Roasted Kuri Squash Soup with Smokey Harissa and Crispy Chickpeas Recipe
Roasted Kuri Squash Soup with Harissa, roasted chickpeas, toasted pumpkin seeds and smoked yogurt - a hearty, delicious vegetarian soup!
How to Make the Best Roasted Kuri Squash Soup with Smokey Harissa and Crispy Chickpeas
This Roasted Kuri Squash Soup is a stunning fall dish that combines the natural sweetness of roasted squash with the smoky heat of harissa paste. The result is a velvety, deeply flavored soup that’s both comforting and exciting. Red kuri squash, with its chestnut-like flavor and vibrant orange flesh, makes this soup extra special, though any winter squash will work beautifully.
What sets this soup apart are the toppings—crispy roasted chickpeas add a satisfying crunch, while a swirl of smoked yogurt brings cooling creaminess that balances the spice. The addition of apple in the base might seem unexpected, but it adds a subtle sweetness that rounds out the harissa’s heat and complements the squash perfectly.
This Moroccan-inspired soup is hearty enough to serve as a main course with some crusty bread, or makes an impressive starter for a dinner party. It’s naturally vegetarian and can easily be made vegan by using coconut oil and skipping the yogurt topping.
Roasted Kuri Squash Soup with Smokey Harissa and Crispy Chickpeas
Roasted Kuri Squash Soup with Harissa, roasted chickpeas, toasted pumpkin seeds and smoked yogurt - a hearty, delicious vegetarian soup!
Ingredients
Roasted Squash
Crispy Chickpeas
Soup Base
Toppings
Instructions
Roast the Squash and Chickpeas
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Cut squash in half lengthwise, scrape out seeds with a spoon and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, open side down. Roast squash in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until very tender, soft, and caramelized.
- Drain and rinse chickpeas, pat dry with paper towels. Toss with olive oil (enough to lightly coat), salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Spread out on a separate sheet pan.
- Roast chickpeas until crispy, about 20 minutes.
Make the Soup
- In a medium pot, heat coconut oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and apple for 2-3 minutes, stirring, then add garlic, turning heat down to medium. Saute 5 more minutes until garlic is fragrant and golden and onions are tender.
- Add harissa paste and toast for 1 minute, stirring. Remove from heat.
- Add the onion-apple mixture to a blender with 1 cup of water (use this to rinse out the pot). Blend well, taking care to cover blender with a towel and holding lid down very tightly. Blend until spices and onions are very smooth. Place back in the pot.
- Lift off the skins of the squash and discard. Blend the squash with the remaining water or stock and the salt until very smooth, and place back in the pot, stirring.
- Heat over medium-low heat, adding vinegar and maple. Adjust salt to taste.
Serve
- Serve with a swirl of plain yogurt or smoked yogurt, crispy chickpeas, toasted pumpkin seeds, Aleppo chili flakes, and fresh cilantro.
Notes
- Instead of harissa paste, you can use: 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, 1.5 teaspoons smoked paprika, and 0.25 teaspoon cayenne for medium spicy.
- Smoked yogurt is simply plain yogurt mixed with a bit of smoked paprika.
- Red kuri squash has a naturally sweet, nutty flavor, but acorn squash or small pumpkin work well as substitutes.
