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Haitian Pumpkin Beef Soup

Haitian soup joumou-style pumpkin beef soup with vegetables and macaroni.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 1 September 2026Updated

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Haitian Pumpkin Beef Soup

1 hr 35 mintotal

40 min hands-on55 min hands-off

Prep 20 min · Cook 20 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Medium
Spice
Medium
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Most of the time is gentle simmering, first to soften the beef and then to let the pumpkin thicken the broth.

Method

  1. Rub Beef Chuck with Lemon juice, Garlic, Thyme, and 0.5 tsp Salt.

  2. Heat Cooking Oil in a soup pot, add the seasoned beef, and brown it for 5 minutes.

    5 min

  3. Add Onion, Pumpkin, Water, and the remaining Salt, then simmer for 35 minutes until the pumpkin is very soft.

    35 min

  4. Mash some of the Pumpkin into the broth to thicken the soup while leaving a few pieces whole.

  5. Add Potato, Carrot, Cabbage, Macaroni Pasta, and the whole Scotch Bonnet Pepper.

  6. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pasta and vegetables are tender and the beef is cooked through.

    20–25 min

  7. Remove the whole Scotch Bonnet Pepper before serving unless more heat is desired.

How to tell it's done

The broth should be golden, lightly thickened by pumpkin, with tender beef and soft vegetables.

Getting it right

Tip

Leaving the scotch bonnet whole gives aroma and controlled heat; cutting it will make the soup much spicier.

What to serve it with

Serve hot as a complete bowl meal with bread on the side if desired.

Common mistakes

The soup tastes watery and the pumpkin stays in pieces.
Simmer until some pumpkin breaks down into the broth. That natural thickening is what gives soup joumou-style broth its body.

Substitutions

  • Pumpkin — Use a firm orange squash if pumpkin is unavailable.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate the soup for up to 3 days and reheat gently until hot. The pasta softens as it sits, so add a splash of water or stock when reheating; freezing is not recommended once the pasta is in the pot.