National Dish Haiti: Soup Joumou (Recipe)
In this article
Soup Joumou was forbidden to enslaved Haitians, who grew the pumpkins and cooked the soup for their French owners without being allowed to eat it. On 1 January 1804, the day of independence, they ate it. Haitians have eaten it every New Year’s Day since.
About Soup Joumou
Soup joumou is a pumpkin soup with beef, root vegetables and pasta, and it carries more weight than any other dish in the Caribbean. UNESCO added it to the intangible cultural heritage list in 2021.
It is made on 1 January and shared with neighbours. Households make far more than they need specifically so they can give it away.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 500 g pumpkin (such as butternut or Hokkaido squash)
- 300 g beef (such as shoulder or brisket)
- 1 large onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 sticks celery
- 1–2 cloves garlic
- 1–2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon thyme (dried or fresh)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Water or stock (about 1.5 litres)
Shopping for the ingredients
Giraumon, the Caribbean pumpkin, is the authentic squash; butternut or kabocha are the practical substitutes. Beef shin or brisket, on the bone if possible. A scotch bonnet is standard, dropped in whole and removed, and epis, the Haitian green seasoning base, is what most cooks marinate the meat in.
Preparing the dish
Marinate the beef in crushed garlic, lime, thyme and a little vinegar for an hour or overnight. Cook the pumpkin separately until soft and blend it, then add it back: that is how the soup gets its colour and body without turning to purée throughout.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a large pot, bring the beef to the boil with a little water and let it simmer for about 1–1.5 hours, until tender.
- Remove the cooked beef, allow it to cool, and cut it into small cubes.
- Add the diced vegetables, onion and garlic to the stock and cook for a further 20–30 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin as well and mix everything together well.
- Stir in the bay leaves and thyme, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Before serving, purée the soup for a creamy consistency, or leave it chunky, according to your preference.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
The soup contains no dairy. Traditional versions include pasta, which is wheat; leave it out or use a gluten-free shape and the rest of the dish is naturally gluten-free.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
A vegetable soup joumou with pumpkin, root vegetables, cabbage and pasta in a well-seasoned vegetable stock is a real thing Haitians make, particularly during Lent. The epis seasoning base is vegan and carries most of the flavour. Legim is the other established meat-free dish.
More tips and tricks
Blend some of the pumpkin and leave the rest in pieces, which gives both body and texture. Add a whole scotch bonnet and fish it out before it bursts. And do not skip the lime and vinegar marinade for the beef, which is standard Haitian practice and cuts any gaminess.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
Small pasta, potato, turnip and cabbage all belong in the pot. Some households add malanga or yam. A squeeze of lime at the table is common.
Ingredient substitutions
Butternut, kabocha or Hokkaido all work. Beef can be replaced with goat. Any small pasta shape does.
Drink pairing ideas
Nothing much: the soup is the meal on New Year’s morning. Coffee afterwards. Clairin, the Haitian cane spirit, appears later in the day.
Serving and presentation ideas
Serve it in bowls with bread, and make enough to send some to the neighbours. That sharing is not incidental, it is the tradition. It is eaten in the morning, not as an evening meal.
A bit of history
Haiti was the first Black republic and the only state founded by a successful slave revolt. Soup joumou marks that, and the ban that preceded it is what gives the dish its meaning. Its UNESCO listing in 2021 was Haiti’s first. It stands at the centre of Haitian cuisine in a way no other national dish quite matches.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Soup Joumou
Soup joumou is pumpkin soup with beef and root vegetables, eaten on 1 January to mark Haitian independence. Marinate the beef, blend part of the pumpkin, and make enough to share.
