This is a waste-free, low hassle meal. The greatness of kabocha’s soft and edible skin means there’s little hassle in eating it stuffed. You don’t have to scoop furiously for the last bits of squash stuck to the tough skin. Nope, you can have it all in one convenient edible bowl.
Most the kabocha recipes I’ll be sharing with you start with roasting the squash, either in halves or in slices. Not only does roasting bring out the flavor and soften the skin, but it’s just so helpful. While the squash is roasting, you can prep the other ingredients, or even do something else. That’s multitasking at it’s finest.
For those new to kabocha, be aware that it may be a tad drier than other squash you’ve tried. You didn’t over-roast it, that’s just the nature of the squash. I made a Sriracha yogurt dressing to go with this squash to add some moistness and to tie everything together. If you’re not a big fan of drier foods, consider doubling up on the sauce quantities in the recipe.
If you can find a smaller squash (under about 2.5 pounds) adjust the filling quantities or just keep the reserve filling as another meal. If you’re cooking for a table of one, this would be a great opportunity to buy the halves that are sold in Asian markets. Or, if you’re a leftover fan like me, make both sides and have excellent (and very filling) leftovers.
Want more Kabocha dishes from this series? You can find them here:
Nutrition DL: Kabocha Squash
Ingredients
- 1 kabocha squash, halved
- 2 cups cooked quinoa (1/2 uncooked)
- 6-7 kale leaves, destemmed and chopped into bite size pieces
- 1 cup cooked black beans
- 1-2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp chili powder (or cayenne or chipotle)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- salt, to taste
- 1-2 tbsp sriracha (based on your heat preference)
- 1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400. Rub kabocha halves with olive oil and place cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, or until fork tender. Once roasted, flip over and allow to cool.
In a pan, bring 1 tbsp of olive oil to medium heat. Once hot, add in kale and wilt down for 5-10 minutes, adding a few pinches of salt. Once wilted, move to a mixing bowl.
Add the quinoa, beans, and spices into the mixing bowl and stir to combine. Adjust seasonings as needed.
Stuff squash with quinoa mixture and bake for about 10 minutes in the oven.
Combine sriracha and Greek yogurt into a small bowl. Adjust the level of sriracha for your liking. Serve dressing on the side or drizzle over top.
