Soup Joumou
- Total Time
- 2 hours, plus marinating
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:6 to 10 servings (about 20 cups)
- 1large green bell pepper, stemmed and chopped
- 1medium red bell pepper, stemmed and chopped
- ½white onion, chopped
- ¼cup white vinegar
- ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1celery stalk, chopped
- 2scallions, trimmed and chopped
- 1fresh parsley sprig
- 5garlic cloves, peeled
- 1chicken bouillon cube
- ½teaspoon fresh or dried thyme leaves
- 1½teaspoons kosher salt
- 1pound boneless beef chuck, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ½cup fresh lime juice (from about 3 limes)
- 5tablespoons epis seasoning
- 2pounds calabaza squash, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2tablespoons tomato paste
- 1chicken bouillon cube
- 5medium Idaho or russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
- ½small head green cabbage, shredded (about 3 cups)
- 4medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1large white onion, finely chopped
- 2celery stalks, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2scallions, trimmed and sliced
- 3fresh parsley sprigs
- 1Scotch Bonnet pepper
- ¼teaspoon fresh or dried thyme leaves
- 2teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½cup vermicelli
- 1¼cups all-purpose flour
- 1teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Epis Seasoning
For the Soup
For the Dumplings
Preparation
- Step 1
Prepare the epis seasoning: Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and purée. Use epis or transfer to a large jar and refrigerate for up to 6 weeks. (Similar to sofrito, epis is versatile and adds extra kick and flavor. It can be used to marinate beef, fish or chicken, or stirred into rice or soup.)
- Step 2
Prepare the soup: Rinse the beef with lukewarm water, then transfer the meat to a large bowl. Add the lime juice and rub it into the meat until coated. Add 5 tablespoons epis seasoning and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate to marinate, ideally overnight or for at least 30 minutes.
- Step 3
When ready to cook, purée the calabaza squash with 1 cup water in a blender; set aside.
- Step 4
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium. Add the meat with its marinade, the tomato paste and bouillon cube, crushing it between your fingertips. Cook the meat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture caramelizes and darkens, about 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to a bowl to set aside.
- Step 5
Add 6 cups water to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the squash purée, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, onion, celery, scallions, parsley, Scotch Bonnet pepper, thyme, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil again. Stir in the meat with its juices.
- Step 6
Once the mixture comes to a boil, cover the pot, reduce the heat to simmer over low, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Step 7
Remove and discard the Scotch bonnet pepper. (Do not let it burst. If it does, your soup will be very spicy!) Stir in the vermicelli. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes.
- Step 8
Meanwhile, prepare the dumplings: Combine the flour, oil, salt, pepper and ½ cup water in a medium bowl and stir to combine. (You can knead slightly, if needed, to get the dough to come together.) Take about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it between your palms into an elongated shape the width of your palm, about 4 inches long. Add the dumpling to the soup and continue to make dumplings with the remaining dough, dropping them into the soup as they are rolled. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until dumplings are softened and cooked through but still firm, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Step 9
If the soup is too thick for your taste, stir in water, about 1 cup or as desired. Remove pot from heat and serve warm.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Nancy
Tradition with a twist. I just made this, as we Haitian-Americans do every year (more than a few times a year), smells and tastes divine. With pandemic shopping and produce from local farms, I made some substitutes: an acorn, butternut squash and a sweet potato, a ham bone for the beef (yummy blasphemy!), NO bouillon cube (yuk!), kale instead of cabbage, and leeks (green and white) for more flavor. My maman's soupe joumou had the best doumbwyes-dumplings, 1/2 tsp baking powder makes them light.
Jennifer
Any squash substitutes? I can get butternut here
Martine
I live in the Pacific Northwest. If you can find Kabocha Squash, it’s truly the closest to Calabaza that I’ve tasted.
Sim Aberson
Calabaza should be available in any Latin-American market and many large supermarkets. Butternut is a variety of the same species, so can do in a pinch.
Dan Fromm
Interesting, but I think there's a step missing. The other versions, including the Wikipedia account of it, I found put the raw squash into the soup in your step 5 above, remove it when cooked, puree it and put it back in. Pureeing raw squash might work but is unconventional. I know that Wikipedia is the home of all falsehoods, but still ...
Rosy
When I don’t find a good piece of dark yellow calabasa, ( pale ones are not good with the soup), I simply add a can of pumpkin purée. Also, I don’t go through the trouble of peeling, cooking then puréeing the squash. I scrape the seeds and hair, then drop it in the soup. After about 30 minutes, I pull each piece with tongues, and put it on a plate. With a fork I mash and scrape the soft flesh, put in back in the soup, and discard the skin. I work with one slice at a time.
Brejnev Isaac
Ingredients 1 small onion, coarsely chopped 1/2 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped 1/2 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped 1/2 yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped 6 scallions, coarsely chopped 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped 1 cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves with tender stems 1/2 cup olive or canola oil 6 basil leaves
Caitlin
We made this tonight for Halloween dinner. It wasn't the fastest thing we've ever made...it took a bit of time and both my husband and me chopping (for a while!) but our six year old and twelve year olds sons ate two bowls after trick or treating and loved it. We used a black futsu squash and steamed it first and then mashed it with a potato masher. We also served it with extra epis in a dollop on top and a couple of thin slices of Serrano pepper. Great to try something new!
Brejnev Isaac
Epis (Haitian Seasoning Base) This blend of onions, scallions, garlic, parsley, bell peppers, and other spices is the foundation for most Haitian dishes, and many Haitians have it in their refrigerator at all times. Even in recipes that do not call for it specifically, it can often be added. Basil brings a freshness to this version; you can also add thyme. In Haiti, a mortar and pestle is used to mash the ingredients together, but a food processor or blender makes it come together much faster. M
LifeArchitect
No. Lemons won't do. I grew up having this and limes are essential. BTW, where are you that you can't get limes?
LifeArchitect
You might be able to use butternut squash. Being Haitian, it would taste a lot different to me but I think the texture would be right.
Silvia
Butternut should be a fine substitute for calabaza.
Joanne
There is a good deal of prep required for this soup but well worth it. I had to cook it much longer than prescribed and was a bit more generous with the thyme and salt. I used a habanero pepper and allowed it to stay in the soup the whole time since we love spice. It never burst and the soup was only mildly spicy. It got RAVE reviews!
Sukie
Delicious! Used kabocha squash from the garden which I roasted and then scooped out before the purée step. This is a time intensive meal for all the chopping, but worth it! Plus we have leftovers for lunch all week because as others noted, it makes a lot. Served with a squeeze of lime and a bit of hot sauce.
Schuptz
The best thing about making this was learning about Epis. I can't wait to riff on Epis-first thing I'll try is subbing roast garlic for fresh. I loved it as is but my batch is very garlic forward. I kipped the vermicilli and the dumplings were not a pleasant addition. Maybe I didn't roll them thin enough but mine ended up really doughy and floury tasting. Another sub I made was using a habenero (no scotch bonnets to be found) and it added a really nice undertone of chili heat to soup.
Loudy
I am wondering if this food come from heaven?
Bunny
How can I make this vegetarian? Just omit the beef and use vegetable stock instead of chicken bouillon? It’s sounds very yummy so might give that a try! Or does anyone have a vegetarian recipe up their sleeve?
seriousamateur
This is a delicious recipe! I followed it almost exactly, substituting 2 pounds of tiny whole potatoes for the russets. This was a timesaver. The one aspect that didn't work well was pureeing the raw squash. Maybe I didn't puree it finely enough, but I ended up with tiny bits suspended in liquid rather than a smooth-textured soup. Still tasty, but next time I'll cook the squash separately before pureeing and adding to the soup.
Eugene Sedita
When you say the meat should caramélize is that the pan is completely dry at that point and the meat is browned from the hot pan. Or is it that the meat and juice became a brown sauce. Which is what I had even after 20 minutes never mind the ten as specified in the recipe? Thank you so much, Gene
Diane Henningfeld
Making this now--can't get the right kind of squash, so subbing butternut. Can't get a Scotch bonnet pepper, so subbing either serrano pepper or habenero sauce (advice on this?) Otherwise, making exactly as instructed. Finally, how in the heck do you measure 1/2 cup vermicelli? We are talking angel hair pasta here, right? Do I cook it first, before adding? Make a guess as to how much vermicelli will cook to 1/2 cup? Thanks in advance. I'm really looking forward to having this soup!
Stephanie
I didn't use bouillon cubes because the reviewers said not to--I used "better than bouillon" instead. I didn't make dumplings because how many different starch sources do you need in one soup? The meat was amazing but the soup was bland. I won't make the soup again, but I WILL prep beef this way in future.
david estroff
Kabocha or butternut squash will do. Add 1/2 tsp baking powder to dumpling mix.
Val
According to "Fine haitian cuisine" book by Mona Cassion Ménager Either acorn squash or combination of half acorn squash and half regular pumpkin can substitute for calabaza squash
Libby
My digestive track won’t tolerate very spicy food. What can I substitute for the Scotch bonnet pepper?
Daph
I’m telling u (as a Haitian woman) soup joumou is not spicy in the least. You can add scotch bonnet and the squash’s sweetness will mask it.
Michael
Kabocha squash is a very satisfying substitute indeed. Also you don't need to use the bouillon cube if you have left over rotisserie chicken
Diane Johnson
What is epis seasoning? Where do I get it?
Renee
You have to make it, the ingredients and directions are above!
Caitlin
We made this tonight for Halloween dinner. It wasn't the fastest thing we've ever made...it took a bit of time and both my husband and me chopping (for a while!) but our six year old and twelve year olds sons ate two bowls after trick or treating and loved it. We used a black futsu squash and steamed it first and then mashed it with a potato masher. We also served it with extra epis in a dollop on top and a couple of thin slices of Serrano pepper. Great to try something new!
Charles Johnson
No dumplings in soup Joumou( sacrilege!) Dumplings is for Bouyon which is quite different
Vicente
Great! I’d echo a comment here and favour boiling the calabaza/squash before adding to soup. Can be done in same water as the soup.
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