This creamy cinnamon ginger kabocha squash soup is topped with a tart cherry drizzle and pecan cherry crumble. Grab and bowl and get cozy!

Julie and I are in Paris for a quick 4.5 days. It’s the most random trip ever (she entered a recipe contest on the spur of the moment, ended up being a finalist and then got to bring a guest for free to the cook off…in Paris) and after about 6 hours of sleep in the last 48, we’re back in our hotel room after a solid 6 hours of walking around the city and seeing some sights.

A few thoughts from Paris so far:

-Americans are still just as obnoxious, even all the way across the Atlantic. Overheard today in line at Notre Dame…

Him: “she said admission is free but to get in the queue”

Her: “the what?”

Him: “the queue”

Her: “what’s that?”

(all done in a thick redneck accent)

-On the Pierre Hermé vs. Laudree macaron debate: Laudree is like the outdated classical cafe you’d find inside a snobby Sak’s Fifth Avenue with the all the usual flavors (although gingerbread was a delicious slightly out of the box flavor).

Whereas Hermé is like the hip new chef in town putting foie gras (yes, seriously, we bought a foie and fig macaron) in your cookies.

Our vote is Hermé.

-When the weather says sunny and 60, it really means cloudy, feels like 50 at best and some occasional rain showers that will force you into a shoebox sized creperie for lunch wishing for a bowl of the cinnamon ginger kabocha squash soup sitting in your fridge at home, 3,500+ miles away to go along with your buckwheat, fried apple, goat cheese and ham galette and warm you up.

I didn’t get my soup (or the special hot wine they advertised and then were out of when I tried to order it!) but the crepe was pretty killer.

Pan fried apples…so much yes.

If you’re looking for that perfect fall/winter soup to warm you up though (in the absence of a cutesy Parisian creperie), I highly suggest this kabocha soup recipe.

As I mentioned in this guide to winter squash, I’m obsessed with kabocha. It’s hands down my favorite squash of the season. Sweeter than butternut (and with half the carbs – yay for eating more!), it makes the perfect creamy soup that pairs wonderfully with cinnamon and ginger.

To help balance the creamy sweetness, I drizzled it with tart cherry juice concentrate for some tang. Don’t skip the pecan tart cherry crumble topping either because:

1. texture
2. more tang
3. I said so.

Yield: 6 servings

Cinnamon Ginger Kabocha Squash Soup with Tart Cherry Drizzle

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This creamy cinnamon ginger kabocha squash soup is topped with a tart cherry drizzle and pecan cherry crumble. Grab and bowl and get cozy!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 kabocha squash, quartered
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced or coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 2 cups 2% milk

Topping

• Tart cherry concentrate
• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/4 cup dried tart cherries, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place squash flesh side down on a baking sheet and roast for about 1 hour, turn squash over half way through.
3. Remove from oven and let cool.
4. Place a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add coconut oil to the pot.
5. Once coconut oil is melted, add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened.
6. Add garlic and ginger to the pot and cook another minute.
7. Add the cinnamon and red pepper flakes, stir to coat then add the kabocha flesh (it should come right out of the skin after roasting) to the pot.
8. Add the chicken broth and milk and stir to combine.
9. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 5-7 minutes until heated through.
10. Use an immersion blender or process in a blender in batches until smooth.
11. Ladle the soup into serving bowls then drizzle with the tart cherry concentrate (about 1 tablespoon per bowl) and top with a pinch of the chopped pecans and cherries.