Pumpkin & Poblano Masa-Dumpling Caldo

Jake's note

"This caldo is all about simple, rustic fall flavors — sweet roasted pumpkin, smoky charred poblanos and pillowy masa dumplings. It’s perfect for a cozy weeknight and the dumplings can be formed ahead for super-easy assembly."

Instructions

1. 1

   Roast the pumpkin and char poblanos

   Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Rub the cut pumpkin halves with 1 tablespoon oil and a little salt; place cut side down on a baking sheet and roast 25–30 minutes until very tender. While the pumpkin roasts, char poblanos directly over a gas flame or under a broiler, turning until blistered on all sides; transfer to a bowl, cover to steam 10 minutes, then peel, seed and roughly chop.

   For this step

   • 1 small (about 2 lb)Small sugar (pie) pumpkin, halved and seeded
   • 2 largePoblano peppers
   • 2 tbspNeutral oil (vegetable or canola)
   
2. 2

   Build the caldo

   In a large pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium; add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Scoop the roasted pumpkin flesh from the skins, add it and the chopped poblanos to the pot, pour in the vegetable broth, bring to a gentle simmer and cook 8–10 minutes to meld flavors; season to taste with salt.

   For this step

   • 1 mediumYellow onion, chopped
   • 3 clovesGarlic, minced
   • 6 cupsVegetable broth
   
3. 3

   Make the masa dumpling dough

   In a medium bowl combine masa harina with warm water and a pinch of salt; mix and knead until a soft, pliable dough forms (like play-dough), about 2–3 minutes — add a tablespoon more water if too dry. Pinch off tablespoon-sized pieces and roll into balls; to make a weeknight shortcut, form the dumplings ahead: refrigerate the shaped dumplings up to 24 hours or freeze them on a sheet tray until solid, then transfer to a bag (see tips).

   For this step

   • 1 1/2 cupsMasa harina
   • 1 3/4 cupsWarm water (to hydrate masa)
   
4. 4

   Cook the dumplings in the simmering caldo

   Bring the caldo back to a gentle simmer and drop the masa dumplings in, a few at a time so they don’t stick. Simmer uncovered for about 8–10 minutes (12–14 minutes if cooking from frozen) until dumplings are cooked through and tender; they will puff slightly and float when done.
   
5. 5

   Finish with epazote

   Stir in the chopped fresh epazote and simmer 1 minute to release its aroma. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more salt if needed and a splash of broth or water to reach your desired consistency.

   For this step

   • 2 tbspFresh epazote, chopped
   
6. 6

   Serve with lime and tips for make-ahead

   Ladle the caldo into bowls and squeeze fresh lime juice over each serving; pass extra lime wedges at the table. Make-ahead tips: shaped dumplings refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze on a tray, then add frozen dumplings straight to simmering broth (allow 2–4 extra minutes). This makes the recipe ideal for a fast weeknight dinner.

   For this step

   • 2 eachLimes (for juice and wedges)
   

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Rub the cut pumpkin halves with 1 tablespoon oil and a little salt; place cut side down on a baking sheet and roast 25–30 minutes until very tender. While the pumpkin roasts, char poblanos directly over a gas flame or under a broiler, turning until blistered on all sides; transfer to a bowl, cover to steam 10 minutes, then peel, seed and roughly chop.
2. In a large pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium; add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Scoop the roasted pumpkin flesh from the skins, add it and the chopped poblanos to the pot, pour in the vegetable broth, bring to a gentle simmer and cook 8–10 minutes to meld flavors; season to taste with salt.
3. In a medium bowl combine masa harina with warm water and a pinch of salt; mix and knead until a soft, pliable dough forms (like play-dough), about 2–3 minutes — add a tablespoon more water if too dry. Pinch off tablespoon-sized pieces and roll into balls; to make a weeknight shortcut, form the dumplings ahead: refrigerate the shaped dumplings up to 24 hours or freeze them on a sheet tray until solid, then transfer to a bag (see tips).
4. Bring the caldo back to a gentle simmer and drop the masa dumplings in, a few at a time so they don’t stick. Simmer uncovered for about 8–10 minutes (12–14 minutes if cooking from frozen) until dumplings are cooked through and tender; they will puff slightly and float when done.
5. Stir in the chopped fresh epazote and simmer 1 minute to release its aroma. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more salt if needed and a splash of broth or water to reach your desired consistency.
6. Ladle the caldo into bowls and squeeze fresh lime juice over each serving; pass extra lime wedges at the table. Make-ahead tips: shaped dumplings refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze on a tray, then add frozen dumplings straight to simmering broth (allow 2–4 extra minutes). This makes the recipe ideal for a fast weeknight dinner.

About the author

Jake

Hello, I'm Jake. I started this recipe site with the idea that I hated recipe websites that overwhelm you with long stories and ads just to see plain content that's not helpful. My goal is to provide you with quality recipes, simple ideas and a fun cooking experience. There's lots of fun things to cook, and I think as you browse the site you'll find that TopShelf.Recipes is the place for quality recipes on the web.

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