We all know that Lauki a.k.a Bottle Gourd (or Long Melon or Calabash) is a healthy veggie. Usually in the Indian cuisine, we make many recipes with it. This creamy Lauki Soup is one such healthful recipe that you can make with bottle gourd. The Bottle Gourd Soup is herby, creamy and absolutely smashing on the palate!
About Lauki Soup
I was introduced to this simple, yet flavorful soup recipe by my Spanish friend. So, this is a Spanish way of making the Bottle Gourd Soup.
Since zucchinis and courgettes are more popular in Spain, the Spaniards prefer their version of this soup with this family of summer squash, and not bottle gourd.
But one day my friend used bottle gourd in her recipe and the result was this amazingly delicious thick, creamy and wholesome Bottle Gourd Soup.
In India, lauki is found in abundance and we have many recipes of our own with this humble and nutritious vegetable. Eating lauki also aids in weight-loss.
Since my friend shared her recipe with me, I made this recipe a couple of times at home. As she would do, you can also make this soup with courgette or zucchini.
As bottle gourd has many health benefits, this soup is an excellent source of essential nutrients for kids and aged people alike. See, its really simple. Prepare this yummy, flavor packed soup and feed it to children who fuss over eating lauki.
Making this soup is a cakewalk! Just get your ingredients ready and follow the recipe to prepare one of the healthiest soups that you can consume.
Have this Lauki Soup as a starter with some bread on the side or with rice. Some crispy golden croutons can be added in the soup for that extra element of texture. This soup also is a fab idea for your brunches as well as light dinners.
How to make Lauki Soup
Prep and Cook Lauki
1. Rinse 350 grams bottle gourd in enough water, peel, chop and set aside. You will need about 2.25 to 2.5 cups chopped bottle gourd for this recipe.
Note: Before prepping bottle gourd, check the taste from both its ends. It should not be bitter. If the bottle gourd has a bitter taste, trash it. Bitter tasting bottle gourd should not be consumed as it can lead to severe and critical abdominal complications including disturbances in the blood pressure levels.
What do you do with the peels? You can make a fab coconut chutney with the peels or a bottle gourd peels chutney.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Add ¼ to ⅓ cup roughly chopped onions and 1 teaspoon chopped garlic.
Instead of olive oil use any neutral-flavored oil like sunflower oil. You can also use butter if you prefer.
3. Sauté stirring often on medium heat until onions soften.
4. Add chopped bottle gourd sauté for about 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Add 2 cups of water to the vegetables.
6. Pressure cook on medium heat for 2 whistles or for 9 to 10 minutes. You can also opt to cook the bottle gourd in the Instant Pot.
7. Let the pressure drop naturally in the cooker. Then only open the lid. Allow the heat reduce a bit and let the bottle gourd pieces become warm.
Keep a pan or bowl beneath a strainer. Pour the entire mixture from the cooker in the strainer. Collect the broth or stock (the water in which the bottle gourd was cooked).
Set it aside. It will be about 1.5 cups of stock.
In the steps below I have blended the cooked lauki in a blender, but if you have a hand-held electric blender or immersion blender, do not strain the stock. Using it blend the cooked lauki in the cooker itself.
Make Lauki Soup
8. Transfer the cooked and softened bottle gourd, onions and garlic in a blender.
9. Blend and puree the veggies to a fine consistency. You don’t need to add any water while blending. But if needed, can add some of the stock while blending.
10. Transfer the blended and pureed mixture to the same cooker or in a saucepan.
11. Add the stock also.
12. Mix thoroughly.
13. Flavor it with ½ to 1 teaspoon of dry mixed herbs and ¼ to ½ teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper. Also, add salt to taste.
14. Mix and simmer until hot. No need to boil the soup.
If you like and for a creamier consistency, add 1 to 2 tablespoons cream cheese or grated cheese. In Spain, they add some cream and cheese instead of cream cheese.
15. Serve the Lauki Soup or Bottle Gourd Soup hot as is or with a toasted bread or baguette. You can also serve it with bread croutons.
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Lauki Soup | Bottle Gourd Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ to ⅓ cup onions – chopped, 1 small to medium-sized onion
- 1 teaspoon garlic – chopped, or 4 to 5 small to medium-sized garlic cloves
- 2.25 to 2.5 cups bottle gourd – chopped, – 350 grams (calabash, long melon, lauki)
- 2 cups water
- ½ to 1 teaspoon mixed dried herbs or add as required
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper or as required
- salt as required
- 1 to 2 tablespoons cheese – grated, vegetarian parmesan or cheddar or cream cheese – optional
Instructions
Preparation
- Rinse the bottle gourd in water first and peel it. Chop the bottle gourd and set aside.
- Roughly chop the onions and garlic and set aside these too.
Making bottle gourd soup
- Heat olive oil in a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Add the roughly chopped onions and garlic.
- Sauté stirring often on medium heat until onions soften.
- Add chopped bottle gourd and sauté for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour 2 cups of water. Stir and mix.
- Pressure cook on medium heat for 2 whistles or for 9 to 10 minutes.
- Let the pressure drop naturally in the cooker. Then only open the lid. Let the heat reduce a bit and the bottle gourd pieces become warm.
- Keep a pan or bowl below a colander or strainer. Pour the entire mixture from the cooker into the strainer.
- Collect the broth or stock (the water in which the bottle gourd was cooked). Set it aside. It will be about 1.5 cups of stock.
- Transfer the cooked bottle gourd, onions and garlic in a blender or food processor.
- Blend or process the veggies to a smooth and fine consistency.
- Transfer the blended and pureed mixture to the same cooker or in a saucepan.
- Add the stock also. Mix thoroughly.
- Flavor it with the dry mixed herbs and freshly crushed black pepper. Also, add salt as needed.
- Mix and simmer until hot. There is no need to boil the soup. Turn off the heat when the soup becomes hot.
- For a creamier consistency, optionally add 1 to 2 tablespoons cream cheese or grated cheese.
- Serve Lauki Soup or Bottle Gourd Soup hot or warm, as is or with a toasted bread or baguette. You can also serve it with bread croutons.
Notes
Making Calabash Soup in Instant Pot
- You can also opt to cook the bottle gourd in the Instant Pot. First sauté the onions and garlic using the sauté option.
- Add the chopped bottle gourd and water. Stir to mix.
- Pressure cook on high for 3 minutes using manual or pressure cook mode.
- Quick release the pressure after 5 minutes and follow the recipe as mentioned above.
Cooking in a pot on the stovetop
- The recipe can also be made in a pot on the stovetop. First sauté the onions and garlic with olive oil.
- Add chopped bottle gourd and water.
- Cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until the bottle gourd is tender. Check a few times when the veggies are cooking. If the water dries up, add some more water.
- When the bottle gourd pieces are softened, let the soup mixture become warm. Choose to blend the veggies using an immersion blender. Or strain the bottle gourd and reserve the stock. Blend the softened bottle gourd in a blender or food processor. Then follow the recipe as mentioned above.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Lauki Soup recipe from the archives first published in August 2011 has been republished and updated on December 2022.
