17 Kabocha Squash Recipes That Will Make You Fall In Love With This Winter Vegetable (2024)

Our Very Best Winter Squash Recipes, Starring Acorn, Butternut, Delicata, and More

Roasted Sausages With Cabbage and Squash

A nice hot oven, one sheet pan, and three main ingredients equals dinner in one. Kabocha squash wedges roast so easily with the skin still on. A quick vinaigrette adds the perfect finish.

Kabocha-Cauliflower Mash

This vivid mash is simple enough to be a weeknight favorite, but special enough to be your vegan side dish for the holiday table. Pro tip: If you find it difficult to peel the squash before cooking, cook it first and cut away the peel before puréeing.

Squash-and-Rajas Tostadas

This Mexican-inspired snack or appetizer is a bright and cheerful choice any time of year. The vegetarian toppings include squash, peppers, quick-pickled radishes, and crumbly cotija cheese for make-your own tostadas.

Honey-Roasted Squash

Kabocha is the perfect candidate for this technique but this is the template you need no matter which type of winter squash you would like to roast. Simply cut the squash into large wedges and then drizzle with warm honey–butter (use maple butter if you prefer).

Squash Lasagna With Spinach

With heft and flavor coming from kabocha squash, this rich vegetarian lasagna is meat-free. Two types of cheese plus ricotta and a béchamel sauce add creaminess and make this oh-so satisfying.

Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup

A warming soup that’s aromatic with cinnamon, cumin, and ancho chili. Garnishes such as blackened corn kernels and green pumpkin seeds will transport you to the American Southwest with every spoonful.

Brown Rice Bowl With Kabocha Squash and Shiitakes

Here an elegant twist on "instant" soup using smoky Lapsang Souchong tea, which is easily found in grocery stores, as the broth. With the addition of soy sauce, a dash of rice vinegar and pre-cooked rice, this nutritious soup can be on your table in 15 minutes.

Spiced Kabocha Squash Butter

Pumpkin butter is a farmhouse favorite, and using kabocha squash instead makes sense; it is sweeter than many pumpkins, with a smooth, dense texture. The squash is roasted in halves, and then scooped out and slowly cooked on the stovetop. Serve as a condiment or spread.

Coconut, Fish, and Pumpkin Stew

Scotch bonnet peppers, coconut milk, hearty vegetables, and seafood make a nourishing bowlful of stew for a cold night.This recipe calls for the Caribbean squash called calabaza, kabocha makes a good alternative, it’s similar in texture though not quite as sweet.

Roasted Kabocha Squash With Tahini and Herb salad

Simple to prepare and impressive on the platter, this roasted squash side dish makes a great buffet or potluck offering.

Chicken and Rice With Kabocha Squash

One-pot cooking like this, using a heavy, covered pot is the way cooks did it for centuries before plug-in appliances. Enjoy the process as the chicken turns golden-brown and the onions sizzle, and the way the white wine scents your kitchen–then let your oven finish the work for you.

Shrimp Stew With Kabocha Squash and Okra

Good cooking is all about understanding what works well together and getting the most flavor from your ingredients. Here, shrimp shells are used to add their unique flavor to this pot of zesty, Gullah-inspired stew.

Japanese Squash-and-Soba Soup

Kabocha squash is the heart of this simple and nutritious soup. The clear broth is made from seaweed and bonito flakes, it's a classic dashi. (You can also buy premade dashi.) Serve yourself a bowl with noodles, tofu, and vegetables, and enjoy a peaceful meal.

Pressure Cooker Thai Red Curry

The Instant Pot or pressure cooker make simple work of this spicy stew. To add to the simplicity, we use pantry items such as store-bought red curry paste and coconut milk. Any type of winter squash can be used in this recipe—kabocha is a particularly great fit, because it holds up so well while simmering.

Chicken-and-Squash Curry

This curry encourages you to take time in the kitchen and breathe in the aromas of Indian curry leaves, ginger, and spices as they cook. When it's done, spoon out the tender chicken and squash over rice, and serve with yogurt or raita, cilantro sprigs and lime.

Kabocha Pumpkin Hot Pot

A delicious example of Japanese comfort food, this recipe uses a traditional donabe or hotpot, but your Dutch oven works just as well. Note this recipe refers to the kabocha squash as pumpkin—the texture of a kabocha is similarly dense to pumpkin.

Heirloom-Squash and Pumpkin Pie

A variety of sturdy squashes like kabocha can be used in combination with, or in place of, pumpkin for pie. Classic pie spices plus sage, brandy, and dark brown sugar for extra depth of flavor.