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This velvety pumpkin soup topped with crispy shredded carne seca is a favorite in Brazilian homes and botecos alike. The sweet, silky soup and the salty, crunchy beef balance each other perfectly. Blending pumpkin with cauliflower keeps all the color and flavor while keeping the carbs in check.
Per serving: 303 calories · 7.4 g net carbs · 20 g protein · 22 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
- 10 ounces carne seca (salted dried beef) desalted
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 1/2 cups peeled cubed pumpkin or kabocha squash
- 4 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
- 4 cups chicken bone broth or water
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sliced scallion greens
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Soak the carne seca in cold water in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours, changing the water 3 or 4 times. Cut into chunks, cover with fresh water in a pot (or pressure cooker) and simmer until very tender, about 45 minutes (20 minutes under pressure). Drain and shred finely.
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add the pumpkin, cauliflower and broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, until everything is very soft.
- Blend until completely smooth, stir in the cream and season with pepper and salt, going easy on the salt since the beef is salty.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and fry the shredded carne seca, stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes until browned and crisp at the edges.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and pile the crispy beef in the center. Finish with scallion greens.
Notes
Nutrition
About This Dish
Carne seca is beef that is salted and dried, a method that let ranchers and travelers keep meat for long periods in the days before refrigeration. Brazil has several related styles, including charque from the South and carne de sol from the Northeast, which differ in how much salt and drying they get. Pumpkin, called abóbora or jerimum in parts of the Northeast, grows easily across Brazil and pairs naturally with dried beef. Creme de abóbora com carne seca appears on menus from small botecos to elegant restaurants. It is especially popular as a starter during the cooler months.
This recipe is from The Ultimate Brazilian Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 3: Soups & Stews (Ver-o-Peso Market). See all Brazilian recipes