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.
Nicole says
This soups looks too pretty to eat! Gorgeous!
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Nicol! I know what you mean 🙂
Charity says
It's unseasonably cold here and I'm craving ALL THE SOUPS! This pumpkin soup is next on my list!
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Kitty! Perfect choice 🙂
Amanda says
I love that you used miso paste in this recipe. I never would have thought to make a miso pumpkin soup but it sounds so amazing!! I'm definately giving this a try!
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Amanda! Please do let us know how you like this recipe.
Unknown says
I love how moody these photos are, it definitely helps you feel the season! This soup looks so creamy and comforting - just what we need this time of year!
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Lauren 🙂 I appreciate your lovely words.
Sujata Roy says
Never used miso paste. Soup sounds so comforting and delicious. Beautiful click.
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Sujata. You are missing something delicious!
Lathiya says
What else can be so comforting than this gorgeous looking pumpkin soup for this weather...and the coconut milk addition..I love it
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Lathi.
mildly indian says
I have tried the Miso paste but hardly cooked with it. I am intrigued to try this pumpkin miso combo.
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks!
Corina says
I think pumpkin is great in soup and I love pumpkin and ginger soup. Ginger is something I add to so many recipes but I don't use miso often. I've seen quite a few tempting recipes with it in recently though and I would love to exepriment a bit more with it. Thanks for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice!
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Corina. I started using Miso almost a year ago and love using in many recipes.
Mama Bear's Cook Book says
Yes please!!! I can already smell the toasted pumpkin seeds and garlic and onion. Can't wait to give this recipe a try! And wow, your photos are absolutely beautiful 🙂
jcookingodyssey says
Thank you Mama Bear's Cook Book! Hope you guys enjoy this recipe.
My Culinary Journey says
Adding miso to pumpkin sounds interesting. I have never used miso in any of my recipes. I am tempted to make this delicious soup soon.
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks My Culinary Journey, I am sure you'll like it.
Swati says
Very nice recipe. Never tried Miso.. pumpkin soup with Miso sounds an interesting combination, shall try soon. Your blog is awesome.. wonderful work..
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks a lot Swati, glad you like my work 🙂 Please do try our recipe and post your feedback to us.
Motions and Emotions says
Addition of miso paste is completely new to me though I have prepared pumpkin soup many times... it looks gorgeous
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Amrita, we loved it.
cookingwithpree says
Pumpkin and miso sure seems like a delicious combination! Looks yumm 🙂
jcookingodyssey says
Thank you!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy says
Now this is an interesting twist on Miso soup. I love pumpkin everything. I really needs to give this delicious recipe a try. It looks creamy and hearty at the same time.
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Gloria, please do try it, I am sure you won't be disappointed.
Natalie says
Wow miso in pumpkin soup?! I must give this a try. Love both ingredients but never tried it together in a soup. It looks fantastic. So creamy. Saving this to try definitely.
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Natalie, please do try and let us know how you like it.