Learn how to make Jamaican Pepperpot Soup this is a vegan rendition with leafy green callaloo, vegetable broth, coconut milk, spinners, herbs, spices, okra, sweet potato, cho cho, pumpkin, yam and jackfruit as a meat substitute. A wholesome bowl of goodness that is delicious, soulful and comforting.
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If you have never had pepperpot soup then you have to try my rendition. Without sounding biased, my vegan and non vegan loved ones really enjoy it.
It's so nourishing and tasty that you will be having bowl after bowl, I promise you that!
What is pepperpot?
Incase you're not aware pepperpot soup is traditionally made with meat. To be precise, the meat that is used tends to be salted pork, pigtail or salted beef.
The meat is first boiled to tenderise and then strained to remove the excess salt. It is then added to a pot with a combination of vegetables including pumpkin, cocoyam, okra, sweet potato, onion, garlic, scallion, scotch bonnet, spinners and the main ingredient which is the callaloo.
Callaloo is what gives the soup that green to off green colour. There is no pepperpot without callaloo.
The aforementioned is cooked in water from the meat and coconut milk which creates a rich, velvety smooth texture.
What are spinners?
Spinners are a type of Jamaican dumpling, dumplings are made in two different ways either elongated or like flat discs.
Some recipes calls for spinners for example Jamaican Festival, is a form of a spinner dumpling and also Jamaican Stew Peas tends to be made using spinners.
Pepperpot soup tends to feature spinners rather than the disc shaped dumpling. You simply rolling the dough between your hands rather than form it into a disc shape and that is the main difference (the shape) between the two.
Ingredients you will need
- Onion, scallion, garlic (not pictured) - these are the base ingredients.
- Olive oil - For sauteing the base ingredients.
- Jackfruit - Make sure you are using YOUNG GREEN jackfruit not the sweet variation which is yellow in appearance.
- Vegetable broth/coconut milk - This is main liquid foundation for the soup, used to simmer the vegetables and callaloo.
- Callaloo - This leafy green gives the soup it's rich green colour and texture.
- Yam/cho cho/sweet potato/pumpkin - These are the ground provision used to bulk the soup.
- Okra - Helps to naturally thicken the soup giving it that silkiness.
- Pimento berries - Gives the soup that authentic Jamaican aroma.
- Scotch bonnet - When used in whole offers that depth and warmth in flavour.
- Cock soup mix - This is a flavour enhancer/thickener which is used in so many Jamaican soup(s).
- Onion/garlic granules, black pepper, pink salt and thyme - The herbs and spices used for the recipe.
- Gluten free/pink salt and warm water - For making the spinners.
The steps
- Place the jackfruit in the instant pot.
- Pour in 2 cups of the vegetable broth.
- Put the lid on and switch the knob to the "sealing" position
- Pressure cook on "high" for 10 minutes (the pressure cooker will take afew minutes for the pressure to build before it starts).
- After the given time, leave the unit for 10-15 minutes to perform a natural release before switching the knob to the "venting" position.
- Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the jackfruit and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot on medium heat.
- Saute the onion, scallion and garlic until soft and translucent.
- Pour in both the 2 and 8 cups of vegetable broth into the pot.
- Pour in the coconut milk.
- Add half of the callaloo to the pot then use an immersion blender to break it down.
- Add the remaining half of the callaloo.
- Add the pumpkin, cho cho, sweet potato, yam, okra, onion/garlic granules, black pepper, pink salt, pimento berries, cock soup mix, thyme and scotch bonnet then stir.
- Mix everything together then add the jackfruit.
- Place the flour in a medium sized bowl along with the pink salt.
- Add the warm water slowly to form a pliable dough (you probably won't use all of the water).
- Pinch off a small amount of the dough and roll it in between your hands so it is elogated like a sausage.
- Carefully add the spinner(s) to the soup and repeat this process with the rest of the dough.
- Put the lid on reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 1-1½ hours (you can stir the soup a few times throughout this time).
- After the given time do a taste test, add black pepper and pink salt if needed.
- Remove the thyme and scotch bonnet before serving.
Notes and tips
- This is the recipe that you will need for my homemade Cock Soup Mix and Vegetable Broth.
- If you are unable to get hold of callaloo, spinach is a great substitute I ended up using both callaloo and spinach for this recipe.
- You will need a stock pot that holds atleast 4 quarts/3 litres.
- Feel free to add a variety of different ground provisions, you can rotate and swap some things so use the ingredients as a general guide.
- Keep the scotch bonnet whole, don't prick it unless you want your soup fiery.
- It is highly recommended to pressure cook the jackfruit first because this will make the texture extra soft and gives it more taste.
More vegan Caribbean soups to try
- Jamaican Red Peas Soup Without Meat
- Caribbean Pumpkin Soup (Vegan, Pureed Version)
- Caribbean Callaloo Soup
- Crema de Malanga (Taro Soup)
- Sopa de Plátano Verde (Vegan Green Plantain Soup)
- Roasted Cho Cho Soup (Chayote Soup)
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Jamaican Pepperpot Soup (Vegan)
Ingredients
To tenderise the jackfruit
- 1-2 can(s) of green jackfruit drained
- 2 cups vegetable broth
To make the soup
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 scallion sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 6 cups callaloo tightly packed
- ½ lb pumpkin chopped
- 1 cho cho chopped
- 1 small sweet potato chopped
- ½ lb yam chopped
- 1 cup okra sliced
- 1½ teaspoon onion granules
- 1½ teaspoon garlic granules
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon pink salt
- 1 tablespoon pimento berries
- 4 tablespoon cock soup mix
- 8 sprigs of thyme
- 1 scotch bonnet
- black pepper and pink salt to taste
To make the dumpling
- 1½ gluten free flour
- ½ cup warm water (have this on standby, you most likely won't use it all)
- ¼ teaspoon pink salt
Instructions
- Place the jackfruit in the instant pot.
- Pour in 2 cups of the vegetable broth.
- Put the lid on and switch the knob to the "sealing" position.
- Pressure cook on "high" for 10 minutes (the pressure cooker will take afew minutes for the pressure to build before it starts).
- After the given time, leave the unit for 10-15 minutes to perform a natural release before switching the knob to the "venting" position.
- Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the jackfruit and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot on medium heat.
- Saute the onion, scallion and garlic until soft and translucent.
- Pour in both the 2 and 8 cups of vegetable broth into the pot.
- Pour in the coconut milk.
- Add half of the callaloo to the pot then use an immersion blender to break it down.
- Add the remaining half of the callaloo.
- Add the pumpkin, cho cho, sweet potato, yam, okra, onion/garlic granules, black pepper, pink salt, pimento berries, cock soup mix, thyme and scotch bonnet then stir.
- Mix everything together then add the jackfruit.
- Place the flour in a medium sized bowl along with the pink salt.
- Add the warm water slowly to form a pliable dough (you probably won't use all of the water).
- Pinch off a small amount of the dough and roll it in between your hands so it is elogated like a sausage.
- Carefully add the spinner(s) to the soup and repeat this process with the rest of the dough.
- Put the lid on reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 1-1½ hours (you can stir the soup a few times throughout this time).
- After the given time do a taste test, add black pepper and pink salt if needed.
- Remove the thyme and scotch bonnet before serving.
Notes
- This is the recipe that you will need for my homemade Cock Soup Mix and Vegetable Broth.
- If you are unable to get hold of callaloo, spinach is a great substitute I ended up using both callaloo and spinach for this recipe.
- You will need a stock pot that holds atleast 4 quarts/3 litres.
- Feel free to add a variety of different ground provisions, you can rotate and swap some things so use the ingredients as a general guide.
- Keep the scotch bonnet whole, don't prick it unless you want your soup fiery.
- It is highly recommended to pressure cook the jackfruit first because this will make the texture extra soft and gives it more taste.
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