Easy Miso Pumpkin Soup

Easy to Make: This pumpkin miso soup recipe is straightforward and hassle-free. With clear instructions, you can roast the pumpkin, sauté the ingredients, and simmer them in broth, then blend until smooth. It's a simple process that even novice cooks can follow!

Cozy Family-Favorite: This cozy recipe is a sure hit with the whole family. The sweet pumpkin, savory and smoky bacon, and umami-packed miso broth blend together to create a soup that's bursting with flavor. Plus, the garnishes add an extra touch that kids and adults alike will love.

Delicious: The combination of ingredients in this recipe results in a soup that's creamy, savory, and just a little bit sweet. It's a delightful blend of flavors that will have everyone asking for seconds.

All you need are some incredibly simple, pantry-staple ingredients to make this delicious pumpkin soup recipe at home.

Here's an overview of the specific ingredients for this recipe. For the exact ingredients and measurements, please scroll to the recipe card below.

• Pumpkin: The star of this recipe, pumpkin brings a delightful sweetness and creamy texture. I like to use sugar pumpkins for cooking but for this recipe, you can also use butternut squash or kabocha squash as well if you can't find pumpkin. You can even use canned pumpkin, but make sure you are buying pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling, which contains additional spices.
• Broth: Whether you use chicken, beef, or vegetable, broth is the foundation of this soup, providing depth of flavor and a liquid for the other ingredients to simmer in. 
• Bacon: Chopped and toasted, bacon adds a salty, smoky flavor and adds a wonderful addition to the sweetness of the pumpkin. 
• Garlic and Onion: This duo gives wonderful aromatics to the soup, especially after they have been caramelized. You definitely should not omit or skip them. Any type of onion will work for this soup.
• Oil: Used for sautéing the onion and garlic, oil helps to release their flavors and prevents them from burning. I like to use avocado oil.
• Butter: The fat in this recipe, butter gives it a rich, full-bodied taste. 
• Miso: This traditional Japanese ingredient provides a lot of umami flavor that deepens the taste of the soup. You can use different types of miso for this (white, yellow or red).  If you can't find miso at your local grocery store, you can usually find it at an Asian grocery store, at a specialty gourmet shop, or online.

Garnishes (Optional):

• Sour Cream: A dollop of sour cream can be added as a garnish, lending a cool, creamy contrast to the warm soup and giving the soup an additional layer of creaminess. I highly recommend full fat sour cream for the best flavor.
• Bacon Bits: Adding fresh bacon bits as a garnish provides a crispy texture and additional salty flavor. 
• Chives or Green Onions: Finely chopped, these garnishes offer a fresh, onion flavor that balances the richness of the soup. 
• Cayenne Pepper: A pinch of cayenne pepper can be sprinkled on top to add a kick of heat and a pop of color.

Making this incredible pumpkin soup recipe at home is super easy and will give you great results every single time. Here's how to make it step by step:

How to Roast the Pumpkin

Preheat the oven: Start by preheating the oven to a temperature of 350F (177C). 

Cut the pumpkin: If you're using a whole pumpkin, butternut squash, or kabocha squash, cut it in half and use a spoon to scrape out and discard the seeds. You could also save the pumpkin seeds for a snack if you like. 

Roast in the oven: Drizzle some oil on the pumpkin or squash, place it on an oven-safe pan, and roast it in the oven for about an hour or until it becomes soft and you can insert a knife into it easily.

Allow pumpkin to cool: Let the pumpkin cool for a few minutes after roasting before you handle it. 

Chop bacon and onions: Meanwhile, chop the bacon and onion and set them aside. 

Mince the garlic: Finely mince the garlic and set it aside too. 

Chop pumpkin into smaller pieces: Cut off the skin from the pumpkin or squash, discard it, then chop the pumpkin into smaller pieces (about one inch in size) and set it aside.

Heat oil and butter: Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. 

Brown the bacon: Once the butter has melted, brown the bacon for about one to two minutes. 

Add garlic and onions: Add the garlic and onions and sauté them until they become soft, which should take approximately five minutes. 

Add the pumpkin: Add in the pumpkin and cook it for about five to ten minutes. You may see brown bits at the bottom of the pan, but don’t worry. These caramelized bits are called 'fond' and are full of flavor. Once you scrape it off with a bit of broth, it will melt into the soup and give it amazing flavors.

Next, add a cup of broth: Add a cup of broth and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. After scraping off all the brown bits, add the rest of the broth and reduce the heat to medium-low. 

Simmer the soup: Simmer the soup for about fifteen minutes. Then, add in the miso and mix it until it dissolves.

Use a blender: Once the ingredients have softened, use a blender (or an immersion blender) to blitz the soup until it becomes smooth. 

Taste and adjust seasoning: Taste the soup and add salt according to your preference. Finally, top the soup with garnishes of your choice and enjoy your delicious homemade pumpkin soup!

Your delicious Pumpkin Soup is ready to serve!

This delicious pumpkin soup recipe is so flavorful and easy to make, you'll want to try out some of these delicious variations! Here are some great ideas:

Roasted Garlic Flavor: If you're a fan of garlic, try roasting a few cloves along with the pumpkin. Roasted garlic has a sweet, caramelized flavor that adds depth and complexity to the soup. To roast the garlic, add a few cloves to a small sheet of foil and drizzle some oil and a sprinkle a bit of salt overtop. Then crumple the foil until it is wrapping the garlic cloves into a foil ball and put it in the oven along with the pumpkin, it should take about an hour to get soft. To use it, peel the garlic after it is soft and use the cloves.

Make it Creamy: For a creamier, richer version of this pumpkin soup, add a splash of heavy cream or coconut milk at the end of the cooking process. This not only gives the soup a silky texture but also adds a delightful creamy flavor that complements the sweetness of the pumpkin.

Add more Spice: If you like your soups with a bit of a kick, try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper or your favorite spices. This will give your pumpkin soup an extra layer of flavor and a spicy twist that warms you from the inside out.

To store your leftover pumpkin miso soup in the fridge, first, let the soup cool to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer the soup into an airtight container. Your pumpkin soup will stay fresh in the fridge for up to five days. 

When you're ready to reheat your soup, you warm it in a small pot on medium heat over the stovetop. Stir the soup occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot, and to ensure it is heated through before serving. If you're in a hurry, you can also reheat your soup in the microwave. Make sure you stir it halfway through the heating time for the best results. 

As for freezing, pumpkin soup actually freezes quite well! So, if you've made a larger batch and want to save some for later, freezing is a great option. To freeze your soup, let it cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Your soup can be frozen for up to three to four months.

To thaw your soup, place it in the fridge overnight. Once it's thawed, reheat it on medium heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally.

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