kabocha soup
First things first: I want to wish a very happy birthday to my dad! I won’t tell anybody how old you are, don’t worry ; )
I’m looking forward to a family birthday dinner later in the weekend to celebrate a few special days coming up. We’ve got quite a few fall birthdays in my family. My dad, my sister, my grandfather, one of my cousins, me…Did you ever notice how that seems to happen in families?
Well hey, the food at fall celebrations is usually the best. At least I like to think so. Love pumpkin but looking for something new? You might love kabocha squash. Sometimes called a Japanese pumpkin, kabocha is a winter squash that boasts the same bright orange color but with a slightly sweeter flavor and starchier texture than your standard Halloween pumpkin. As I’ve said before, I like to think of kabocha as pumpkin’s sweet yet sassy little cousin. The Hip One at the (adult) Kids’ Table.
You can steam it or roast and puree it to use in recipes like soup, risotto or in place of pumpkin in traditional recipes, but it also makes a delicious side dish on its own. The skin is technically edible, but if you decide to go that route, just be sure to clean it extra well.
I’m almost embarrassed to post such a simple recipe, but sometimes it’s good to get back to basics. Roasted kabocha is one of my fall staples. I like to use coconut oil because I find the flavor is a nice complement to the slightly sweet squash, but you can use olive, canola, algae—whatever your favorite is.
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 1 medium kabocha squash, cut in half with seeds scooped out*
- 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- If desired, peel off the skin. Slice kabocha into wedges.
- Toss or brush wedges with oil. Line on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Bake about 30 minutes or until squash begins to brown but is tender on the inside.
*If you don’t feel comfortable slicing into a raw squash (I totally get it), poke a few holes in the skin and microwave
What’s your favorite fall food?