This winter roasted pumpkin soup is everything a cold-weather recipe should be—cosy, comforting, and full of flavour. Roasting the pumpkin brings out a rich, caramelised sweetness, while a few spoonfuls of miso paste add deep savoury richness and umami warmth.
It’s finished with a dollop of sour cream, sliced spring onions, a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, and optional chilli flakes for a gentle kick. Serve with sliced toasted crusty bread, for a cold-weather staple you’ll want to revisit all season
If you're searching for roasted pumpkin soup recipes, winter warmers, or a nourishing bowl with a savoury miso twist—this one won’t disappoint.
Recipe created as part of a paid collaboration with Farmers. All thoughts, styling, photography, and recipe are my own.
There was a bit of a revelation as I moved into the winter season… somehow, there were no soup recipes on this website. As an avid soup lover, that felt like a serious oversight—because if there’s ever a time to lean into steaming bowls of comfort, it’s now.
So here we are, finally setting things right with a recipe that’s quickly become a new favourite!
Ingredients You'll Need to Make this Roasted Pumpkin Miso Soup
- Pumpkin: Choose a pumpkin that roasts well like buttercup, butternut, or crown. I went with buttercup. There’s no need to peel the pumpkin as the flesh scoops out easily.
- Onion: Roasting the onion alongside the pumpkin adds depth and a touch of natural sweetness. Simply cut into wedges and remove halfway through so it doesn’t overcook.
- Garlic: Roasting garlic in its skin protects it from burning and gives a milder, sweeter flavour than raw or sautéed garlic. All you have to do is squeeze it out of the skin once roasted.
- Olive Oil: A light drizzle over the pumpkin, onion, and garlic before roasting helps everything caramelise beautifully.
- Salt and Pepper: Season before roasting to help enhance the natural flavours. You can taste and adjust again later, especially once the miso and stock are added. However, I felt like the soup was flavourful enough for me.
- Ginger: Fresh ginger gives the soup warmth and brightness. Dice it finely so it blends smoothly into the soup base.
- Miso paste: White or yellow miso works best here for a mellow, savoury flavour. It gets added into the pot after the ginger, so it retain its subtle complexity.
- Chicken Stock: This gives the soup its savoury backbone. You can use homemade or store-bought, and vegetable stock works too if you want to keep it vegetarian.
Related: Winter Season Fruits and Vegetables
To Serve
- Sour Cream: A dollop on top adds creamy richness that balances the sweetness of the pumpkin and the umami from the miso. It also helps to soften the heat of the chilli flakes, if you add just a little too much.
- Spring Onion: Adds a crisp, fresh contrast and a mild onion bite that lifts the flavour.
- Sesame Seeds: Sprinkle just before serving for a subtle nutty crunch that plays nicely with the miso. I went with a blend of white and black sesame seeds and freshly toasted for the best flavour!
- Chilli Flakes: A light sprinkle adds gentle heat. It’s great for those who like a bit of spice and is customisable to your taste.
- Crusty Bread: Perfect for dipping and scooping up those delicious flavours. A rustic loaf or sourdough works wonderfully. Something with a good chewy crumb and golden edge. Feel free to butter away till your heart’s content.
How to Make this Winter Roasted Pumpkin Soup
This soup comes together in a few simple steps. Most of the magic happens in the oven, leaving you with minimal prep and maximum flavour. Here’s how it’s done…
Prepare the Soup
1. Roast the Vegetables
- Start by preheating your oven to 200°C bake.
- Place your pumpkin halves, onion wedges, and whole garlic cloves (with skin on) into a roasting dish. I went with a lasagne dish which is the perfect size.
- Drizzle everything with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Roast for about 1 hour, removing the garlic and onion halfway through so they don’t overcook.
Tip: Roast the pumpkin cut-side down for better caramelisation and moisture retention.
2. Build the Soup Base
- While the pumpkin finishes roasting, heat a large pot or casserole dish over medium-high heat.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the finely chopped ginger until fragrant (this only takes a minute or so).
- Stir in the miso paste and cook for another minute to bring out its full savoury flavour.
3. Blend it All Together
- Once the pumpkin is tender, scoop the flesh out of the skin and add it to the pot along with the roasted onion and garlic (simply squeeze the garlic out of its skin).
- Pour in the chicken stock and bring everything to a gentle simmer.
- Remove from the heat and blend until smooth
Tip: Use a stick blender straight in the pot or transfer to a blender in batches.
Serve and Add Toppings
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a spoonful of sour cream, sliced spring onion, toasted sesame seeds, and chilli flakes if you like a little heat.
- Serve with toasted slices of crusty bread on the side, and enjoy every warming spoonful.
Tip: The sour cream not only adds richness, but also helps mellow out the chilli if you’ve added it.
MORE Winter Recipes...
Watch this Pumpkin Soup Recipe in Action
Pumpkin Miso Soup
Ingredients
- 1.4 kg pumpkin halved and deseeded
- 1 onion cut into wedges
- 3 garlic cloves skin on
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp finely diced ginger
- 2 tbsp miso paste
- 3 cups chicken stock
To Serve
- sour cream
- sliced spring onion
- toasted sesame seeds
- chilli flakes optional
- crusty bread sliced and toasted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200℃ bake.
- Place the pumpkin, onion and garlic in a lasagne dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Turn the pumpkin cut side down, then roast for 1 hour or until tender. Remove the garlic and onion halfway through.
- Heat a casserole pot over medium-high heat.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil and cook the ginger until fragrant.
- Add miso paste and cook for a further minute.
- Scoop the pumpkin flesh from the skin and squeeze the garlic out of their skins and add to the pot, along with the roasted onion and stock.
- Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and blend until smooth.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with sour cream, spring onion, sesame seeds and chilli flakes if using.
- Serve with bread and enjoy!
If you give this Pumpkin Miso Soup a go, don’t forget to tag @theculinaryletter and #theculinaryletter on Instagram so that I can see all your wonderful creations!
Until next time, stay curious!
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