Name: Hearty Kabocha Miso Soup for Chilly Days
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: ⅛ Kabocha (180g); 1 cup Komatsuna ( or any leafy green vegetable); ½ Tofu (150g); 1½ tsp Dashi Powder (5g); 3 cups Water (720ml); 2 Tbsp Miso Paste

5 from 3 votes

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Nothing beats a cozy bowl of Kabocha Miso Soup on a chilly day! This hearty and flavorful Japanese soup is easy to make and ready in just 15 minutes.

Looking for more simple Japanese pumpkin soups? Try my Creamy Kabocha Soup or Miso-flavored Vegetable Soup!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

A cozy plant-based soup that everyone can enjoy!
Ready in just 15 minutes. This recipe is simple enough for busy weeknights.
Kabocha adds a mild sweetness that perfectly balances the rich miso flavor.

Kabocha

Kabocha, also known as Japanese pumpkin, is a winter squash commonly used in Japanese cooking. It has a dark green outer skin and bright orange flesh that’s sweet and starchy. It’s a delicious vegetable for making creamy soups, roasting, and frying.

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Kabocha Miso Soup:

Kabocha (Japanese Pumpkin): Select one with bright orange flesh and a generous amount of pulp and seeds. If you’re not sure how to cut it safely, check out my guide: How to Cut a Kabocha Squash.
Tofu and Komatsuna: Tofu and leafy greens are classic ingredients in miso soup. You can use either momen tofu (firm) or kinu tofu (silken). Komatsuna is a common Japanese leafy green, similar to spinach, and can easily be substituted with spinach, bok choy, or other greens.
Miso paste: The key ingredient for making miso soup! For a deep, rich flavor, choose a darker miso; for a lighter and sweeter soup, use white miso.
Dashi: This recipe uses kombu dashi powder, a convenient plant-based instant dashi. You can also make dashi from scratch using awase dashi, niboshi dashi, or kombu dashi for a fully vegetarian version.

For Vegans:

Traditionally, miso soup is not plant-based because dashi is made from fish. However, you can easily make it vegan by replacing fish dashi with vegan options like kombu dashi powder or homemade vegan dashi.

How To Make Kabocha Miso Soup: STEP BY STEP

Here’s a quick visual guide! Check the recipe card below for the video and full details!

Step 1

Cut kabocha, komatsuna, and tofu into bite-sized pieces.

Step 2

Put the cut ingredients (except leaves of komatsuna), dashi powder, and water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Simmer until kabocha gets tender.

Step 3

Add komatsuna leaves and simmer.

Step 4

Turn off the heat and stir in the miso paste until well combined.

Serve the soup into bowls and enjoy! The kabocha melts into the broth, adding a gentle natural sweetness. So delicious!

Recipe Tips

If the soup tastes too light, add a little more miso paste to deepen the flavor.
Always stir in the miso paste after the heat has been turned off. Boiling it can reduce its aroma and rich taste.
When adding miso, stir carefully to avoid breaking the tofu pieces.

Variations

Want to add some variety to your kabocha miso soup? Try adding these ingredients that pair perfectly with kabocha!

Potato
Carrot
Onion
Mushrooms (shiitake or shimeji)
Scallion
Aburaage (Deep-fried Tofu)

What To Serve With

To give your kabocha miso soup a more authentic feel, I recommend serving it with Japanese Steamed Rice, Vegan Vegetable Gyoza (dumplings), Cucumber Salad with Shiokombu, and Eggplant Teriyaki.

Dive Deeper into Cooking Kabocha!

To learn more about kabocha, you can explore these articles:

Your Guide to Cooking with Kabocha

Easy and Tasty Kabocha Recipes

Get the eBook

More Kabocha Recipes You Will Love

Leave a Rating!

I hope you enjoy this Kabocha Miso Soup! If you try it, don’t forget to leave a rating to share your thoughts—I love hearing from you!

Hearty Kabocha Miso Soup for Chilly Days

5 from 3 votes

Prep: 5

Cook: 10

Total: 15

Servings:

Author: Juri Austin

Nothing beats a cozy bowl of Kabocha Miso Soup on a chilly day! This hearty and flavorful Japanese soup is easy to make and ready in just 15 minutes.

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Equipment

Medium saucepan
Miso Muddler

Ingredients

Instructions

Preparation: Cut kabocha and tofu into bite-size pieces. Cut komatsuna into bite-size pieces and separate the leaf part and root part.
Bring to a Boil: Put the kabocha, tofu, komatsuna root, dashi powder, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil on medium heat.
Simmer: Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes until kabocha gets tender.
Add the Leaves: Add the leaves of komatsuna and simmer for another minute.
Add Miso Paste: Turn off the heat, add miso (use a miso muddler if you have it), and stir gently until it dissolves.

Notes

Storage: Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
If the soup tastes too light, add a little more miso paste to deepen the flavor
Always stir in the miso paste after the heat has been turned off. Boiling it can reduce its aroma and rich taste.
When adding miso, stir carefully to avoid breaking the tofu pieces.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 61kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 5.1g

This nutritional information is estimated and provided for general reference only.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: kabocha miso soup

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Juri Austin

Hi! I’m Juri, founder of Chef JA Cooks and the creator and photographer of this site. I’m here to guide you in authentic yet easy-to-follow Japanese recipes! Let’s explore the world of Japanese cuisine together!

Learn More About Juri

5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)