Chunky Pumpkin Miso Soup with Tofu

Move aside ramen, this homemade Chunky Pumpkin Miso Soup is ready to warm you up. The benefits of miso are HUGE, and with dashi, tofu and pumpkin, you’re set! This simple heart-warming dish is bursting with healthy goodness and intensely delicious flavour.

Can I just say, we were NOT fans of the shivery 3am wake up this morning.

Urrrg.

Flying into Fukuoka, bleary from lack of sleep, we looked out the airplane window over a city smothered under and piles and piles of glistening white snow. A finger-aching -2 degrees greeted us as we stepped outside the plane.

Instead of following our first instincts (I mean who doesn’t want to run out to the first snow pile at 6am and make snow angels in the fresh snow? Because, snow!) we’ve cosied up in an underground cafe for a nice dose of caffeine and to toast those frozen fingers over a hot matcha green tea latte.

Yep. Today is officially the coldest weather either of us has ever experienced – even including one frozen New Year’s Eve Oshogatsu festival in Koyasan a few years ago.

This matcha is pretty good as far as frothy milky lattes go, but it’s a far cry from that amazing bowl of Chunky Pumpkin Miso Soup with Tofu we made back in Osaka a few days ago.

One sip of that waaaaarm and creeeamy soup sent warmth all the way from our tummies to the tips of our frozen toes.

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But that’s not the only reason why we love it. Apart from the feel-good warmth Japanese Miso Soup is packed FULL of benefits:

The Super Awesome Benefits of Miso

Here’s just a couple of reasons why we LOVE Miso Soup. 🙂

• First up. Its super flavourful AND super low in calories – I mean, how often does that happen?

• It’s quick to make – chop, boil and gorge guys.

• It’s loaded with the good stuff – minerals and proteins that keep you happy and healthy.

• You can mix and match with your favourite vegetables to make your own super tasty deliciousness.

• It’s said to help reduce the risk of breast cancer in women.

• AND. It’s rich and filling but totally not heavy. So you can eat your fill and still be ready to ambush your partner with a nice fluffy snow ball.

Ahem.

Better watch out, Sarah. 😉

Where We Discovered Pumpkin Miso Soup

We filled up on this Pumpkin Miso Soup the first time in Kagoshima, southern Kyushu, made by our awesome friend Yuko and her super cute daughter Himari. (We miss you guys so much!).

Yuko dished up this hot and tasty version as part of a traditional Japanese breakfast, spruced up with chunks of rich Japanese pumpkin that were literally melt-in-your-mouth soft. Mm mmm.

The gorgeous bright orange chunks literally soak up all that amazing umami flavour from the blend of miso and dashi, while also transforming the humble broth into a rich, creamy, nourishing bowl of goodness.

When we recreated Yuko’s delicious homemade Pumpkin Miso Soup we used a blend of white miso (shiro miso) and another key Japanese ingredient – Awase Dashi Stock.

Shiro miso is a milder, sweeter variety of miso paste which melds perfectly with the umami flavour from the Awase Dashi – a blend of Japanese kombu and bonito.

What is umami you ask? A whole other taste sensation. Literally! You can read up on it here.

Foodie Cooking Tips

Lastly, we added some brown onion, our favourite firm tofu and a handful of dried wakame seaweed, but you could just as easily make this broth without tofu or seaweed if that’s more to your liking.

But why stop there? Feel free to customise as much as you like by adding in your favourite ingredients.

Japanese daikon radish is an amazing addition, but you can’t go wrong with thinly sliced pork, your favourite mushrooms, fish or seafood.

Mix and match and make it how you like it. 🙂

So the next time you need a tasty soup to warm you up on a cold and stormy night, but one that won’t leave you feeling like you’re carrying a dead weight around, give this one a try.

Oh, and if you like to dip, here’s a pro-tip:

Hot buttered toast may be super Gaijin but it goes a-mazingly with this Pumpkin Miso Soup!

Want some more inspirational Japanese dishes to try at home? Follow along with our Cook: Japanese Recipes on Pinterest!

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Chunky Pumpkin Miso Soup with Tofu

Move aside ramen, this homemade Chunky Pumpkin Miso Soup is ready to warm you up. The benefits of miso are HUGE, and with dashi, tofu and pumpkin, you're set! This simple heart-warming dish is bursting with healthy goodness and intensely delicious flavour.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Japanese

Servings: 4

Author: Wandercooks

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 4 tbsp white miso paste
• 2 tsp awase dashi stock powder
• 100 g Japanese pumpkin diced into chunks
• 100 g firm tofu sliced into 1-2 cm cubes
• 1 brown onion sliced
• 2 tbsp dried wakame seaweed
• 2 tbsp green onion sliced

Instructions

• Place water and dashi stock into a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Add diced pumpkin and onion and boil for 5 minutes.
• Add miso paste, and continue to cook until pumpkin is soft.
• Add tofu and wakame and cook for further minute to warm the tofu without it breaking up.
• Garnish with green onion and serve immediately.

Notes

If the flavour of the broth is too intense you can tone it down by adding a little more miso, or some extra water.

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