Although the Akkala region may be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of autumn in Hyrule, Kakariko Village should be a close second. The prize crops of Kakariko Village are the perfect ingredients for an autumn meal. The pumpkins and carrots grown here can be used for a number of delicious recipes, one of which is the veggie cream soup.
"This creamy soup showcases the sweetness of vegetables in a veritable taste explosion."
For this soup, we will again use kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkin) to match the appearance of the gourds in the soup. Equal portions of kabocha squash and carrot will be puréed into broth and then enhanced with additional chunks of carrot, pumpkin, and potato. A béchamel will be used to cream the soup. It’s a creamy, flavorful soup perfect for a cool, autumn evening in Kakariko while taking in the mountain and waterfall views.
Ingredients
1 small onion, chopped
1 large stalks of celery, chopped
2 cups carrots, peeled and chopped, divided
2 cups Kabocha squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped, divided
1 potato, peeled and chopped
5 tbsp butter, divided
1 ¼ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
5-7 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
3 cups vegetable broth, divided
3 cups milk, divided
2 tbsp flour
2-3 tbsp chives, diced
4-6 carrot tops, peeled, with leaves attached for garnish (optional)
8-12 large pieces of kabocha squash with rind (optional)
If you are using the soup garnishes, wrap the carrot top greens in aluminum foil. Season the carrot tops and kabocha squash pieces with salt and pepper and toss them in a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Arrange them on a foiled baking tray, and roast in the oven at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, until the vegetables have just softened. Remove them from the oven and remove the foil from the greens. Allow them to cool just a little before handling them for garnishing the soup.
Place a Dutch oven or large stock pot over medium heat. Once warm, add 2 tbsp of butter. Once the butter has melted, add the onion and celery. Sauté the vegetables for about 5 minutes, until softened.
Add 1 cup of the carrots and 1 cup of the kabocha squash and stir to blend with the sautéed vegetables. Add 2 cups of vegetable broth along with 1 tsp of salt, ½ tsp of black pepper, the bay leaves, and the thyme sprigs. Stir to combine. Allow the soup to come to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the soup to simmer on low heat for about 12-15 minutes, until the vegetables soften.
Once the vegetables soften, remove the soup from the heat, and remove the bay leave and thyme sprigs from the soup and discard them. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until it is completely smooth.
Return the soup to the heat, add the remaining cup of broth, the remaining cup of carrots, and the remaining cup of kabocha squash, along with the potato. Stir to combine. Return the soup to a simmer and allow it to simmer for 12-15 minutes, until the vegetables soften once again.
While the vegetables are softening, we will make the bechamel sauce that will cream our soup. Set another smaller pot over low heat. Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in the pot. Once the butter is melted, add the 2 tablespoons of flour. Whisk the flour into the butter to create a smooth roux. Allow the flour to cook for about 2 minutes, but do not allow it to brown.
After the 2 minutes, start slowly whisking in the milk. Pour the milk in slowly, about 2-3 tablespoons at a time and completely whisk it into the roux before adding more. Continue this process until two cups of milk have been whisked in. Once two cups of the milk have been added, add ¼ teaspoon of salt. Whisk the salt into the sauce to fully blend. Turn the heat up to low-medium and allow the béchamel sauce to thicken a little more, about 3-5 minutes. When the béchamel sauce is done, remove it from the heat
When the vegetables have softened, remove the Dutch oven from the heat. Add the remaining cup of milk to the soup, and stir it in to fully incorporate. Now we’ll temper the béchamel before adding it to the soup. Scoop out one ladleful of the hot soup broth and add it to the béchamel sauce. Stir the broth into the béchamel sauce to fully incorporate it. Repeat with a second ladleful of hot broth. Once the béchamel has been tempered, slowly pour it into the soup pot and stir. Continue stirring until the béchamel sauce is fully incorporated into the soup.
Allow the soup to simmer for about 5 minutes more, and the soup is done. To serve, pour the soup into bowls, and garnish it with the optional carrot top and two pieces of roasted kabocha squash. Top the soup with some diced chives. Enjoy!
Learn more about the Veggie Cream Soup dish from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild at Zelda Dungeon.