roasted kabocha squash recipe – use real butter (2024)

FAQs

Why is my roasted kabocha squash dry? ›

Don't skimp on the oil.

When roasted, different kabocha squash can vary in texture. Some are super-soft and creamy, sort of like a baked sweet potato, while others are a bit more dry and chalky. To prevent these squash from becoming too dry in the oven, make sure to coat them generously with oil.

Buttercups typically have thick, dark-green skin with light stripes and a blockier shape than kabochas. Their flesh is orange-yellow, sweet and dry, though not as dry as the flesh of kabochas.

The kabocha skin is edible. Many Japanese kabocha recipes such as kabocha tempura and simmered kabocha require it to keep the skin on.

There could be a few reasons why your roasted butternut squash is turning out soggy: Overcrowding: If you overcrowd the baking sheet with butternut squash pieces, they will release more moisture and steam, making it difficult for them to roast properly.

The secret to this technique is steam-frying. Basically, just a bit of water is added to the skillet after pan-frying the squash to create enough steam to ensure it cooks evenly and retains moisture.

Kabocha (/kəˈboʊtʃə/; from Japanese カボチャ, 南瓜) is a type of winter squash, a Japanese variety of the species Cucurbita maxima. It is also called kabocha squash or Japanese pumpkin in North America.

Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata), known in Australia and New Zealand as butternut pumpkin or gramma, is a type of winter squash that grows on a vine. It has a sweet, nutty taste similar to that of a pumpkin.

Which Squash is Better than a Butternut? The kabocha won decisively. The deep orange flesh was creamy, without visible fibers. It had a slightly earthier and richer flavor than the butternut.

Test the doneness of kabocha squash in the same way you would test delicata, butternut, or any other hard winter squash. Slide the tip of a thin, sharp knife into the center or thickest portion of the squash. The squash is ready when the knife meets no resistance, and slides easily into the vegetable.

The squash is done when tender.

The squash is ready when you can easily pierce a fork through the flesh all the way to the peel. The flesh will also separate easily into spaghetti-like strands.

Can you cook kabocha with skin? ›

You could remove the skin if you want but it is actually edible and a great source of fiber! I don't mind the skin, so I choose to keep it on. Place the slices onto your lined baking sheet, and place back into the oven for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through.

If you eat an excessive amount of kabocha squash, or any yellow or orange fruit or vegetable containing beta carotene, you can develop carotenemia. This is a condition that can cause your skin to appear yellowish or orange. It's harmless, and the cure is simply to cut back on the carotene-containing foods.

Toxic squash syndrome can result from continuing to eat the bitter fruit. Some of the most rampant symptoms and indicators of toxic squash syndrome include diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Toxic squash syndrome can be so severe that it can cause swelling in the pancreas, liver, gallbladder, and kidneys.

Cucurbits contain a group of chemicals called cucubitacins. It is these cucurbitacins that are responsible for squash that is bitter tasting.

Kabocha is a hard squash, like most winter squash varieties are, and it has green, slightly bumpy skin, often with light green or white stripes, and dark yellow-orange flesh inside. You'll find that it's a very sweet squash and has a slightly dry texture.

The fat in butter will help bring the squash back to life. Some broth, olive oil, milk, cream, or other (flavorful) liquid will also help. The most important thing is to make sure you're adding at least some fat to the mashed squash, and stir it in as you go.

Most squashes are at their "driest" immediately after harvest... not in terms of their moisture content, but in their cooked consistency. At this point (provided the squash was fully ripe) the starch content is very high, and the cooked texture will resemble mashed potatoes.

This is usually a direct result of an incorrect water balance in the plant, most often because the soil was allowed to dry out between irrigations and the plant wilted. Plant roots absorb calcium molecules surrounded by water and the plant moves the calcium to where it is needed within growing tissue.