Try this Rich and Savory Haitian Soup for New Year’s
Sara Huneke
Dec 22, 2022
Celebrate New Year’s Day with soup joumou, a sumptuous and aromatic Haitian beef and pumpkin soup. Not only does this heart healthy recipe taste delicious, it’s a symbol of independence and a celebration of the human spirit.
“Joumou” is a Kreyòl word that comes from the French word “giraumon,” which means “pumpkin,” according to Visit Haiti. In the 19th century, soup joumou was eaten exclusively by the slaveholding bourgeoisie. Soup joumou was absolutely forbidden from enslaved people as it was considered too expensive and decadent. When enslaved people and Black Haitians fought for and won independence on January 1, 1804, they claimed soup joumou as their own, making the food that was denied them for so long available to everyone.
This is decidedly not a quick-and-easy dish, as there are several steps, but all that effort is worth it. You’ll be rewarded with a wholesome meal packed with nutrients. Pumpkin is high in fiber, vitamin A, and immunity-supporting micronutrients. Beef is an excellent source of iron, protein, and zinc, which supports immunity as well.
As the recipe is written, it wouldn’t be considered low carb, but there are adjustments you can make to reduce the carbs. You could leave out the potatoes and/or pasta and instead, add more cabbage. This soup is traditionally served with bread, but if you’re watching your carbs, you can simply omit the bread or limit it to one slice.
No salt has been added to this soup in order to keep the sodium below 500 miligrams per serving for a heart healthy meal. Feel free to add salt to your preference, but note that this will increase the sodium content. To make this lower in sodium, try using low-sodium bouillon cubes instead of the vegetable base.
Treat yourself this New Year’s Day by cozying up with loved ones while delighting in a piping hot bowl of soup joumou. You’ll surely create memories to savor all year long.
If you’re living with diabetes, consider checking your blood sugar before and after trying a new recipe. It will help you understand how its ingredients impact your diabetes management. If you have any questions, reach out to your One Drop clinical health coach.
Celebrate New Year’s Day with soup joumou, a sumptuous and aromatic Haitian beef and pumpkin soup. Not only does this heart healthy recipe taste delicious, it’s a symbol of independence and a celebration of the human spirit.
Ingredients
Ingredients for the soup
2 lb pumpkin, calabaza or butternut squash
2 lb boneless beef chuck
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 medium potatoes, diced
8 oz pasta, rigatoni preferred
2 cups unsalted vegetable stock
3 cups shredded cabbage
3 large carrots, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
1 tbsp bouillon vegetable base, optional
½ cup fresh lime juice
10 cups of water (plus more for cooking)
Ingredients for the epis (spice paste)
½ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
½ tsp dried thyme
3 multi-colored bell peppers, sliced
½ yellow onion, roughly chopped
¼ cup vegetable bouillon base
3 scallions, roughly chopped
1 ½ tsp ground or whole cloves
10 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp dried basil
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup olive oil
Directions
Make the epis. Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor, and blend until the epis has a pesto-like consistency. Refrigerate until ready for use.
Marinate the meat. In a large bowl, combine the meat with enough epis, so it is completely coated. Cover all with a lid and marinate in the refrigerator overnight or a minimum of 1 hour.
Make the pumpkin puree. Put the pumpkin and 2 cups of water in a blender until smooth and set it aside.
Cook the soup. Take the meat and epis out of the refrigerator. Get a soup pot and turn on the heat to medium. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add meat, epis, and tomato paste to the pot and stir every few minutes, to allow parts of the meat to brown. Do not over stir or it will not brown. Remove meat from the pot and set it aside.
To the pot, add 8 cups of water, pumpkin puree, potatoes, cabbage, onion, carrots, scallion, celery, lime juice, bouillon, and vegetable stock, and cook for 30 minutes while keeping the pot partially covered.
Add the meat with all of the juices back to the pot. Once it all comes to a boil, simmer for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Finish the soup by adding the pasta. Cook for a couple of minutes less than what is directed on the package of pasta as the pasta will continue to cook after turning off the heat.
Taste soup to see if any additional seasoning is needed.
Serve the soup joumou in a bowl with parsley or scallions on top as garnish.
Recipe Note
Rigatoni is a more traditional pasta shape for this dish, but you can use any pasta shape.If there is extra epis, store it in your refrigerator and use later on chicken, seafood, rice, tofu, vegetables, etc.
Frozen pumpkin comes already chopped and works well in this recipe. Thawing methods: (slowest) pull the pumpkin 1- 2 days before use from your freezer to let it thaw in the refrigerator, (faster) submerge squash in water, (fastest) microwave following instructions on the back of the package of squash or on the microwave.
