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Vegetarian, East Asian

Pumpkin hōtō noodle soup

Pumpkin hōtō is a Japanese noodle dish simmered in a miso broth, serving 4 people, ready in 40 minutes at an easy skill level, for €2.20 per serving. The key to success is dropping raw fresh noodles straight into the broth so they thicken it naturally, and adding the miso off the heat to keep its full flavor.

Tonight we're heading to the Japanese mountains with hōtō, those wide noodles simmered with pumpkin in a miso broth.

Pumpkin hōtō noodle soup
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.20
Calories per person
480 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Hōtō is a generous bowl from the Japanese mountains, where wide fresh noodles simmer with pumpkin until the broth turns velvety. Shiitake mushrooms bring an earthy, woodsy note, leek softens the whole thing, and miso stirred in at the end adds a round, gently salty depth that warms you up without feeling heavy.

It's a great choice for a weeknight when you want something filling without spending hours in the kitchen, since everything simmers in one pot. It works just as well for a family dinner as for a casual meal with friends on a chilly fall or winter Sunday, served steaming hot in big bowls.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Pumpkin 600 g
  • Shiitake mushrooms 200 g
  • Carrots 2
  • Leek 1

Dairy

  • Wide fresh noodles, tagliatelle style 400 g

Pantry

  • Misooften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Vegetable brothoften in the pantry 1.2 l
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 1 tbsp

Allergens Gluten, Soy

The step by step recipe

  1. Peel the pumpkin and cut it into cubes, slice the carrots into rounds, cut the leek into chunks, and slice the shiitakes.

    Save the pumpkin seeds and strings for the broth, they add great flavor.

  2. Sauté the leek and shiitakes in the oil, then pour in the broth and add the pumpkin and carrots. 15 min

    Let the shiitakes get a good color before adding liquid, that's where the woodsy flavor comes from.

  3. Drop the fresh noodles straight into the broth without cooking them beforehand. 7 min

    The noodles release their flour and thicken the broth, that's the point, so never rinse them.

  4. Mash a few pieces of pumpkin against the side of the pot to thicken the broth.

    A fork is enough, you want a slightly velvety broth with some nice chunks left.

  5. Dissolve the miso with a ladle of broth, pour it into the pot with the soy sauce, stir, and serve very hot.

    Don't let it boil again after adding the miso, it would lose its delicate flavor.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a ripe, sweet pumpkin, its flesh will melt into the broth better and give a rounder flavor.
  • If you can't find wide fresh noodles like tagliatelle, fresh udon work just as well in this broth.
  • Taste the broth before adding the miso, since the soy sauce and shiitakes already add saltiness, so you can adjust the amount of miso accordingly.

The variations

  • Swap the shiitakes for button mushrooms if you can't find them, the flavor will be milder but the dish still works.
  • For a quicker version, use pre-cut pumpkin cubes from the produce section, saving you a good ten minutes of prep.
  • For kids, blend part of the broth with the pumpkin before serving, the smoother texture often goes over better.

What to serve it with

  • Hot Japanese green tea
  • A side of pickled vegetables
  • Salted edamame as a starter

Storage

Pumpkin hōtō keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, though the noodles will keep soaking up broth. It doesn't freeze well since fresh noodles tend to fall apart. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or broth, without letting it boil hard.

Questions about this dish

Can you substitute the miso with something else?

Miso gives hōtō its signature flavor, so there's no real equivalent. If you don't have any, fermented soybean paste comes close, but the result will taste different.

Can you make pumpkin hōtō ahead of time?

You can prepare the broth with the vegetables ahead and keep it in the fridge. Add the fresh noodles and miso only when you're ready to serve, to keep the right texture.

Why do the noodles cook directly in the broth?

This is the traditional hōtō technique, letting the noodles release their starch and thicken the broth naturally. That's what gives the dish its slightly creamy texture, without adding any cream.

What kind of pumpkin works best for this dish?

A firm, sweet pumpkin, like kabocha or a classic pumpkin, works very well. Avoid watery squash varieties, since they make the broth less flavorful.

How long does it take to make a pumpkin hōtō noodle soup?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a pumpkin hōtō noodle soup?

About 480 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pumpkin hōtō noodle soup cost?

About €2.20 per serving, or €8.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, soy. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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