Quibebe

Name: Quibebe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Brazil
Ingredients: 1.2 kg pumpkin or butternut squash; 1 large onion, diced; 4 garlic cloves, chopped; 1 tsp ground cumin; 3 tbsp olive oil; 200 ml water; 1 tsp salt; Black pepper; 1 bunch fresh coriander

A pumpkin purée from north-eastern Brazil melted down with onion and garlic, seasoned with cumin and scattered with coriander.

Published on 2 July 2026·Updated on 10 September 2026

VeganGluten-free#pumpkin#purée#cumin#coriander#nordeste

AI-generated image, not a photograph of the dish

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 45 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

Method

Peel the pumpkin, scrape out the seeds and cut the flesh into 3 cm cubes.
Soften the onion in the oil over medium heat for 8 minutes, until it gives up its water.
Add the garlic and cumin, then stir them against the bottom of the pan for 1 minute.
Tip in the pumpkin with the water and salt. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.
Uncover and crush the flesh against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon. It should collapse on its own.
Let it dry out uncovered for 5 minutes, until the purée holds its shape on the spoon.
Grind over pepper and fold in the chopped coriander off the heat.

The name comes from Angolan Kimbundu and describes the texture rather than the ingredient: in the Nordeste the pumpkin is cooked until it falls apart by itself, never blended. The uneven grain is part of the dish.

The techniques this recipe uses

Sweat the aromatics
Medium heat, no browning: the onion should turn translucent and sweet, not toasted.

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Nutrition per serving

Calories: 197 kcal
Protein: 4 g
Fat: 10.9 g
Carbohydrate: 25.5 g
Fibre: 2.6 g

An estimate computed from the recipe quantities and the USDA food composition database. Real values vary with the products used.

Frequently asked questions

Can I blend quibebe?

No, and that is what sets it apart from a velouté: the flesh breaks down on its own against the side of the pan and the uneven texture is part of the dish. A blender would give a smooth, uniform purée of an entirely different character.

My mash is too runny, how do I tighten it?

Keep cooking it uncovered for a few more minutes: the water evaporates and the mash eventually holds its shape on the spoon. Pumpkins vary a lot in wetness, so judge by eye rather than by the clock.

Which squash should I use?

One with dense, sweet flesh, such as pumpkin or butternut, that collapses as it cooks without releasing too much water. Very fibrous squashes do not mash cleanly and leave strands in the purée.

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