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Japanese Sweet Potato & Miso Soup with Bok Choy, Ginger & Pumpkin Seeds

Eczema is not just a skin condition — it's a whole-body inflammatory response that starts in the gut. Research increasingly confirms that the gut-skin axis is real: when your gut microbiome is out of balance, your skin pays the price. This soup was built to address both. Sweet potato delivers an exceptional concentration of beta-carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A — the single most important nutrient for skin cell regeneration and barrier repair. Bok choy adds vitamin C that stimulates collagen production, directly strengthening the skin barrier that eczema compromises. White miso, used in a small and carefully controlled amount, introduces beneficial probiotics that support the gut microbiome balance directly linked to eczema severity. Ginger reduces the systemic inflammation that drives eczema flares. And pumpkin seeds bring zinc — the mineral most consistently depleted in eczema patients and most directly linked to skin healing and immune regulation. This bowl works on your skin from the inside out.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Healthy, Japanese
Calories: 250
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

For the Soup
  • 300 g sweet potato peeled and cubed
  • 200 g bok choy roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
  • 1 tbsp white miso paste
  • 600 ml low-sodium vegetable broth
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 pinch black pepper freshly ground
  • 2 spring onions green part only (sliced)
For the Topping
  • 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • 1 pinch ground turmeric

Equipment

  • 1 Medium saucepan
  • 1 Small dry pan For toasting pumpkin seeds
  • 1 Small bowl For dissolving miso
  • 1 Whisk or fork For dissolving miso
  • 1 Ladle For serving
  • 1 Fine grater or microplane For grating ginger
  • 1 Vegetable peeler For sweet potato
  • 1 Measuring jug For broth

Method
 

  1. Pour the vegetable broth into a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add the peeled and cubed sweet potato and cook for 15–18 minutes until completely tender and soft enough to almost fall apart when pressed.
  2. Add the grated ginger and ground turmeric to the broth and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes to let the anti-inflammatory compounds bloom into the broth.
  3. Add the roughly chopped bok choy to the soup and cook for 3–4 minutes until wilted and tender but still vibrant green. Don't overcook — bok choy loses its vitamin C content quickly with excessive heat.
  4. Remove the pan from the heat completely. Scoop the white miso paste into a small bowl, add a ladle of warm broth, and whisk until fully dissolved. Pour back into the soup and stir gently. Never boil after adding miso.
  5. While the soup cooks, toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant. Watch carefully — they burn quickly.
  6. Ladle the soup into two bowls. Scatter the toasted pumpkin seeds, spring onion greens, and a pinch of turmeric over the top. Serve immediately while hot.