Pumpkin Miso Soup, the humble pumpkin soup with a twist. This vegan, delicious and creamy soup is prepared with miso paste and ginger to impart lovely strong oriental flavours and coconut milk to balance the flavours and add a touch of creaminess to the soup. This soup makes a great lunch or starter for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
We are well into November and mother nature is doing her job perfectly, leaves turning, days are getting shorter, darker and nights are getting cooler, temperatures are dropping into one digit numbers. In my house, hot beverages are on demands and quite a few times masala chai is brewing. And we are definitely craving for hearty and delicious soups.
AUTUMN AND PUMPKIN
As soon as autumn arrives, most of us think about its produce and pumpkin pops in our mind, there are many more autumn fruits and veg foods in the market but seems like pumpkin rules. Maybe because of Halloween and bonfire night. Pumking decorating and carving takes place around this season, although pumpkin picking, a somewhat American concept, has really taken off in the UK and Europe and what a better way to put leftover pumpkin in a good recipe.
PUMPKIN SOUP
Although there are hundreds of pumpkin recipes are out there, both sweet and savoury somehow the humble pumpkin soup recipes get more attraction and often claimed to be a winter superhero. Pumpkin is a versatile vegetable and nothing goes waste, you don't have to discard the pumpkin skin or seeds. Once it is roasted, steamed or boiled use in any recipe, whether it is sweet or savoury. Honestly, though, there is nothing like holding a warm bowl of pumpkin soup on a chilly night. Being a bland and mildly sweet vegetable, pumpkin blends so well with any flavours. Also, it bulks up the soup and lends a shiny and silky texture to the soup. A classic soup is that is so easy to whip up, but there are many fancied up version or jazzed up ones are pretty cool to enjoy as well.
MISO PASTE
Miso paste or Miso is a traditional and hugely popular Japanese seasoning. It is commonly made with fermented soya beans. It has a salty, pungent and earthy taste and used in many ways, use it as a dressing, marinating, seasoning and can be used in lots of other ways to add flavours to the Japanese dishes. Not sure how true this that Miso and soy sauce were invented by Japanese monks to add savoury (umami) flavour to the vegetables, which adds depth of flavours to any savoury dish. There are a couple of varieties miso pastes available in the authentic stores, but in most stores, a common light yellow colour Miso paste is available, which is versatile and works fine for all the dishes.
THE BASE
Obviously, pumpkin soup isn't pumpkin soup without pumpkin in there, and of course, we need miso paste as well. Like all the other vegetable pumpkin is a powerhouse of goodness, easily available and inexpensive. Also, a couple of basic vegetables come useful for this recipe such as garlic and onion.
THE ADDITIONS
There are a couple of key ingredients is must for this delicious and heart Pumpkin Miso Soup.
- Vegetable stock - homemade is always better but pushed for time store-bought low sodium works fine or stock cubes can do a perfect job too.
- Red Chilli - To jazz up this bland vegetable, fresh red chilli does wonders and lends that extra spice flavours.
- Coconut milk- Because this soup is vegan, we are using coconut milk. Coconut milk gives this soup a creamy and silky texture and flavours.
ALTERNATIVE TO PUMPKIN
STEP BY STEP RECIPE PICTURES
Wash the pumpkin with clean water and cut into big chunks, it is up to you if you want to leave the skin or not. I have as skin has valuable nutrition. Roughly chop the onion and garlic. Place it on the baking tray, sprinkle some oil and salt and roast everything in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until caramelised and soft. In a pan heat oil, add roughly chopped ginger and red chilli, fry for few seconds. Add roasted pumpkin, garlic and onion. Mix well then add vegetable stock and bring it to boil. Turn off the heat and blend it with a hand blender or use liquidiser.
Pour the soup in the pan again, and add coconut milk, turn the heat on. In a bowl mix miso paste and a couple of tablespoons of water and make a thin paste, add into the soup and gently heat the soup. Season the soup with salt and lime juice. Serve in a serving bowl, garnish the soup with the freshly chopped coriander and lightly toasted pumpkin seeds.
Once you'll taste this satisfying autumn soup, you'll never want to eat plain pumpkin soup. I always make soup in big batches and freeze it for later use.
Pumpkin Miso Soup
ingredients
instructions
NOTES:
* Use single cream if you want to make this soup vegetarian. ** You can use toasted sesame seeds too. This soup can be made in big batches and can be a freeze.
cookingwithpree says
Love the flavours here!! The addition of miso is so innovative. I am bookmarking this for later 🙂 Also great photography!
Sasmita says
I love this color of the pumpkin soup. Addition ofmiso here is quite intersting...... perfect for ongoing weather
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Susmita.
Pavani says
Never had pumpkin soup,but your soup looks very delicious and colourful.
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Pavani.
Culinary Adventuress Piyali Sekhar Mutha says
Such lovely pictures dear. The Soup is delectable. Love the Infused oriental flavours which has taken this dish to another level altogether.
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Piyali! It turned out so well.
jayashree says
Seeing so many pumpkin soups on the web, I am in love with these. Should soon give a try to this .
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Jayashree!
Freda says
I've yet to try some miso paste, it sounds amazing in this pumpkin soup!! Gorgeous clicks as always 🙂
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Freda!
Priya Suresh says
Never had a chance to make some culinary experiments with miso paste, am sure that adding them to soup will definitely brings some tremendous flavor to the soup na. PUmpkin miso soup rocks.
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Priya, miso is good in Japanese cuisine!
Holly says
This soup looks so luscious and delicious! I really like that you used miso for some umami flavor in this.
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Holly, without overpowering the flavours 🙂
Mayuri Patel says
I find pumpkin soup so versatile as one can add any kind of flavoring and it tastes simply yum and comforting. I'll have to try it with miso.
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Mayuri, yes and pumpkin soup with miso is so good too!
Jo says
I love pumpkin everything! And pumpkin soup with addition of miso sounds amazing and looks delicious too
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Jyothi.
Unknown says
I love a great bowl of creamy soup! The addition of the miso to this makes it extra special.
jcookingodyssey says
Thank you Erin, absolutely right!
Julie @ Bunsen Burner Bakery says
I love the sound of this! I find pumpkin soups are usually too sweet for my tastes, so adding the miso to make the soup more savory sounds delicious.
jcookingodyssey says
Thank you Julie! I hope you like this recipe.