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Holidays & Special Occasions

Independence Day Pumpkin Soup (Soup Joumou)

The Quirky Foodster Team

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Ingredients

  • 600 g (1.3 lb) beef shank or stewing beef, cubed
  • 2 limes, juiced (for cleaning meat)
  • 1 kg (2.2 lb) calabaza pumpkin, peeled and cubed
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • 1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper
  • 2 litres (8 cups) water or beef stock
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 1 small turnip, peeled and cubed
  • 1 small cabbage, shredded
  • 1 celery stalk, sliced
  • 150 g (1 cup) small pasta (such as macaroni)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

  1. Rub the beef with lime juice, rinse, and pat dry.
  2. Simmer half the pumpkin in a separate pot of water until very soft, about 20 minutes, then blend until smooth; set this pumpkin purée aside.
  3. Heat oil in a large pot and brown the beef on all sides, about 8 minutes.
  4. Add onion and garlic; cook until fragrant, 4 minutes.
  5. Pour in the water or stock, add thyme and whole Scotch bonnet, cover, and simmer 1 hour until the beef is tender.
  6. Stir in the pumpkin purée, remaining cubed pumpkin, carrots, turnip, cabbage, and celery; simmer uncovered 25 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
  7. Add the pasta and cook a further 10-12 minutes until al dente.
  8. Remove the Scotch bonnet, season with salt and pepper, and serve hot in deep bowls.

Introduction: Haiti's most symbolically important dish, soup joumou is a rich pumpkin and beef soup traditionally eaten every January 1st to celebrate Haiti's 1804 independence, since enslaved people were once forbidden from eating this once-colonial delicacy.

Cultural Background: Haiti's most symbolically important dish, soup joumou is a rich pumpkin and beef soup traditionally eaten every January 1st to celebrate Haiti's 1804 independence, since enslaved people were once forbidden from eating this once-colonial delicacy. It was recognized by UNESCO as part of humanity's Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2021.

Tips: Blending part of the pumpkin into a purée gives the soup its signature thick, golden body while leaving some pumpkin in cubes for texture.

Variations: Some families add a splash of vinegar-marinated cabbage on top just before serving for extra brightness.

Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freezes well for up to 2 months (add fresh pasta after thawing).

Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding water or stock if the soup has thickened too much.

Nutrition: Approx. 320 kcal, 24 g protein, 12 g fat, 30 g carbohydrate, 5 g fibre per serving.

FAQs:

Q: Why is soup joumou eaten on January 1st?

A: It commemorates Haiti's independence in 1804, celebrating freedom by eating a soup once reserved for French colonizers.

Q: Is soup joumou recognized internationally?

A: Yes, UNESCO added it to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021.

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