Grandma's Recipes 
長野県 
* Photo is for reference 山梨県 🍁 Autumn · Winter
Japanese Grandma's Pumpkin Miso Noodle Stew (Houtou)
Houtou is the signature regional dish of Yamanashi Prefecture, featuring thick, flat udon-like noodles simmered directly in a rich miso broth loaded with vegetables. Kabocha pumpkin is the essential ingredient - as it breaks down, it naturally thickens the broth and adds a gentle sweetness. This is the ultimate cold-weather comfort food.
🧂 Ingredients
servings
* In traditional Japanese grandma cooking, measurements are approximate — think of them as guidelines rather than exact amounts.
| Main Ingredients | |
| Potatoes | 3個 (approx. 450g) |
| Kabocha pumpkin (Japanese squash) | 1/4個 (approx. 400〜500g) (Can substitute with butternut squash) |
| Carrot | 1/2本 (approx. 75〜100g) |
| Naga-negi (long green onion) | 1/2本 (approx. 50g) |
| Daikon radish | 1/4本 (approx. 250〜300g) |
| Napa cabbage (hakusai) | 4〜5枚 (approx. 200〜250g) |
| Gobo (burdock root) | 1/3本 (approx. 50〜60g) |
| Pork (thinly sliced) | 150〜200g |
| Aburaage (fried tofu skin) | 1枚 (approx. 30g) |
| Houtou noodles (wide flat wheat noodles) | 3〜4人前 (Substitute: wide udon noodles or pappardelle pasta) |
| Seasonings | |
| Miso paste | 大さじ5〜6 |
| Dashi stock | 適量 (About one dashi packet's worth) |
👩🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cut all vegetables into large, easy-to-eat pieces. Hard vegetables like potatoes, pumpkin, daikon, and carrot should be cut on the larger side.
- 2
Bring the dashi stock to a boil in a large pot. Add the hard vegetables (potatoes, pumpkin, daikon, carrot, burdock root) first and simmer until very tender.
💡 Keep at medium heat for a slow, thorough simmer
- 3
When the vegetables are soft, add the houtou noodles, napa cabbage, green onion, and fried tofu skin.
- 4
Add the pork and cook over medium heat until done.
💡 Add the meat last so it doesn't get tough
- 5
When everything is cooked through, dissolve the miso into the broth and bring to a brief boil. Serve!
💡 The pumpkin breaking down and thickening the broth is what gives houtou its signature character
📖 Memories & Stories
Grandma would stir the big pot round and round, laughing and saying, 'It's not houtou without pumpkin!' Somehow, she always happened to be wearing a white shirt on houtou days.
Source: Learned directly from grandmother (Submitted by: あんこ)
🍽 Cultural Background
Houtou is the signature dish of Yamanashi Prefecture. It features wide, flat noodles simmered with generous vegetables in miso broth. Kabocha pumpkin is considered essential - as it cooks, it partially dissolves to create the characteristic thick, sweet broth that defines authentic houtou.
