Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup with Sesame Seeds

It is that time of the year. The fall season. And with that comes the numerous varieties of squash that pop up at the grocery store. One of my favorites is kabocha. But I am always wondering what to make with kabocha squash.

Well, today’s recipe, Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup, comes from Samantha Seneviratne’s Gluten-Free for Good (affiliate link) cookbook. She offers one of the best recipes using this Japanese pumpkin.

In my opinion, this is the kind of soup you expect at a nice restaurant. Funny thing, similar to most of my soup recipes on this blog, it is ridiculously easy to make.

With the addition of salty miso paste and tangy rice vinegar added at the end, you will be surprised at the pleasant combination of sweet-salty-sour flavors.

What is Kabocha?

According to Wikepidia, Kabocha is a Japanese variety of winter squash that is also known as Japanese pumpkin. It is also referred to as Japanese squash.

It is an incredibly versatile vegetable that can be roasted, stuffed or pureed. It’s texture is light and fluffy, similar to that of chestnuts.

How is it Different From Pumpkin?

Kabocha squash is a touch sweeter than pumpkin. Think of the taste as somewhere between sweet potatoes and pumpkin.

Ingredients:

This easy Japanese kabocha soup is made with kabocha squash, olive oil, scallions, ginger, garlic, white miso paste, low-sodium vegetable broth, water, sea salt and rice vinegar.

The toasted sesame seeds and microgreens are optional, but highly recommended!

A few helpful tips on ingredients:

• Scallions: I love the delicate flavor of scallions, but one medium white or yellow onion would be just as delicious.
• Ginger: The hint of ginger has a similar effect as in my Pumpkin Ginger Soup and Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup recipe. It’s that subtle, warming heat that makes it unique.
• Miso Paste: If you have never used miso paste, this is a great recipe to start. Miso paste, also known as fermented soybean paste, is naturally salty, so you don’t have to add too much salt.
• Broth: Vegetable broth keeps the recipe Vegetarian and Vegan. Feel free to use low-sodium chicken broth for a lovely chicken flavor.

How to Make It?

This Japanese squash soup starts with roasting the squash until golden and caramelized. I then work on the rest of the ingredients while the squash roasts in the oven. A light saute, a quick blend and you have a cozy, comforting, plant-based soup in no time. Simply:

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 400 F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Roast the squash: Slice the squash into smaller pieces and drizzle them with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Lightly sprinkle the squash with ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Set them cut side down. Roast for 30 minutes (or until it is soft and tender when pierced with a knife), rotating the baking sheet half way through for even roasting. Cool for a few minutes. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh into a bowl. You should have 3 to 3 ½ cups of squash. Using the back of a fork, lightly break them. No need to puree. It is okay if they are in chunks.
3. Add the onions and saute: Meanwhile, heat the rest of olive oil in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat. Add in the scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5-6 minutes.
4. Stir in the aromatics: Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Add the squash and simmer: Add in the squash, vegetable broth and water. Cover the pot, bring the soup to a boil and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Add the miso: Place the miso paste into a bowl. Ladle 1 cup of the soup liquid into the bowl. Whisk until combined and smooth. Pour the mixture into the soup.
7. Blend: Remove from heat. Using a hand blender, puree the soup until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add more, if necessary. Alternatively, you can puree the soup in a blender in batches.
8. Serve: When ready to serve, taste for seasoning and sprinkle it with salt and pepper if necessary. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with sesame seeds. If preferred, garnish with microgreens.

Optional Toppings:

I kept it simple with microgreens and roasted sesame seeds. But the crunchy chickpea croutons from Vegan Sweet Potato Soup would be divine.

However, the original recipe suggested garnishing with gomasio, also known as sesame salt, along with the green parts of the scallions.

How to make Gomasio: If you choose to follow the original recipe, you can make gomasio by grinding 4 Tablespoons sesame seeds and ½ teaspoon Kosher salt in a spice grinder or using a mortar and pestle. Simply grind to a coarse texture.

Store the extra in a small glass jar in your spice cabinet. Use it on salads, roasted vegetables and even popcorn.

Serving Suggestions:

This roasted kabocha soup recipe easily serves six people. Much like Vegetarian Butternut Squash Soup or Sunchoke Soup, I love to serve this as an appetizer at Thanksgiving or an elegant evening with friends.

But it also makes meal prep a breeze. My husband and I enjoy it as a light lunch throughout the week, too.

How to Store?

If you are a small family like us, feel free to store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.To freeze, allow the soup to cool completely. Then, place the soup in an airtight container and cover it with a lid. Label, date and freeze for up to 3 months.

You Might Also Like:

If you liked this roasted squash soup recipe, here are a few more squash recipes you might like:

• Roasted Delicata Squash
• Turkey Pumpkin Chili
• Pumpkin Creme Fraiche Pasta
• Roasted Acorn Squash Salad

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Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup Recipe (aka Japanese Squash Soup)

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By: Aysegul Sanford

Yields6 servings

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

This heartwarming kabocha squash soup recipe is made by roasting kabocha squash and mixing it with miso paste and fresh ginger for a thick, creamy and hearty soup that you can enjoy all winter long. Gluten free and vegan.

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 medium kabocha squash, approx. 3 pounds , halved and seeded
• ▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• ▢ 5 scallions, both green and white parts
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• ▢ 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• ▢ ¼ cup gluten-free white miso paste *
• ▢ 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• ▢ 2 cups water
• ▢ Sea Salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Optional Toppings:

• ▢ 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• ▢ ¼ cup microgreens, optional

Instructions 

• Pre-heat the oven to 400 F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Slice the squash into smaller pieces and drizzle them with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Lightly sprinkle the squash with ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Set them cut side down. Roast for 30 minutes (or until it is soft and tender when pierced with a knife), rotating the baking sheet half way through the process for even roasting. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh into a bowl. You should have 3 to 3 ½ cups of squash. Using the back of a fork lightly break them. No need to puree. It is okay if they are in chunks.
• Meanwhile, heat the rest of olive oil in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat. Add in the scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5-6 minutes.
• Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add in the squash, vegetable broth, and water. Cover the pot, bring it to a boil, and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
• Place the miso paste into a bowl. Ladle 1 cup of the soup liquid into the bowl. Whisk until combined and smooth. Pour the mixture into the soup.
• Remove it from the heat. Using a hand blender, puree the soup until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add more if necessary. Alternatively, you can puree the soup in a blender in batches.
• Put it back on the stove and bring the now-pureed kabocha squash soup to a boil one last time.
• When ready to serve, ladle into bowls and sprinkle with sesame seeds. If preferred, garnish with microgreens.

Notes

A note on adding more salt: For seasoning, since different varieties of miso paste can taste different I recommend tasting the soup before adding additional salt.How to Store
How to store: If you are a small family like us, feel free to store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze, allow the soup to cool completely. Then, place the soup in an airtight container and cover it with a lid. Label, date and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 440mg | Potassium: 589mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2160IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American, Japanese

Tried this recipe?Mention @foolproofliving or tag #foolproofeats!

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• Need more inspiration? Check out all our Gluten-Free Recipes

This post was originally published in September of 2016. It has been update with new helpful information with no changes to the originally published recipe in November 2020.

This recipe is adapted (with changes) from Gluten-Free for Good: Simple, Wholesome Recipes Made from Scratch (affiliate link).