Miso Squash Ramen

It’s been rainy as usual here in Vancouver, and it makes me want nothing but warming meals- soup, soup and more soup! This ramen is a dream with roasted miso acorn squash, a savoury broth & broccolini. I like to serve it with fried tofu (found at my local corner store), but feel free to serve with warmed smoked tofu or omit altogether.

INGREDIENTS

For the squash:
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. miso (white is recommended but not necessary)
2 tsp. pure maple syrup or brown sugar
1 tsp. regular soy sauce or tamari
1 small kabocha squash (about 2 lb.), cut into 1"-thick wedges

For the rest:

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp coarsely chopped ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tbsp miso
salt & pepper to taste
1 large bunch broccolini (8–10 oz.), halved crosswise, thicker stalks halved lengthwise
4 (5-oz.) packages ramen noodles of choice- I used https://www.kingsoba.com/products/king-soba-organic-brown-rice-pumpkin-noodles
Cilantro, chopped (optional)
Tofu, fried or smoked (optional, but recommended)

INSTRUCTIONS

Squash

Preheat oven to 400F. In a small bowl, whisk oil, miso, syrup, and soy sauce until a paste forms. Arrange squash in a single layer on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Brush the a thin layer of paste each squash segment. Roast for 45-60 minutes, until squash is tender & caramelized.

Soup

Add oil, ginger and garlic to a soup pot. Stir over medium heat until fragrant. Add vegetable broth and simmer. Once squash is ready, set 8 slices aside for serving. Separate the rest of the squash from the peels and add to the broth, along with the 2 tbsp of miso. Use an immersion blender to blend squash into broth. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add broccolini. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until tender. Set aside. In the same salted water, add ramen noodles and cook according to package instructions. To assemble, add a portion of noodles to each bowl, and top with broth. Add broccolini, tofu, cilantro, and the remaining squash slices.