Japanese Hōtō Noodles in Miso Broth with Pumpkin

Name: Japanese Hōtō Noodles in Miso Broth with Pumpkin
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Main Course
Ingredients: Dashi Stock; Miso Paste; Soy Sauce; Mirin; Hōtō Noodles (or wide udon noodles); Salt; Pumpkin (or kabocha squash), peeled and cubed; Carrot, peeled and sliced; Onion, thinly sliced; Shiitake Mushrooms, sliced; Green Onions; Spinach Leaves

A hearty noodle soup brimming with autumnal flavors.

This traditional Japanese dish features wide, hearty noodles simmered in a rich miso broth packed with soft pumpkin and seasonal vegetables.

1 h 30 min
4
Intermediate

Ingredients

For the Broth

Dashi Stock

1.5 liters

Miso Paste

3 tablespoons

Soy Sauce

2 tablespoons

Mirin

1 tablespoon

For the Noodles

Hōtō Noodles (or wide udon noodles)

300g

Salt

To taste

For the Vegetables

Pumpkin (or kabocha squash), peeled and cubed

500g

Carrot, peeled and sliced

Onion, thinly sliced

Shiitake Mushrooms, sliced

100g

For the Garnish

Green Onions

4, finely sliced

Spinach Leaves

Handful, washed

Preparation

Preparing the Broth

Combine the Broth Ingredients

In a large pot, combine the dashi stock, miso paste, soy sauce, and mirin.

Dissolve Miso Paste

Stir well over low heat until the miso paste is fully dissolved.

Simmer

Let the broth simmer gently for about 15 minutes.

Do not boil the miso broth vigorously to preserve its delicate flavors.

Preparing the Vegetables and Noodles

Add Vegetables to Broth

Add the pumpkin, carrot, onion, and shiitake mushrooms to the broth.

Simmer Vegetables

Simmer the vegetables until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Cook Noodles Separately

Cook the hōtō noodles in salted boiling water until al dente, then drain.

Keep the noodles slightly undercooked if you plan to add them to the simmering broth later to finish cooking.

Cooking Process

Simmering the Broth and Vegetables

Combine the miso broth ingredients and simmer the vegetables until soft and aromatic. Timing: Broth and Vegetables: 30-40 minutes. Heat: Low heat.

Cooking the Noodles

Boil noodles separately to prevent them from becoming gummy and overcooked. Timing: Preparing Noodles: 10-12 minutes. Heat: Medium-high heat.

Combining and Finishing

Introduce cooked noodles to the broth just before serving to soak up the flavors.

Plating & Serving