This kabocha squashĀ is lightly coated withĀ coconut oil and sea salt and roasted to perfection.Ā The squash pieces tasteĀ awesome dipped in ketchup just like tater tots.
I’m still on crutches and I can’t bend my leg, but don’t worry I have some fabulous newsā¦ I’ve officially found my favorite squash!
What is kabocha squash?
Often called a Japanese Pumpkin, kabocha squash is the sweetest winter squash variety that I’ve found, even sweeter than my other favorite, butternut squash. The texture smooth and creamy but hearty enough to roast — basically a cross between a sweet potato and a pumpkin. It’s packed with fiber,Ā beta-carotene,Ā iron, vitamin C and B vitamins andĀ has fewer calories and carbs than butternut squash. The best part is that the skin is completely edible so you don’t have to peel it before roasting. Of course, you really don’t have to peel butternut squash either but the skin of butternut is definitely a tougher than that of kabocha squash.
The only issue is that kabocha squash is a little hard for me to find here in Richmond. For the past few years I couldn’t find it anywhere except our local Asian food markets. Lucky for me theyĀ are quite abundant this year – I’ve seen them at our local farmers market and I got this one at Ellwood Thompson’s.
My favorite way to cook kabocha squash, and any other vegetable for that matter, is to roast it.
You can cut kabocha into slices but I thought it would be fun to do chunks and eat them dipped in ketchup like tater tots. It was a fabulous idea.
For one batch I used a little coconut oil and sea salt, for the other I didn’t put anything on the squash. Coconut oil makes everything taste rich and delicious and the sea salt enhances the flavor but both methods work fine.
Serve these little tots with your favorite veggie burger for the perfect meal. Check out these curried pumpkin black bean burgersĀ or theseĀ black bean burgers if you need some inspiration. I had mine with a locally made NoBull burger, which btw, was delicious!Ā I’m glad I had those on hand as they were super easy for Isaac, my personal chef as of late, to whip up. š
As a quick update on the knee injury Ā – I have my MRI scheduled for Thursday of this week and then a follow up appointment on Friday to find out the results. Praying for good news.
Print
Prep Time:
Yield:
Category:
Method:
Print
PinDescription
Kabocha squash is lightly coated with oliveĀ oil and sea salt and roasted to perfection. The squash pieces taste awesome dipped in ketchup just like tater tots.
Ingredients
- 1 kabocha squash
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
- sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400Ā°F.
- Wash the outside of the squash with warm water.
- Cut the squash in half and scoop out all the seeds. You can peel the outer skin of the squash but don’t need to – it softens right up when cooked and it’s perfectly fine to eat.
- Cut the squash into 1-inch chunks.
- Toss the squash with oil (if using), sprinkle with sea salt and spread on a roasting pan.
- Roast the squash for 15 minutes, remove from oven to toss, then roast for another 10-15 minutes, or until tender with a few brown spots.
Keywords: kabocha tots
Maia @ MaiTreat says
November 27, 2012 at 8:19 pmThese look simple and very tasty! I love when squash gets all baked and slightly crispy.
Hope you are healing up quickly!
hillary | nutrition nut on the run says
November 27, 2012 at 8:38 pmoh, these sound tasty. especially on a cold winter night. i don’t think i’ve ever tried kabocha squash.
James says
November 27, 2012 at 8:58 pmThis sounds so so good! Feel better!!
Liz @ iheartvegetables says
November 27, 2012 at 9:00 pmYUM!!! This is such a great idea! I’ve only had kabocha squash once but I remember liking it! I hope your leg is feeling better!!
erin says
November 27, 2012 at 9:10 pmI LOVE kabocha squash! It’s been all over Minnesota this fall, too. My other favorite squash: buttercup. It’s really similar to kabochaā¦ creamy, sweet and delicious.
Healthy vibes your way! Hope your knee is better soon!
Brittany Mullins says
November 27, 2012 at 9:49 pmThanks so much Erin. I haven’t had buttercup in a long time. I need to try it again.
Kristin says
November 27, 2012 at 9:10 pmKabocha is my absolute favorite too. It makes a great soup–just peel and cut up one squash. SautĆ© one chopped onion in a little butter and/or olive oil until soft. Add squash plus 4-6 cups broth (turkey, chicken or veg). Bring to a boil and simmer until squash is very soft. Mash it up a little then add salt to taste. Puree with an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender, very carefully) until smooth and beautifully orange. Season with a little white pepper. Yum. Also, if you’ve never tried delicata squash I recommend it, roasted in semi-circles or sticks (“fries”). The skin is edible and beautifully striped green and yellow.
Purelymichelle says
November 27, 2012 at 9:12 pmlove love love kabocha squash!
Steph @ Steph Stays Slim says
November 28, 2012 at 12:46 amWell, I’ve been following your blog for some time now and had a moment today that totally made me think of you..my husband didn’t get it. I was roasting some veggies and forgot about them – result? They burnt to a crisp…now I get how easy it is to let them “roast” too long! They were way beyond help, not even crushed red pepper flakes could help this batch of veggies, haha!
Michelle@Peachy Palate says
November 28, 2012 at 4:53 amFavourite thing to eat in the ENTIRE world! I need my fill most days!!!
★★★★★
Kaitlin @4loveofcarrots says
November 28, 2012 at 9:07 amI keep hearing about kabocha squash but have yet to try it! I think I will have to try this recipe though!
Lindsay says
November 28, 2012 at 10:15 amI hope your knee gets better soon!
I really like kabocha squash but my favorite is delicata. I love to roast all squash with coconut oil and onions are really tasty with coconut oil as well.
Layla says
November 28, 2012 at 10:27 amSOOOoooo glad I stumbled upon your site…. it’s rare I ever find a local blog when searching for recipes.
This sounds amazing… I’ll have to run by Ellwood after the gym tonight. I Love the NoBull Burger!! I moved here from CVILLE where they’re made and thought I’d have to drive an hour to have one again. Grateful there are store’s in the area that support locally grown and produced goods!
Sorry to hear about your injury!!
Rachel says
November 28, 2012 at 10:39 amI absolutely loooove kabocha! it’s so tasty š I hope your knee gets better soon!!
Sara @ sarasmiles says
November 28, 2012 at 2:48 pmHeck yes! A mix btwn sweet potato and pumpkin? It’d be my favorite too. Once I finish off my acorn squash that will be next on my list! I swear I saw them at TFM as well. I remember because I was confused with the kabocha and whether it was related to kombucha. Clearly I’ve never had it before and I swear winter makes my mind fuzzy
Katie says
November 28, 2012 at 3:21 pmLooks yummy. I love butternut squash but hate pumpkin! Does it have a pumpkin-flavor?
Brittany Mullins says
November 28, 2012 at 5:57 pmIf you like butternut squash, I think you’d love Kabocha squash. It’s not too pumpkiny.
Emily @ Emily Eats and Runs says
November 28, 2012 at 3:48 pmThanks so much for the recipe! I’ve never tried Kabocha squash, but it sounds amazing!
jenny says
November 28, 2012 at 4:39 pmjust bought one today and cooking it tonight!!! thanks, B!
Brittany Mullins says
November 28, 2012 at 7:50 pmWoo-hoo!
Alina @ Keep Smiling and Love Life says
November 28, 2012 at 7:21 pmRoasting in the process! Can’t wait to taste it ^^
Brittany Mullins says
November 28, 2012 at 7:47 pmYay! Let me know what you think.
Stephen@HappyHeart says
November 29, 2012 at 7:09 amYum! We use kabocha squash in the restaurant almost every day – great addition to curries! Served up like this it’s just amazing! Great snack to have on stand by – so incredibly addictive!
★★★★★
Amber @ Slim Pickin's Kitchen says
November 29, 2012 at 10:46 amA cross between a sweet potato and a pumpkin?!? Sign me up!!! Hope everything with your MRI goes well!
Iris says
November 29, 2012 at 11:52 amI looove kabocha! Will have to make these tots š
The Healthy Apple says
December 1, 2012 at 8:58 pmThis sounds GREAT Brit; I love roasted veggies!!
★★★★★
rachel says
January 14, 2013 at 1:04 amThis is the first time I’ve tried cooking this type of squash and it worked out beautifully! Thanks for the cooking tips. š
★★★★★
LAA says
January 15, 2013 at 10:19 amWanted to thank you for your wonderful kabocha-tot recipe! š My Dad LOVES squash and this was the first time either of us had had kabocha. I mixed it with olive oil with a dash of sesame oil (all I had) and sprinkled with sea salt. Roasted per your instructions and we both loved it! I only made half the squash and he asked me how soon I would be making the other half. Thank you so much for a wonderful new way to make squash Brittany!
Brittany Mullins says
January 15, 2013 at 10:26 amAww. Thank you so much for such a sweet comment. I’m so glad you and your dad enjoyed the recipe. I actually made kabocha tots for dinner last night. š
Michele says
January 24, 2013 at 1:55 pmYour recipe for Kabocha Squash sounds great. I’m heating up the oven and looking forward to trying this squash for the first time.
Elena says
February 18, 2013 at 12:57 pmHi, this is the first time I have tried the recipe. Mine came out really dry. I used two T coconut oil and cooked for only 25 minutes. Do you think I could have gotten a bad squash? It was pretty big! Thanks!
D Parks says
April 6, 2013 at 2:57 pmJust found this squash (in northern NH). Absolutely the best! I love dry squash. This one has amazing flavor ( my favorite previously was blue hubbard)…even just steamed with butter and s&p. The label said it came out of Mexico,but that is not necesarily where it originated from. Bet I can cut it in half, seed it, turn it cut side up, seed it, add brown sugar and butter, bake it….and it would be absolutley amazing
Kimber says
August 14, 2013 at 6:19 pmI ended up with one of these squashes and I’ve had no idea what to do with it. Your post not only gave me an idea but got me excited to try it. Sold. I already know this will be delish. Mmmm ketchup
Brittany Mullins says
August 14, 2013 at 7:44 pmYay! You’re going to love it!
jgvanallen says
August 17, 2013 at 11:59 amLove your web site. Would love to be emailed about new posts!
Brittany Mullins says
August 17, 2013 at 1:55 pmHey there! If you go to this link, you can sign up for my new posts to be emailed to you.
Heather says
September 2, 2013 at 8:46 pmI just made this and it was so good! We mixed a little siracha with our ketchup for dipping.
Susan Z. says
October 7, 2013 at 3:13 pmFinally found one of these at my local grocery store. The cashier didnt’ know what it was and had no price code for it. He had to ask someone in produce to check and they did and came back to us and said it was a “buttercup” squash. I guess the store doesn’t know what it is either! Oh well, looking forward to roasting it up tomorrow for dinner!
Becci says
October 27, 2013 at 2:31 pmBackyard Food Solutions just picked these up at the Plant City Farmer’s Market last week. I brought one home to try as I’ve never had before. I do love roasted veggies so I’m looking forward to sampling! I’ve used coconut milk, but haven’t tried the oil yet. Definitely will put on my shopping list. I also saw a risotto recipe using this squash! Going to wash and put in the oven now!
Brittany Mullins says
October 28, 2013 at 9:47 amAwesome! Let me know what you think of it. š
Linda says
February 22, 2014 at 9:45 amBrittany,
Thanks for posting this. I tried it last night and threw in fennel seeds for a little extra flavor. It paired well with kale salad and salmon.
★★★★
Brittany Mullins says
February 22, 2014 at 4:17 pmSo glad you liked the tots Linda! Thanks for coming back to comment and let me know. š
Alexandra Maul - Made to GlowAlexandra says
October 5, 2014 at 3:10 pmThese are awesome! It was my first time trying kabocha and I love it this way! Thanks so much š
Brittany Mullins says
October 7, 2014 at 7:59 amOh yay! I’m so happy that you enjoyed it. Kabocha is so delicious!!
Shelly Y. says
January 18, 2015 at 9:19 amI live in northern Virginia and it is hard to find. Just love, love this squash. Thanks for the tip on the skin is good it eat. I have always cut it off! I am glad I found your site, now bookmarked!
Peggy says
February 11, 2015 at 9:13 pmI am not a vegan, I love all the bad stuff I give this a 10. I used ketchup and chili sauce easy and everyone will love it. not just the health conscious group.
Brittany Mullins says
February 11, 2015 at 9:57 pmHooray! So glad you liked the roasted kabocha, Peggy. š
Peggy says
October 31, 2015 at 10:29 amGREAT. So little oil is needed:) I made dip with ketchup and a little chili sauce WOW . Really tasted like sweet potatoes tots . HEALTHY TOO