You’ll get fork–tender pumpkin wedges with a soft and honey-sweet texture. Eat it as a side dish, or use it to make soups, in salads, and for pasta recipes. Kabocha squash, pronounced Kab-BOH-chah and sometimes called Japanese pumpkin, is a winter squash with a mildly sweet taste and smooth texture. When roasted, this squash has a flavor similar to butternut squash and sweet potato, but with slightly meatier, denser, and drier orange flesh. For quick and hassle-free preparation, we keep its edible peel on, increasing the nutrients and fiber content. This recipe requires minimal effort but delivers! All you have to do is cut the squash in half, discard the seeds, and slice it into wedges. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs, and roast it for 25 minutes until fork tender.Like roasted butternut squash and sweet potatoes, you can make savory or sweet roasted kabocha squash. Our base version is savory, but in our variations chapter, we’ll show you how to make it with maple syrup and a pinch of cinnamon.Its smooth and velvety textured flesh and mildly sweet and nutty taste make it our favorite roasted winter squash. Let us know what you think!
Ingredients
Instructions
Variations
Serving suggestions
More vegetable sides
More winter squash recipes
However, if you don’t want to eat the skin, you can easily discard it after the squash is roasted or cut it off before roasting (instructions below). You can substitute kabocha squash with other winter squash such as butternut squash, acorn squash, delicata squash, and delica squash.
Garlic
Use a couple of cloves of crushed garlic for a light garlic aroma or garlic powder for a more pronounced garlic flavor.
Herbs
Like most other fall and winter orange vegetables, kabocha squash goes perfectly with fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme. Pick one or more.
Salt and Pepper
We sprinkle sea salt (or kosher salt) and freshly ground black pepper to season our roasted kabocha squash. Chili powder or red pepper flakes are optional.
Olive oil
We cook kabocha squash with heart-healthy and good quality extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is stable at high temperatures and rich in antioxidants. Regular olive oil or avocado oil is the next best alternative. Wash and scrub the kabocha squash well, dry it, and cut it in half with a sharp knife. Then, with a spoon, scoop out the seeds. Now, place one-half of the squash on a cutting board, cut side down. Slice it into 1/3 inch (0.8 cm) slices with a sharp knife. Arrange it on the baking sheet on a single layer without overlapping. You should be able to fit about 2 pounds of squash on a baking sheet. Season with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and chopped herbs (we used fresh rosemary and sage). Toss to spread the seasoning, then bake at 400°F or 200°C for about 25 minutes, until the kabocha squash is fork tender. Serve as is, or use it to make other delicious recipes such as soups, pasta, gnocchi, ravioli, and more. Chop the squash into slices or cubes, and season with olive oil, salt, pepper, crushed garlic, sage leaves, and rosemary. Optionally you can add chopped onion. Toss, then roast in a preheated oven at 400°F or 200°C for 25 minutes, or until fork tender.
Cinnamon and maple syrup roasted kabocha
To make a sweet variation of roasted kabocha squash, season it with a drizzle of olive oil and maple syrup, a teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of grated nutmeg, a bit of salt, and one of pepper. Roast for 25 minutes until fork tender and enjoy as a side dish for the holidays or a special weeknight dinner. You can have the squash wedges as part of a healthy and easy dinner. Pair this vegetable side with a protein-rich main:
Tofu mushroom recipe: a plant-based alternative to mushroom chickenLentil pasta with fresh herbs and authentic Italian flavorTofu with Pizzaiola Sauce and a serving of sauteed spinachMarinated tofu on a bed of white rice or cauliflower rice
As a healthy lunch, you can try roasted kabocha squash in one of these crispy salads:
Tofu Mushroom Recipe
Lentil Pasta
Tofu with Pizzaiola Sauce
Marinated Tofu
Easy chickpea salad ready in just 20 minutesLentil tabbouleh salad – a Mediterranean favorite with fresh tomato and cucumberCauliflower lentil salad with a creamy Green bean salad – a favorite for Thanksgiving and Christmas
Or make this 5-minute lunch: add tofu scramble on toasted bread and serve with kabocha wedges on the side; you’ll get a nutritious and protein-packed meal!
Chickpea Salad
Lentil Tabbouleh
Cauliflower Lentil Salad
Green Bean Salad
Questions
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