The time has come — it’s finally soup season, and this soup is INSANE. Probably the best soup I’ve ever made, but at least the best soup I’ve made this season. This Kabocha Squash and Fennel Soup uses everything I love about fall to create a rich, filling, and good -for-you meal. It builds flavor in every step, which is what I absolutely love about cooking.
Besides the aforementioned kabocha squash and fennel (each prepared two ways, charred and sautéed), this soup has a bit of sage and rosemary for some classic Thanksgiving flavors, red pepper flakes for heat, and chickpeas and farro for some added body. A touch of heavy cream at the end give this soup its amazing texture, but you’ll just have to make it for yourself to see what all the hype is about.
Table of contents
Ingredients you will need for this squash and fennel soup
This Kabocha Squash and Fennel Soup is rich and hearty with lots of texture, here is everything you will need to make it:
- 1 large kabocha squash, 32 ounces
- 1 large fennel bulb, 12 ounces
- 1 large yellow onion, 7 ounces
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 sprigs rosemary 2 tablespoons, chopped
- 12 fresh sage leaves 2 tablespoons, chopped
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup farro
- 7 cups water
- 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon vegetable base
- 1 19-ounce can of chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
What is a kabocha squash?
Kabocha squash is a kind of winter squash hailing from Japan — though it is used in traditional dishes throughout eastern Asia including South Korea and Thailand. The variety is sometimes referred to as a Japanese pumpkin because its stout, round shape is very similar to the American gourd. The squash’s outer skin is a rich green and has a bright orange flesh similar to an acorn squash.
Kabocha squash has a notably sweet flavor and tends to run a bit sweeter than a butternut squash. Plus, the rind is edible, and in this soup it softens down quite nicely. So no peeling needed!
If you can’t find any kabocha squash near you, don’t worry! Any orange squash or pumpkin will make a great substitute for the kabocha in this squash and fennel soup — just be sure to peel the gourd you’re using if it needs it (ie. a butternut squash will!) and then you’re good to go.
Why do we roast some of the vegetables for the soup?
While some of the veggies get cooked down in the pot for the soup, a good half of them get roasted in a 425°F oven. The squash that gets cooked in the pot softens and adds a lot of texture and body to the soup. Meanwhile, the roasted bits of squash and fennel undergo what is known as the Maillard reaction, a chemical reaction that occurs when food (be it chicken, fish, a vegetable — even sugar) starts to brown giving properly browned food its distinct, rich flavor. When you let this simmer down with the rest of the soup, the squash and fennel give the soup a lot of richness thanks to the charred vegetables.
Oven roasting not only gets the Maillard reaction going thanks to the bits of veg that are in contact with the pan, it also draws out a lot of moisture. When you’re roasting something in the oven, you’re evaporating some of the water that is naturally occurring in the ingredient. Sometimes people describe things like a drink as “water-down” or a boiled potato as “water-logged” to show that they have less flavor. This roasting process works in reverse of that idea by removing water and concentrating the flavors of the different vegetables in this soup.
Will I like this soup if I don’t like fennel?
This soup is perfectly designed for the fennel afraid and might even convert some to, at the very least, fennel curious. In its raw state, fennel has a very distinct anise-flavor that some people find off-putting. However, this soup works hard to minimize that flavor, while still reaping the benefits of the vegetable’s sweetness.
Because half of the fennel gets roasted and the other half caramelizes with onions, garlic, and lots of herbs, the strong anise flavor gets cooked out. As previously addressed, roasting the fennel helps draw out moisture and caramelize the veggies, while still maintaining some of its structural integrity. Sautéing the fennel with onions tames that black licorice-like flavor, resulting in a much sweeter end product whose texture perfectly mimics celery.
Looking for other soup recipes?
And that’s it for this Kabocha Squash and Fennel Soup!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Kabocha Squash and Fennel Soup
Equipment
- 1 chef's knife
- 2 half sheet pans
- 1 large pot or dutch oven 7-quart or larger
Ingredients
- 1 large kabocha squash 32 ounces
- 1 large fennel bulb 12 ounces
- 1 large yellow onion 7 ounces
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 sprigs rosemary 2 tablespoons, chopped
- 12 fresh sage leaves 2 tablespoons, chopped
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup farro
- 7 cups water
- 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon vegetable base
- 1 19-ounce can of chickpeas rinsed and drained, see Note
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Place two racks near the bottom of the oven and preheat to 425°F.
- Halve and deseed the kabocha squash. Cube the squash into 1-inch square pieces. Add half of the squash to a sheetpan, set the other half aside.
- Remove the stalks from the fennel bulb and remove the fronds. Thinly slice the stalks the same way you would celery and set aside. Slice the bulb into bite-sized chunks, add only the chunks of the bulb to a separate sheet pan.
- Halve the onion. Cut one half into chunks the same size as the fennel bulb and add it to the sheet pan with the fennel. Thinly slice the other half and set aside.
- Drizzle both sheet pans with olive oil and season the squash, fennel and onion with a pinch of salt. Mix to coat, and add the two sheet pans to the oven to roast for 25-35 minutes, or until charred on the bottoms.
- While those vegetables are roasting, grate the four garlic cloves, finely chop the three sprigs of rosemary and the twelve sage leaves and set aside.
- Set a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil and two tablespoons of salted butter. Once the butter has fully melted, add the garlic, sage, rosemary, fennel seeds and red pepper flakes. Let these sizzle for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
- Add in the thinly sliced fennel stalks and the thinly sliced onion to the pot, stir to coat in the oil and season with a few large pinches of salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the onion is beginning to soften.
- Add the farro and stir to combine. Toast the farro with the other ingredients for 3-4 minutes, or until darkened by one shade.
- Add the remaining half of kabocha squash to the pot. Stir to coat it in the other ingredients. From here, cover the pot and stir every 4-5 minutes. Do this for 15-20 minutes or until the squash is softened. When the squash is soft, begin to mash it up with your spoon. The more mashed, the better the texture of the soup.
- Whisk together the Better than Bouillon and 7 cups of water. Add the chickpeas and this water mixture to the pot and bring it to a simmer.
- By now, the roasted vegetables should be out of the oven. Transfer them directly into the soup and stir to combine.
- Bring the pot to a low simmer, cover and let cook for 20-35 minutes. The longer it simmers, the more flavor you will build from the charred vegetables.
- When the soup is thick and looking dark and delicious, pour in the heavy cream.
- Taste and season as preferred, then enjoy!
This is just what I needed! Brought a sick me back to life! Topped this with some chili oil and it was perfect!
OK so. Perhaps coincidentally, a beautiful blue kabocha squash and a bunch of fresh sage came into my life this afternoon, and I decided to make this soup. I cannot tell a lie – it is a somewhat labor-intensive recipe (the kabocha prep alone took me nearly 40 mins… microwave to soften, working with a dull peeler, etc.). BUT!!!! It is so so so so delicious and worth every amount of effort expended! ‘Tis the season for winter squash. 100% recommend and will def make again!
Oh no! You didn’t need to peel the squash, hopefully that will save you time next time, this should take you an hour tops!
Hey Justine! In the discussion/intro you wrote ‘While the rind is edible, I prefer to peel the squash since it can take a long time to soften the skin enough to become a palatable texture’ but in the photos the squash looks peeled. Can you clarify whether we should peel it or not? (Either way I’m already making my grocery list so I can make this tonight! So excited!)
Hi Danielle! Oh my gosh I’m so sorry for being late to this. I hope you haven’t peeled your squash! Transparently, I have someone help edit my blog posts for SEO and adding in tips helps, so sometimes not-so-perfect info falls through the cracks. It’s on me and I’m updating the post now!
This was so, so good. I don’t often leave reviews for recepies, but damn this one was too good not to. One of the yummiest meals I’ve had in a while. It has so much depth of flavour even with the substitutions I made to make it vega (I didn’t use butter and I used cashew cream instead of heavy cream). Will definitely be making it again!
Growing up in Taiwan kabocha has always been THE pumpkin in my book, and I absolutely love it. This recipe is probably the best pumpkin soup I’ve ever had!! Thank you so much for all your amazing recipes. I can’t wait for your book to get here end of the month!
AHHH Thank you for pre-ordering and I can’t WAIT for you to see it!
Hey Justine! I want to try this recipe (my husband lives for soups <3) but I was wondering if the farro could be swapped with something else, since it not easily available around here.
Hello! Any grain is a great sub, but I love brown rice for this!
Yet another absolute win from mother snacks. Even though I accidentally bought the wrong squash (went to the farmer’s market thinking “squash that starts with a K”, apparently there’s more than one of those) it was still fantastic.
This soup was AMAZING! The flavors and textures were 💯. Can’t wait to receive your cookbook that I pre-ordered as soon as I was able. Every recipe of yours I have tried is amazing. Looking forward to working my way through the cookbook.
This soup is insanely delicious! I cooked it with a green kabocha and removed the peel just bc I wasn’t sure. The only other variation I made was vegan butter and coconut milk (not cream). The household reviews are “obsessed” as the flavors are very unique. Hearty, a bit spicy and one I’ll definitely make again! Thank you!!
I never write recipe reviews but this was too good not to! My mom and I could not get enough. Thank you!
Good gravy this was DELICIOUS. Worth the effort and time (I’m a very slow chopper, apparently). Cannot wait to have the leftovers for lunch!
So excited to see what other treasures your book brings!
Hi Justine! Is there a sub we can use besides Better Than Bouillon? Would a stock or bone broth work instead?
I used Pacific brand vegetable broth (not the low sodium) and it turned out great!
Justine I just made this soup and I’m so happy. Every time I make one of your recipes it’s a combination of flavors that feels totally new to me and hits the spot exactly. Thank you
Legitimately the best soup ever!! Amazing depth of flavors. Perfect fall comfort food.
Really delicious on day 2 (with more water added). Thought it was lacking acid, so I pumped it up with sherry vinegar + parsley to garnish! So cozy and satisfying without feeling too heavy.
Made it with butternut squash, cuz that’s what they had, roasted all of it to try to deepen flavor to make up for the substitution. And I cooked my beans from dried instead of canned. Other than that, I made this exactly as written. This soup is fantastic. 5 stars.
Really delicious and filling. The only struggle was to cut up the squash! That took a lot of time, but it was worth it. Thank you for the recipe!
This soup is labor-intensive but delicious. I used 3 honeynut squash and the creamy part of a can of coconut milk rather than heavy cream but otherwise stuck to the script. The flavors scream “FALL!!!” in a good way. I love the texture contributed by the farro, and the protein provided by garbanzos. However, total time from tying on my apron to first bite was 3 hours (!!!) so I will not attempt that on a weeknight again.
You said it right! Labor intensive for sure! I did not make any substitutions, rather I omitted the beans. The show does scream Fall in both flavor & colors! Next time I should be able to get it done a bit faster.
This was super delicious! I used yellow eye beans instead of chickpeas because that’s what I had ready to go. I didn’t peel the squash and didn’t mind the skin in my soup. I did find it took a while to make (a little over an hour with all the prep factored in), but the final product was so delicious!! I’ll be enjoying leftovers for the rest of the week!
This soup is very flavorful and enjoyed by all. Please clarify if you rinsed the farro before adding to the soup, and do you have any recommendations for thinning the soup after it’s thickened up while being stored overnight in the refrigerator? I was wondering if I should add more Better Than Bullion or water. Also, the recipe notes to grate the four garlic cloves, but the photo shows the garlic to be sliced/chopping. Can you please clarify. Thank you!
Hi there! Please grate the garlic cloves as per the recipe 🙂 Rinsing farro is not necessary, depending on the brand, but that is up to your preference! As for thinning it out the next day, water will do just fine 🙂
THIS SOUP WAS WORTH THE TIME! I tweaked it by blending some of the roasted squash with the broth first before adding it to the pot. Also didn’t have farro, so I subbed barley. And I added good quality flavored vinegar at the end. It may be the best soup I’ve ever eaten! Justine has the best flavor profiles.
The perfect fall soup. No notes👏🏼
Lots of subs in ingredients and technique because of availability and just not paying attention, but still great! (Scallion & shallot vs onion, poultry seasoning vs sage, didn’t have fennel seed, used butternut squash etc…Chopped the garlic and sliced fennel… added bay leaf, leftover roasted red peps). I think that speaks to it’s versatility of a solid soup base that I’m sure is amazing when prepared as actually written. 🙂
I made this for dinner tonight, it was so delicious! My one year old is super picky, I told her it was “pumpkin soup!” (She loves pumpkins) she loved it! She ate two bowls. I will be making this again.
This was perfect. I had to make a few subs to align with my pantry but this was heavenly. I used some leftover canned pumpkin instead of the squash, added some coriander, lemon juice and miso paste to round out the flavors, and replaced the cream with canned coconut milk. I served the soup over some melted greens because I was trying to use them up.
So you know a recipe is b-o-m-b when you manage to burn the ever loving **** out of it (through no fault of the recipe, I set the flame too high and didn’t watch the pot lol) and it is STILL a crowd favorite. Cozy, filling, with wonderfully layered flavors —what more could you ask of a soup?? And yes, I made it again the next day and it was even better when not burned. 10/10
YUM! Made this recipe last night, soooo good! Simplified it a bit by roasting all the veggies. The flavor was so rich and delicious. Planning when to make it again. If I can’t find the Kabocha squash this time I am going to try it with butternut squash.
I’m so thrilled you liked it! And butternut squash (while a pain to peel), will be a great sub!
Wow! This yielded more than 3 quarts of soup, even subbing a single leek for onion. I’m glad because as others said, it’s a big time investment, even just breaking down the squash, so these will be great freezer meals for future me. Great flavors, so hearty and flavorful and wholesome, extremely easily veganizeable.
I’m so so happy you liked it though!
Love love loved this. I couldn’t find farro but used barley instead and it worked great. I loved how autumnal and filling this was, it was so delish. I don’t really think it was as much work as others in the comments are saying. There were lots of steps but nothing too hard.
I made this tonight and it was truly delicious. It’s so rich and perfect to bring in the cooler weather. I have tried several of Justine’s recipes and I am never disappointed!
I will be sharing this recipe with all my friends!
I made the soup today and the flavors are AMAZING! I think I charred the herbs a bit but it still turned out delicious. I used a red kuri squash which I had never cooked or eaten before and it was so yummy. I will definitely be making this soup again. Is it okay to freeze some of the soup? Can’t wait to get your cookbook!
Absolutely! It freezes so well, and I am so glad you liked the recipe! And thank you for the book support!
THIS is so tasty!! A perfect fall meal and it has everything a balanced meal needs and it was simply delicious! I have preoredered your book on the day it came out, and I can’t wait to finally have it in my hands!
Oh my gosh I am getting to this so late but THANK YOU! I’m so glad you love the soup and I hope you’ll love the book recipes, too <3
I’m confused, you said above the squash has green skin, but the squash in the video is red??
The video used a red kabocha squash, same varietal, just a different color!
This is an outstanding soup. I’m so glad to have finally tried kabocha squash. What an interesting flavor, and all the flavors combined make for such a rich and delicious soup.
I did have a little trouble with step 10. The farro started burning before the squash was soft enough to smash. I ended up smashing the roasted squash instead, and doing a little bit more once the full pot was cooking.
It worked out fine this way.
Now to find kabocha squash already cut up!
Thank you for sharing your recipe creation talent with us!
Can you make this the night before you want to serve it and just keep it sealed in the pot. and bring it to a simmer to serve hot the next day? BTW love your recipes excited to order your book!
First, thank you so much for the order, and to answer your question: yes! It’s even better the next day because the flavors have had time to build. One note is that it might thicken, so just add a few splashes of water after it’s heated if you think it needs it
What a great soup! Definitely keeping this one for the future. It was a lot of work (in my opinion, I do not work fast in the kitchen) but a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I live alone and gave half to my parents who also loved it! Very tasty. I used some freekeh instead of farro. Thank you Justine!
So so glad you liked it!!