I never say no to a bowl of steaming, comforting Crema de auyama, the light and creamy Dominican pumpkin cream soup. With a vegan and dairy version, this soup has delicate yet sophisticated flavors suitable for all tastes and diets. Perfect as a light dinner or as an entree.
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- Last reviewed . Published Dic 21, 2002Why we ❤️ it
This light but rich Sopa de auyama or Crema de auyama is perfect as a starter to a big meal, or a light dinner or lunch. It is pretty filling, so serve it with some bread, and you will have a perfectly satisfying dinner.
What is auyama?
Auyama is what we Dominicans call the type of pumpkin commonly used in our cuisine, the most common being West Indian pumpkin. This has become a generic name for various types of pumpkins.
The best and easiest-to-find substitute in the USA is Kabocha squash.
Auyama is very popular in our country as a secondary ingredient and also as the main ingredient in various auyama dishes. It's also a favorite to serve to children and convalescents because of its delicate taste and texture and because it is very digestible.
Sopa de auyama.
Serving suggestions
I have seen crema de auyama served with croutons or toasted bread (Pan de agua is excellent for this), sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, or drizzled with sour cream.
You can serve it as a light dish or as the first dish in a larger meal.
Top tips
- Vegan crema de auyama: If you are vegan you can skip dairy products entirely, and use olive oil or whatever you typically use in lieu of butter. Add an extra cup of stock instead of milk.
- Refrigerating and freezing: Dairy-free crema de auyama can be refrigerated for up to a week. If it contains dairy it's best to consume no more than two days later. Both versions can be frozen in an airtight container for about a month.
About our recipe
I have encountered two versions of this soup, one with milk and one without. Both are very good, but milk changes the flavor significantly.
I have also found that garnished with sour cream is my favorite version, though not a traditional home presentation, but common enough at Dominican restaurants.
Video
Recipe
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Crema de Auyama [Recipe + Video] Cream of Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon salted butter, (or olive oil if making a vegan version)
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 1 pound auyama (kabocha squash), (West Indian pumpkin) peeled and diced
- 1½ teaspoon salt, (or to taste - divided)
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
- 1 cup evaporated milk, (or more stock if making a vegan version)
- ¼ cup sour cream, (optional)
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg, (freshly-grated)
Instructions
1. Sauteing vegetables
- Heat the butter over low heat in a pot. Add onion, auyama, and a teaspoon of salt, and cook and stir until the onion becomes translucent.
2. Boiling
- Pour in the vegetable stock, and add the parsley. Simmer covered until the auyama is cooked-through (about 7 mins).Remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
3. Blending
- Add the pumpkin mix, and milk (see Notes) into a blender. Puree all the ingredients to make a very smooth mixture.
4. Reheating
- Pour into the pot and reheat over medium heat, stir often or it will stick to the bottom.When it has reached a creamy consistency, season with salt to taste if needed. remove from the heat.
5. Serving
- Once served, garnish with the sour cream, and sprinkle with nutmeg.
Cook's Notes
Vegan crema de auyama
If you are vegan you can skip the dairy products entirely, and use oil of your prefrence in lieu of butter. Add an extra cup of stock in lieu of milk.Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
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More auyama recipes
You can find our whole collection of traditional auyama recipes on our blog. It is the main ingredient in our Mazamorra pumpkin mash, Auyama flan, and in Buche perico, a lovely stew. Auyama is a must in Sancocho and Sopa boba, two of our favorite soups.
Outside of our traditional cuisine, I also wrote a Roasted squash soup, and a Sweet pumpkin bread, if you want to try something new.