Hearty Kabocha & Root Vegetable Miso Soup (具だくさん かぼちゃとごぼうのみそ汁)
A vegetable-packed Japanese miso soup loaded with 1 cm thick kabocha squash, earthy gobo, shimeji mushrooms, daikon, and aburaage. Made with a cold-steeped kombu base and a bonito dashi pack, this hearty soup uses a delicate miso-dilution technique to keep tender root vegetables intact and the broth crystal clear.
Servings: 4
Calories: 135kcal
Ingredients
Dashi Base
- 4 cups 1000 ml water
- 1 piece kombu (dried kelp, approx. 5-inch / 12 cm)
- 1 piece bonito dashi pack (such as Kayanoya or Dashi Okume)
Vegetables & Protein
- 200 g kabocha squash (approx. 7 oz), seeds removed and sliced into 1 cm (3/8-inch) thick crescents
- 100 g gobo (burdock root) (approx. 3.5 oz), scrubbed, sliced diagonally (naname-giri), and soaked in cold water
- 80 g carrot (approx. 3 oz) peeled and sliced into thin half-moons (hangetsu-giri)
- 120 g daikon radish (approx. 4 oz) peeled and cut into quarter-rounds (ichogiri)
- 1/2 shimeji mushrooms root end trimmed and separated into small clumps
- 1 sheet aburaage fried bean curd, scalded in hot water and cut into thin strips
- 2 scallions (1 sliced into thick diagonal pieces (naname-giri) for simmering; 1 finely sliced for garnish)
Seasoning & Toppings
- 3 to 3.5 tbsp awase miso or your preferred red, white, or regional miso paste
- Shichimi togarashi or yuzu kosho optional finishing condiments
Instructions
- Combine 4 cups of cold water and the 5-inch kombu piece in a medium pot. Let steep at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Submerge the sliced gobo in a bowl of cold water for 5 to 10 minutes to draw out raw astringency. Drain thoroughly.
- Add the drained gobo, carrot, and daikon radish directly into the pot with the cold-steeped kombu water. Place over medium heat.
- As small bubbles form along the edge of the pot (just before boiling), remove and discard the kombu.
- Add the dashi pack, reduce heat slightly, and simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the dashi pack with tongs without squeezing to prevent astringency (egumi).
- Add the shimeji mushrooms, thick diagonal scallion slices (naname-giri), and aburaage strips to the pot. Simmer until the daikon and carrots are tender.
- Add the 1 cm thick kabocha slices. Simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes until tender when tested with a toothpick.
- Turn off the heat completely. Scoop a small ladleful of hot broth into a separate cup or ladle, whisk in the miso until smooth, then pour it back into the pot.
- Return the heat to low just until heated through (do not boil). Ladle into bowls and finish with finely sliced scallions, shichimi togarashi, or a dab of yuzu kosho if desired.
Notes
- Dual-Cut Scallions: Using thick diagonal cuts (naname-giri) inside the soup lets the scallions absorb the rich broth and become tender during simmering, while finely sliced raw scallions on top add a crisp, fresh finish.
- Dashi Flexibility: If you don't have a bonito dashi pack, use 1 tsp of instant dashi granules (funmatsu dashi). If using dashi-iri miso, rely on the cold-steeped kombu base and omit the extra dashi pack.
- Why 1 cm Kabocha Slices? Slicing kabocha 1 cm (3/8-inch) thick keeps it from disintegrating into the broth while cooking.
- Miso Selection: Awase miso offers a balanced everyday profile, but red miso (aka miso) adds extra woodsy depth to root vegetables, while white miso (shiro miso) yields a sweeter bowl.
- Tonjiru Variation: Sauté thinly sliced pork belly in a drop of sesame oil at the start before adding the kombu water and root vegetables.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 740mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g