Lauki Soup | Bottle Gourd Soup | Dudhi Soup

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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!

lauki soup in black bowl.

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.

Step-by-Step Guide

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.

chopped bottle gourd on a plate.

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.

onion and garlic in oil.

3. Sauté stirring often on medium heat until onions soften. 

onions softened in oil.

4. Add chopped bottle gourd sauté for about 1 to 2 minutes.

peeled and chopped bottle gourd in pressure cooker.

5. Add 2 cups of water to the vegetables.

water and chopped lauki in cooker.

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.

softened lauki in cooker with stock.

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.

cooked lauki in a mesh strainer.

Make Lauki Soup

8. Transfer the cooked and softened bottle gourd, onions and garlic in a blender.

lauki 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.

fine pureed bottle gourd in blender.

10. Transfer the blended and pureed mixture to the same cooker or in a saucepan.

pureed and blended bottle gourd in cooker.

11. Add the stock also.

stock or broth added to cooker.

12. Mix thoroughly.

creamy lauki soup in cooker.

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.

dry herbs and crushed black pepper on top of the bottle gourd soup.

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.

simmering lauki soup in cooker.

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.

calabash soup or bottle gourd soup in black soup on black plate with a brass spoon by the side.

More Soup Recipes To Try!

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lauki soup in black bowl.

Lauki Soup | Bottle Gourd Soup

Lauki Soup is a creamy, nutritious soup made with bottle gourd, onions, garlic, herbs and seasonings. Bottle Gourd is also known as Long Melon or Calabash in English. This Bottle Gourd Soup can be served as is or with a side of crusty bread or baguette.
4.75 from 24 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Cuisine Spanish, World
Course Starters
Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 3
Units

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

  1. You can also opt to cook the bottle gourd in the Instant Pot. First sauté the onions and garlic using the sauté option.
  2. Add the chopped bottle gourd and water. Stir to mix.
  3. Pressure cook on high for 3 minutes using manual or pressure cook mode.
  4. Quick release the pressure after 5 minutes and follow the recipe as mentioned above.

Cooking in a pot on the stovetop

  1. The recipe can also be made in a pot on the stovetop. First sauté the onions and garlic with olive oil.
  2. Add chopped bottle gourd and water.
  3. 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.
  4. 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)

Nutrition Facts
Lauki Soup | Bottle Gourd Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 128 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 10mg3%
Sodium 496mg22%
Potassium 99mg3%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 133IU3%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin B12 1µg17%
Vitamin C 4mg5%
Vitamin D 1µg7%
Vitamin E 1mg7%
Vitamin K 11µg10%
Calcium 37mg4%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 11µg3%
Iron 1mg6%
Magnesium 8mg2%
Phosphorus 27mg3%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This Lauki Soup recipe from the archives first published in August 2011 has been republished and updated on December 2022.

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Meet Dassana

Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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64 Comments

  1. I’m not sure where I missed the notes about the stock.. how much and how is it prepared?

    1. The stock is the water in which the bottle gourd and onions etc was cooked.

  2. Loved the recipe! Tastes so flavourful despite so little going into it! Thanks a ton:)

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