Pumpkin Miso Soup

Name: Pumpkin Miso Soup
Prep time: 20

5 out of 5 stars (based on 9 reviews)

20 min prep

6 servings

Carrot Icon for Number of Ingredients Size

7 ingredients

This delicious pumpkin miso soup is quick and easy to prepare. The sweetness of the pumpkin is enhanced by the saltiness of the miso. Dark green kabocha pumpkins are usually available year round in...calabaza. If you can’t find one use butternut squash instead, but be sure to peel it, as its skin is less delicate than that of kabocha.

1 small kabocha pumpkin, washed, halved, and seeds scraped out
2 tablespoon grape seed or canola oil
1 large Spanish onion, thinly sliced
8 to 10 cups low-sodium stock or water
2 to 3 tablespoons yellow miso paste (miso shiro), or to taste
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Soy sauce (optional)

Missing an Ingredient?

Visit our ingredient substitution guide ›

Nutrition Facts

Calories

263 cals

Fat

10 g

Saturated Fat

2 g

Polyunsaturated Fat

2 g

Monounsaturated Fat

5 g

Carbohydrates

34 g

Sugar

14 g

Fiber

3 g

Protein

13 g

Sodium

1497 mg

Directions

With a peeler, take off little patches of skin all over the pumpkin halves until they look polka dotted. This is purely decorative and can be left out if you don’t have time. Cut the halves into a ½-inch dice. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over a medium-high flame. When it ripples, add the onion and sauté, stirring until the onion starts to soften and turn transparent. Add the pumpkin cubes, sprinkle with a little sea salt, mix well and cover. Turn the heat down to medium low and sweat the vegetables for about 10 minutes or until the pumpkin has started to soften and the onion is soft. The onion should not brown, so stir the pot occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick.
Add enough stock to the pot to cover the vegetables plus 1 inch. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to low, and simmer until the pumpkin is soft but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Do not overcook! While the soup is cooking, measure the miso into a bowl. Using a small balloon whisk or a fork, gradually whisk in ½ cup of warm stock or cool water until you have a thin-ish, creamy-looking liquid with no lumps.
When the pumpkin is tender, add a grind or two of black pepper, turn off the heat. Add the miso cream little by little, stirring gently to mix. Taste as you go until you know how much you like. Miso is richly salty, so you do not want too much in the soup. Check for seasoning. Serve immediately.

Chef Tips

Miso is a fermented soybean product that is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. Look for it in Asian groceries or health food stores that sell macrobiotic products. There are several different kinds of miso, ranging from rich brown barley miso. through red to sweet yellow ‘white’ miso. As a rule of thumb, the darker the color the stronger the flavor.

Beware: Don’t boil miso. It loses its nutrients when boiled, so take care not to overheat your soup once the miso is in.

If you are having oral problems such as cankers or post radiation dryness, this delicious soup can be pureed by whizzing a couple of cupfuls in a blender for easier swallowing. Let the soup cool somewhat before eating.

Registered Dietitian Approved

Our recipes, articles, and videos are reviewed by our oncology-trained dietitians to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and follows the guidelines set by the Oncology Nutrition for Clinical Practice, 2nd Ed., published by the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, a professional interest group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Society