When I attended the Vogue Forces of Fashion Summit in November, it was a treat to watch Zac Posen cook a healthy and hearty kabocha soup during one of the snack breaks. I don’t cook often so when I find a recipe that’s easy to follow and will last me several meals, I’m all in.
Here is the recipe that Zac Posen shared with us:
The final dish was delish and I’m excited to share how I made it. I tried to follow the recipe as closely as possible but it’s a hard recipe to mess up with a lot of wiggle room. Very beginner-friendly so let’s get started!
Prepping the Ingredients
In Zac Posen’s recipe, he uses celery root but I subbed it with celery instead and added a small potato that was sitting in my pantry. Utensils that you’ll need are 2 pots and a blender.
Cut Up Your Veggies
This next step is pretty self-explanatory. You’ll want to cut up all your veggies into small chunks because you will throw them in a pot later to boil and soften before you blend it. I peeled the carrots and potato and skinned the kabocha squash before cutting them up.
I found the kabocha squash to be challenging to cut so ask someone to help you if you’re struggling! Remove the seeds from the squash before you cut it up into chunks.
Time To Simmer
I added 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large pot on medium heat. First add the onions and salt to taste. Continue to stir until they are almost translucent. You don’t want them to brown. This should take a few minutes.
Afterwards, add in all your veggies and enough water for them to simmer for about 15 minutes or until they are nice and soft. You want them to almost fall apart by the time you add them into the blender.
Croutons!
While you wait for the veggies to simmer and soften, it’s the perfect time to start working on the croutons. Heat your oven to 400°F. I used regular white bread for this but if you have a day old baguette that’s even better. Any choice of bread will do! Cube the bread and season with salt, pepper, olive oil, and cheese (if you desire). I used a basil olive oil and Italian cheese blend for this step. I went easy on the seasoning as I didn’t want it to distract from the soup. Throw them in the oven for 8-10 minutes until they’re hot and crunchy.
Blend The Veggies
Once the veggies are nice and soft, it’s time to blend them altogether! Grab a blender and start adding your veggies into it. I added some broth from the original pot for the veggies to blend more easily and also because I didn’t want the soup to be too thick. I did 3 batches that went into the blender and integrated the miso paste into each batch. Just a small spoon of miso into each batch will do as you don’t want it to be too salty.
The Final Step
Add the blended soup into a new pot and put it on low heat to keep warm. At this point you want to taste and add any additional seasoning. (Side note: If you find it to be too salty or thick, add some more of the veggie broth from the original pot) It was super yummy so all I needed to add was some pepper for an added kick. Scoop into a bowl, garnish, and you’re done!
This was a super easy and delicious kabocha soup to make! Vegan-friendly, healthy, and perfect for cold weather! Let me know in the comments if you liked the style of this recipe and your thoughts on Zac Posen’s kabocha soup!
For More Hearty Recipes, Check Out These Articles:
Incredibly Easy and Cozy Soups And Stews To Feast On This Winter
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