Caribbean Pumpkin Chick'n Soup

Name: Caribbean Pumpkin Chick'n Soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Jamaican
Ingredients: 2 medium potatoes; 4 cups Jamaican pumpkin or butternut squash; 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree; 1 (20 oz) can jackfruit (unsweetened); 2 carrots, chopped; 2 ears corn on the cob, cut into 4 pieces each; 3 celery stalks, chopped; 1 large onion, diced; 1 scotch bonnet pepper; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 2 sprigs thyme; 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped; 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped; 8 oz Hodo curry nuggets (optional); 32 oz no-chicken broth; 3 Tbsp no-chicken bouillon paste; 5 cups water; 1 cup filini pasta noodles; 1/4 tsp black pepper; Garlic powder; Cayenne pepper; Salt to taste; Vegan chicken noodle soup seasoning mix (we used Frontier brand); 2 Tbsp olive oil; 1 lime, cut into wedges (optional); 1 cup flour; 1/3 cup water; 1/2 tsp salt

October 1, 2018MainsBy Carlos + Dominique

Serves 8Prep 25 minCook 25 minTotal 50 min

Prep and cook times are estimates — every kitchen moves at its own pace. None significant.

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This is Dominique's heritage in a bowl. Thick, rich, and deeply comforting, this Caribbean pumpkin chick'n soup is built the Jamaican way — pumpkin simmered until it melts into the broth, hearty hand-rolled dumplings, sweet corn, and that slow-building scotch bonnet warmth.

Jackfruit and optional curry nuggets stand in for the meat, and it's every bit as hearty as the original. One pot, total comfort, and a house that smells incredible.

Watch it made

Directions

Rinse and drain the jackfruit. Trim off the hard ends and discard the seeds. Set aside.
In a large pot over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp olive oil, then the onion and fresh garlic. Cook until fragrant.
Add the red and green bell peppers and stir to combine.
Pour in the no-chicken broth and water.
Stir in the no-chicken bouillon paste.
Add the pumpkin puree and stir. Cover the pot and bring to a boil.
While the soup heats, prepare the dumplings: mix the flour, water, and salt into a dough and roll into small dumplings.
Once the soup boils, add the carrots and celery.
Add the butternut squash (or Jamaican pumpkin) and potatoes.
Add the jackfruit and stir.
Add the Hodo curry nuggets (if using) and stir.
Add the vegan chicken noodle soup seasoning mix, thyme, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. Stir to combine. When it returns to a boil, add the whole scotch bonnet pepper. Optional: don’t let the scotch bonnet burst — fish it out whole; a burst pepper takes the heat from background warmth to punishing.
Stir in the pasta.
Add the dumplings and finally the corn on the cob. Stir to combine, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes. Optional: add the dumplings in the last 10–12 minutes only — any earlier and they swell to mush.
Once the soup has thickened, it's ready to serve! Optional: finish with fresh lime juice at serving — acid lifts the rich pumpkin-coconut body.
For extra heat, cut the scotch bonnet pepper in half before adding.