Kabocha Squash Chowder

Kabocha is the squash that converts squash skeptics. Sweeter than butternut, denser than acorn, with a chestnut-like flavor when slow-cooked, it falls apart at the edges and stays toothsome at the center. Both textures show up in the same spoonful of this chowder.

The base is classic chowder logic. Render the bacon until crisp, sweat the onion, celery, and red pepper in the rendered fat with thyme and oregano, then build a quick roux with flour. The flour cooks for a couple of minutes (just enough to lose the raw taste) before the chicken stock and squash go in.

Here’s the trick. The kabocha thickens the soup as it cooks. Some pieces dissolve into the broth, some hold their shape, and that uneven softening is what gives the chowder its body without needing cream or potatoes.

Finish off the heat with scallions, the reserved bacon, and a shower of chopped parsley. The smoked almonds garnish on top is non-traditional but transformative, adding salt, smoke, and crunch all at once.

Chef Tips

• Don’t peel kabocha if you don’t want to. The skin is edible and softens beautifully during the simmer.
• Cook the flour fully before adding stock. Raw flour leaves a pasty aftertaste that’s hard to fix.
• Use a wooden spoon to crush a few squash pieces against the side of the pot to thicken the broth further.
• Make this a day ahead. The flavors marry overnight and the chowder tastes deeper the next day.

Variations

• Swap bacon for diced pancetta or smoked ham hock for a different smoky angle.
• Add a splash of cream or coconut milk at the end for a richer version.
• Use butternut or hubbard squash if kabocha isn’t available, though the texture will be slightly looser.