RECIPESSeptember 24, 2018

add a little salad to your soup – like on this roasted squash soup with miso

And just like that, summer has faded and we find ourselves in fall. I love the way our cravings change from light, refreshing meals to those that are more warming and comforting. There’s no doubt that soup season is in full swing, and I’m excited to share this recipe with you.

Roasting the squash first concentrates it’s sweetness and makes it easy to scoop into the soup. While it’s roasting, I saute the onion, ginger, and garlic and cook the lentils in water or stock. When the squash is cool enough to handle, you can scoop it straight into the pot.

Be sure to turn the heat off of the soup before whisking in the miso. This makes sure to keep all the beneficial properties of the miso in tact. It may seem like an odd ingredient choice, but the natural saltiness of the miso perfectly compliments the sweet squash. It adds dimension that makes it feel like the soup cooked for hours – rather than just 30 minutes.

You can then blend the soup to your liking. I sometimes blend it all super or smooth, or sometimes will leave about half unblended so there is a little more texture. Either way, I’m certain you’ll enjoy.

I like topping this beautifully hued soup with black sesame seeds, thinly shaved radish, and a plop of baby arugula. By no means is this necessary, but it makes it look special, and lends a peppery, fresh flavor.

Roasted squash, red lentil + miso soup

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash (small – medium)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped
½ cup red lentils
4-6 cups water or vegetable stock
¼ cup miso (chickpea, mellow white, brown rice)
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
Black and/or white sesame seeds (for garnish)
Arugula and purple daikon (for garnish)

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 400. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Chop squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out seeds. Drizzle a little olive oil over the cut side of squash and place face side down.

Roast until squash is tender – about 20-30 minutes. This will vary a bit by the size of the squash.

Meanwhile, add tablespoon of oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and ginger and saute until soft and fragrant – about 5 minutes.

Rinse lentils, and add to pot along with water/stock. Bring to a simmer and let cook until lentils are tender – about 20-30 minutes.

When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and add to pot.

You have the option to serve this soup as is for more texture. If you’d like to do that, scoop out about 1 cup of the hot broth (not boiling), whisk in the miso until smooth, and add back to pot. Be careful not to bring the soup back to a boil as you’ll lose some of the benefits of the miso. If you would like to blend all or part of the soup, add the miso along with the soup to blender and blend. Again – be careful not to boil soup after this step.

Return soup to pot, season to taste with salt. Add lemon juice before serving. Option to garnish with gomasio, arugula and/or radish.