Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Miso
I love the few weeks around Halloween when British supermarkets offer a range of different pumpkins and squashes. Butternut squash is an all-year staple, but others — such as Hokkaido pumpkin or Harlequin squash — are much harder to find outside this season. Their bright orange or yellow flesh and subtle flavour may not be to everyone’s taste, but I can’t go through autumn without cooking with them.
There isn’t much of a story behind this recipe other than me wanting to make something that feels and tastes like autumn. The result is a subtly flavoured pumpkin soup with gentle umami notes, warming earthy spices like cumin and cinnamon, and a hint of heat from chilli flakes. You can skip the chilli if you prefer a milder soup, but I’d recommend not skimping on the miso — its savoury depth balances the natural sweetness of the pumpkin and enhances the earthiness of the spices.
Prep time: 50 minutes | Serves: 4 | Plant points: 7
Ingredients
3 small or 1 large pumpkin/squash (ideally a mix of varieties), deseeded and sliced with the skin on
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tin (400g) butter beans, drained
3 tbsp unpasteurised miso paste (yellow works best)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
1 litre boiling water or low-salt vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Mixed seeds, for garnish
Chopped parsley, for garnish
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan. Arrange the sliced pumpkin on a large baking tray lined with baking paper. Add the unpeeled garlic cloves and drizzle with 3 tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then roast for about 25 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelised.
Once the pumpkin is roasted, let it cool slightly and peel off the skin if you prefer a smoother soup.
Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent. Stir in the cumin, paprika, and cinnamon, cooking for another minute until fragrant — be careful not to burn the spices.
Add the butter beans, roasted pumpkin, and boiling water or stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and blend until smooth using a hand blender.
In a small bowl, loosen the miso paste with a couple of spoonfuls of cold water, then stir it into the warm soup (avoid boiling, as heat destroys miso’s probiotics) along with the chilli flakes, if using.
Serve topped with mixed seeds and chopped parsley.
Why it works
This soup is the perfect way to celebrate autumn — colourful, warming, and nourishing. Roasting the pumpkin deepens its natural sweetness, while miso adds a savoury depth that makes the soup feel both comforting and sophisticated. The butter beans bring creaminess and extra protein, turning this into a satisfying meal rather than just a starter. It’s simple, plant-rich, and ideal for batch cooking.
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