My first kabocha

dinner last night was all vegan and pure healthful bliss. but the best part? it didn’t FEEL like it was just veggies and grains on my plate. it was filling and so sweet that it felt like dessert.

and if it comes from hugh fearnley-whittingstall then you know it has to be decent. (i love him)

this recipe for roasted squash has been sitting in my recipe notebook for a little while, and when i found a KABOCHA at my local fruit and veg shop last week, i knew it was time. thank the food blogs of the world for turning my attention to this pretty little squash. seriously though, if you like sweet potato, you’ll LOVE kabocha.

i served up the squash with some brown basmati wild rice mixture and some steamed baby greens. lush.

roast squash with chili, garlic and rosemary

using kabocha based on this hugh f-w recipe. just look at those plates o’ goodness!

roast squash with chili, garlic and rosemary

1 kabocha squash (you could also use butternut, acorn, or any type of squash or pumpkin)
6 garlic cloves, skin on, lightly squashed
few sprigs of rosemary
1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped
4 tbsp rapeseed/canola oil
1 handful chopped walnuts
juice of 1/2 lemon


preheat the oven to 350f. slice the squash into quarters and deseed it, scooping out the seeds with a spoon. leave the skin on if you like. cut into wedges or chunks and put them in a roasting tin. add the garlic, rosemary, chili, and lots of salt and pepper. drizzle half the oil on top and toss together.
roast in the oven for 45-55 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the squash is completely soft and starting to caramelise.
scatter the nuts over the roasted squash, add the lemon juice, and drizzle the remaining oil on top before serving.

lesson learned: kabocha is very dry and unlike any other squash i’ve had before. it tastes so sweet, like sweet potato but with a dryer, flakier consistency. it seemed to absorb the flavours of the chili and garlic and rosemary so well though. a definite thumbs up.

Posted in casserole