Tasty Tuesday: Spiced Pumpkin Soup with Miso Tempeh Croutons

Last week I had some leftover pho broth (you can find the recipe for the broth here).  I decided to turn it into pumpkin soup since fall had slipped by without me making anything pumpkin!  The recipe below can be modified to suit your tastes.  I made the soup a second time using regular boxed broth and some spices and it turned out just as good.  The tempeh croutons are an added bonus and a nice touch!  This soup has a digestive health focus.  How?  The spices are not only there for flavor, they also act as carminatives, easing digestion.  The probiotics in fermented foods, like tempeh and miso, help keep a balance of good bacteria in the gut.  For an extra probiotic boost, serve with kimchi!

Spiced Pumpkin Soup

4 cups pho broth (or ready made boxed veggie broth if desired, Pacific Foods is a good brand)

1 15 oz can pumpkin

1-2 very large sweet potatoes (2 makes a heartier soup, 1 more of a bisque as pictured)

1 15 oz can light coconut milk (you can also leave this out and sub extra sweet potato and carrots for a lower fat version)

2-4 tablespoons light miso

If using boxed broth instead of the pho broth recipe, tried adding some of these spices to add some extra flavor.  Use your palate and taste as you go.  (The beauty with plant based food is you can taste as you go without worrying about food borne illness!)

Star Anise

Cinnamon

Dried Shittake Mushroom

Dried Spring Onion

Black Cardamom

Ginger

Place all ingredients except miso in a slow cooker on high for three hours, or until sweet potatoes are soft.  If you have an Instant Pot, you can use the soup setting and pressure cook for 30 minutes, allowing the steam to release naturally.

Once cooked, transfer the soup to a high speed blender and blend until creamy.  Add the miso and blend again, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the flavor is to your liking.  Serve immediately or pour back into pot to keep warm.

Miso Tempeh Croutons

1 package tempeh, cut into cubes

3 tablespoons light miso

1 tablespoon mirin

3-4 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 hot red pepper, diced small (optional)

1 tsp fresh cilantro (optional)

Whisk everything except tempeh in a bowl until smooth.  Pour mixture over tempeh cubes and toss to coat.  Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Place tempeh cubes on a nonstick baking mat or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25 minutes or until browned and slightly crispy, turning once halfway through baking.

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Bon appetit!

The finished product, served with croutons, sprouts and kraut cause I was out of kimchi…less than authentic but still tasty!