked yogurt: Simply stir a pinch of smoked paprika into plain yogurt to taste.
Notes
- Instead of the spices you could stir in a few teaspoons or more to taste, of harissa paste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: without yogurt
- Calories: 235
- Sugar: 8.2 g
- Sodium: 898.7 mg
- Fat: 9.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 33.9 g
- Fiber: 8.1 g
- Protein: 6.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
can this delicious sounding soup be frozen
It should freeze fine Anna!
Would love a recommendation for what type of Apple to use – my best guess here would be a Honeycrisp/dark red apple.
Those sounds like great choices. Pink lady, gala, honey crisp, fuji, braburn- apple varieties may vary depending on where you live. Any apple you enjoy the flavor of. 🙂
I was looking for a squash soup recipe and the chickpeas and harissa were callling my name! It’s just as delicious as it sounds and looks. I used 1 tablespoon of Trader Joe’s harissa and it was the perfect spice level for us. Will definitely make again!
Thanks so much Cindy, really appreciate the review!
Hi Sylvia,
Do you think a butternut squash would work with this recipe?
I do Donna! It would work great!
Thank you Sylvia! I’ll make it tonight.
Excellent fall soup! Btw I was not sure if I should put the Kuri squash skin in but went with my gut and did it. Still super smooth. Added some pomegranate seeds as a garnish…highly recommend this. Bright and tart juxtaposition to the soup.
Oops I forgot to specify! Sorry about that Jen- and glad it turned out ok. Will update the recipe!
This soup is fantastic! I too use a really good Rose harissa paste in place of the spices but still use the Aleppo pepper because I love the flavor. Have you tried freezing this soup?
Great to hear Tammy- glad you enjoyed. I have not tried freezing but I think it would work just fine!
Red Kuri Squash skin is edible (and quite good too!)
This looks great. Do you scoop out the squash or cut up the whole think with skin?
Scooped it out.
Absolutely fantastic! I LOVE all the flavor and textures. Simply delightful. New favorite for the family! Thank you 🙏
This pumpkin soup is thé best pumpkin soup I ever had!! I made this for a party and everyone was asking me for the recipe! Really really good!!!! ❤️
Wow! I’m so glad you enjoyed this! Thanks for the comment and rating!
This soup made me smile and saying to myself, this is soo good!! Thank you so much for this great recipe.
Everything that I made from your website is always a big hit.
Awww… thanks so much Cindy, appreciate this!
I’m confused about the spices. Is the smoked paprika listed for the soup or for the crispy beans? It is oddly in the middle of the list, which makes me think that amount is for the soup.
Hey Dona! Sorry for the delay…I admit, I am a bit confused too! Ok, I just fixed it… thanks ( I put some in both).
Thanks for the response! I was cooking for my spice-adverse little one, so I put the whole amount of paprika on the chickpeas and none in the soup. I also left out the cayenne. Worked great for us! I’ll add a bit to the soup next time I make it, though.
I’m glad it turned out- have a beautiful weekend Dona!
Wow! Just made this and it was superb. I used a readymade Harissa paste with rose petals. Lovely complex flavour and really comforting after taste. thank you!
oh Good- Glad you enjoyed….. and rose petals! Wow. I’m seriously impressed.
This looks so delicious, my mouth is watering! Great photos! 🙂