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Kabocha Squash Miso Soup

When kabocha squash is in season, try adding some kabocha cubes into your miso soup. You will love their bright orange color and their heartiness in your soup.

Miso soup is a versatile soup, it can take on any vegetable and it will still come out delicious. When fall comes and the markets start selling kabocha, it is time to grab some home and make this lovely kabocha squash miso soup. Of course, if your market doesn’t sell kabocha, you can use regular pumpkin, or butternut squash too.

Ingredients to Prepare Kabocha Squash Miso Soup
Ingredients to Prepare Kabocha Squash Miso Soup

What goes into kabocha squash miso soup?

Here are what I consider must-haves for this soup:

  • kabocha squash/pumpkin
  • onion
  • tofu (silken is best, but firm tofu is okay too)
  • wakame seaweed
  • dashi (Japanese stock)
  • miso paste

Dashi is Japanese stock. For the best result, you can try making your own dashi. But for convenience, you can use instant dashi powder/granules too, such as:

  • hondashi. This has bonito fish in it.
  • kombu dashi. This is made with kombu kelp and is suitable for vegans/vegetarians.

My favorite is to make vegetarian dashi from dried shiitake mushrooms and kombu kelp with this easy recipe:

  • 25 gram dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 25 gram dried kombu kelp
  • 6 cups cold water
  1. Soak dried shiitake mushrooms and dried kombu kelp in cold water overnight. If possible, place a plate over the bowl to make sure both shiitake and kombu are all fully submerged.
  2. The next day, remove shiitake and kombu from soaking water. Strain the liquid to remove any dirt, and use the soaking liquid as homemade vegetarian dashi.
  3. You can use the shiitake and kombu in any recipe that calls for them.
Kabocha Squash Miso Soup
Kabocha Squash Miso Soup

How to cook kabocha miso soup

The step-by-step is like this:

  1. Boil together dashi stock, kabocha squash, and onion in a soup pot. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until kabocha is tender but firm. About 10-15 minutes.
  2. Add silken tofu and wakame to the soup and turn the heat to medium-high. Once it boils, turn off the heat.
  3. Place miso paste in a strainer, then lower the strainer into the hot soup and stir with a spoon until all miso paste in the strainer is incorporated into the soup.
  4. Serve miso soup hot garnished with thinly sliced scallions.

A strainer is miso paste best friend

In my early years of making miso soup, I always had the trouble of diluting my miso paste into the soup. Later, I found out that most Japanese put the miso paste into a little strainer. Then, at the end of the cooking time, they lower the strainer into the hot soup and stir with a spoon to dilute the paste into the soup. It’s one of my aha moment, and I thought it is a nice little trick to share :)

Kabocha Squash Miso Soup
Kabocha Squash Miso Soup

Kabocha Squash Miso Soup

5.0 from 5 reviews

Author: Anita Jacobson

Courses: 

Cuisines: 

Ingredients: 

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 30 mins

Serves: 4-6

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Ingredients

  • 6 cups dashi stock (or 6 cups water + 1 tablespoon dashi stock granules) (*)
  • 500 gram (~ 1 lb.) kabocha squash, cut into wedges (**)
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1 packet (400 gram) silken tofu, diced
  • 2 tablespoon dried wakame seaweed, soaked in plenty of cold water to soften
  • 6 tablespoon white miso paste (***)
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. Boil together dashi stock, kabocha squash, and onion in a soup pot. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until kabocha is tender but firm. About 10-15 minutes.
  2. Add silken tofu and wakame to the soup and turn the heat to medium-high. Once it boils, turn off the heat.
  3. Place miso paste in a strainer, then lower the strainer into the hot soup and stir with a spoon until all miso paste in the strainer is incorporated into the soup.
  4. Serve miso soup hot garnished with thinly sliced scallions.

Notes

  • (*) Use mushroom stock granules for a strict vegetarian/vegan option since regular dashi stock granules contains fish.
  • (**) I don't cut away the skin, but if you prefer, you can remove the skin.
  • (***) Feel free to use red miso paste or white-red combination miso paste if that's what you have at home.

Comments

  • Kelley Kelley says:

    I love miso soup and the addition of kabocha is even better!

  • Justine Howell Justine Howell says:

    Love adding the squash, never thought of that before. It was a hit.

  • veena Azmanov veena Azmanov says:

    Best and tasty Dinner option. Looks flavorful and combinations awesome and healthy too.

  • Lisalia Lisalia says:

    Always looking for a delicious recipe. Loved the squash. It was a new one for me to try. LOVE finding great recipes here. Thanks again.

  • Monica Monica says:

    This looks and sounds amazing! I am always looking for new dishes to make with tofu to change up our meatless meals, and this one sounds absolutely fantastic, especially during this cold weather!

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