Miso, pecorino and pumpkin soup with seeded crisps
Prep time: 20 minsTotal time: 
Miso, pecorino and pumpkin soup with seeded crisps
This hearty sweet-and-savoury soup makes a great dinner-party starter or lovely weekend lunch after a country walk
Prep time: 20 minsTotal time: 
Spencer Lengsfield
Our Senior Food Producer Spencer was born in Los Angeles, so has an inherent love for all things Mexican, Japanese, and Korean but is also heavily influenced by her family’s Louisiana heritage. She loves spice, bright flavours, and fusion food, and she has a soft spot for a chocolate chip cookie.
Spencer Lengsfield
Our Senior Food Producer Spencer was born in Los Angeles, so has an inherent love for all things Mexican, Japanese, and Korean but is also heavily influenced by her family’s Louisiana heritage. She loves spice, bright flavours, and fusion food, and she has a soft spot for a chocolate chip cookie.
Ingredients
- 1-1.2kg pumpkin, deseeded, peeled and cut into wedges
- 1 onion, cut into large chunks
- 2 tbsp garlic purée
- 1½ tbsp miso paste*
- 1 tsp chilli flakes (or to taste)
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
- 60g pecorino romano*, grated
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
- 500ml stock of choice* (we used chicken)
- ½ x 20g pack chives, snipped
Step by step
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Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Arrange the pumpkin and onion on a baking tray. Whisk the garlic purée, ½ tablespoon miso paste, chilli flakes and oil with a little seasoning, then dollop over the tray and mix to coat the veg. Transfer to the oven and roast for 1 hour, or until soft with little charred bits all over.
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Meanwhile, line a separate baking tray with baking paper and arrange half of the grated cheese into 8 x 5cm (approx.) circles. Top each cheese circle with a few pumpkin seeds and some sesame seeds, then transfer to the oven and bake until melted and crispy – around 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes on the baking tray to harden.
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Transfer the cooked pumpkin and onion to a large pan. Cover with the stock, 250ml water and the remaining miso paste, then use a hand blender to pulse until smooth. You can use a standing blender if you prefer, though you may have to do this in batches. Season to taste.
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Sprinkle the soup with the remaining grated cheese and mix through. Ladle into bowls, finish with a drizzle of olive oil and top with a couple of the seeded crisps. Sprinkle over the chives to serve.
*Check your miso and stock is gluten-free and use vegetarian stock and cheese, if required.
