Kürbis Suppe

Austrian Kürbissuppe with Beef and Chicken

A traditional Austrian pumpkin soup enriched with tender pieces of beef and chicken, thickened with bread and finished with cream and fresh herbs. Hearty enough to be a main course on a cold Alpine evening.

Prep

20 min

Cook

70 min

Total

90 min

Serves

4 to 6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •600 g (1 lb 5 oz) Hokkaido pumpkin (or butternut), skinned, seeded and cubed; Hokkaido needs no peeling
• •250 g (9 oz) beef chuck or shank, cut into 2 cm cubes, well-trimmed
• •250 g (9 oz) chicken thighs (bone-in), skin removed, cut into bite-sized pieces
• •1.2 l (5 cups) cold water or light beef stock, stock gives deeper flavor
• •80 g (3 oz) stale white bread (Semmel), crusts removed, torn; traditional thickener
• •1 medium onion, finely chopped
• •1 medium carrot, diced
• •1 stalk celery, diced
• •40 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter
• •120 ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream (Schlagobers), plus more to finish
• •2 tbsp vegetable oil, for searing the meats
• •1 bay leaf bay leaf
• •4 whole allspice berries, or juniper berries
• •1 tsp sweet paprika (edelsüß)
• •1 pinch grated nutmeg
• •fine salt and white pepper, to taste
• •2 tbsp chopped chives or parsley, for serving
• •1 tbsp pumpkin seed oil, Austrian (Kürbiskernöl), optional but traditional

Steps

1. 1 Pat the beef and chicken dry. Season lightly with salt. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and sear the beef cubes until deep brown on all sides, about 4 minutes total. Remove with a slotted spoon.
2. 2 In the same pot, sear the chicken pieces until lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes; remove.
3. 3 Lower the heat to medium. Add the butter, then the onion, carrot and celery. Cook gently, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the paprika and cook 30 seconds.
4. 4 Return the beef and chicken to the pot. Add the water or stock, bay leaf and allspice. Bring to a simmer, skim the surface, partially cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes, until the beef is tender.
5. 5 Add the pumpkin cubes and continue to simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until the pumpkin is completely soft and falling apart.
6. 6 Stir in the torn bread and let it soak and soften for 5 minutes, then remove the bay leaf.
7. 7 Remove the chicken pieces and shred the meat from them, discarding any bone or cartilage; return the shredded chicken to the pot. (Traditional Austrian home cooking leaves the meat in rustic chunks rather than blending the entire soup; do not purée for the most authentic texture.)
8. 8 Stir in the heavy cream. Season with salt, white pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Simmer 3 more minutes to heat through; do not boil hard.
9. 9 Taste and adjust seasoning. The soup should be thick enough to coat a spoon but still soup-like; add a splash of water or stock if too thick.
10. 10 Ladle into warm bowls. Finish each portion with a small swirl of cream, a few drops of pumpkin seed oil, a little extra nutmeg, and a sprinkle of chives. Serve immediately with crusty Austrian bread.
11. 11 FOOD SAFETY: Ensure the beef reaches an internal temperature of at least 85 °C (185 °F) for a fall-apart result and stays above 63 °C (145 °F) for medium; the chicken must reach 74 °C (165 °F) internal. Cook the pumpkin until it is completely tender before serving.