This Kabocha pumpkin salad is a fantastic side dish for a small home cooked meal or a large gathering. The naturally sweet flavor of the Japanese pumpkin combined with Japanese mayo and cream cheese makes it an irresistibly smooth and creamy salad with a touch of sweetness. The added raisins and walnuts balance the texture by adding a chewy and crunchy element. It’s a quick and simple dish that’s perfect for the fall and holiday season.
Table of contents
What is Kabocha Pumpkin Salad?
In Japan, department stores typically have an underground floor called the “Depachika” which sell a variety of foods. Something that is commonly found there are side dishes because they are a key part of a meal in Japan. Japanese meals are typically made up by a main meal and “Ichiju-Sansai”, which means 1 bowl of soup and 3 side dishes.
The depachika underground deli department is a great place to get those side dishes for busy working Japanese mothers to fill up the table with. This Kabocha squash/pumpkin salad is one of the popular side dishes you will find there and something we often make at home. It’s made from Japanese pumpkins that are mashed and mixed with mayonnaise for creaminess then usually filled with other ingredients like raisins, cucumbers, and sometimes onions.
Why Kabocha Squash/Pumpkin?
Japanese pumpkin can be referred to as kabocha squash or kabocha pumpkin. It is a variety of winter squash characterised by its round squat shape, thick dark-green skin, and bright yellow/orange flesh. It’s sweeter than acorn squash or butternut squash making it more similar in taste to a sweet potato. When cooked, it has a firm velvety texture without any sogginess. It’s a popular ingredient in Japanese cooking and one of my favourite vegetables, because it doesn’t seem like a vegetable. It’s so delicious and sweet yet nutritious and packed with health benefits. It has less carbs and is high in beta-carotene, fibre, and vitamins A, C, and B. It’s a versatile vegetable that can be used for more than just this creamy salad.
Here are some other suggestions:
– Simmered Kabocha Squash– In Japan, we most often simmer the kabocha pumpkin in a savoury sweet soy sauce
– Roasted – You can roast kabocha squash in the oven by simply tossing chunks or slices of it in some olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper. This makes for another easy side dish or you can add it to a salad with leafy greens.
– Baking – it can be used to make cute pumpkin shaped bread and for Halloween themed bread
– Desserts- its natural sweetness makes it perfect for desserts like pumpkin pie and muffins
– Soups, stews, curries – it’s a great addition to stews and curries for a touch of sweetness and is perfect as its own lusciously creamy and comforting Kabocha squash soup.
– Fry- Kabocha squash tastes so delicious when fried for tempura
Where to Buy Kabocha Pumpkin?
Kabocha can be found at local farmers markets and grocery stores if it’s common in your area. I don’t find it often in Australia but I have been lucky a few times to find it at the farmers market. Another good place to check will be Asian supermarkets, especially ones that specialise in Japanese food and stock fresh vegetables. You’ll have the most luck finding it when it’s in season. Although, Kabocha is available all year-round, its true season is late summer to early fall so that’s when you’ll have the best pumpkins that have the rich, sweet, chestnut-like flavour and texture.
If you can’t find fresh kabocha squash, check your local Japanese grocery store or Asian supermarket for frozen packets of it. This may even be more convenient because kabocha has very hard skin that requires a sharp knife and a bit of effort to cut through but the packets come pre-cut. Buying it from the freezer also means it’s already been de-seeded for you and had the pulp removed.
I made this for a quick side dish and also used for Obento next day. Hope you can enjoy this department store underground floor deli food without going to Japan 😀
Kabocha Squash Salad カボチャサラダ
Ingredients
- 325 g Frozen Kabocha squash
- 250 g purple sweet potato
- 1/3 cup 40g rasin
- 1/3 cup 60g walnuts
- 50 g cream cheese
- 3 tbs Japanese mayonnaise
Instructions
- Microwave the frozen Kabocha squash in a microwaveable container for 5 minutes and set aside.
- Wash sweet potato and cut it into about 2 cm dice.
- Microwave the sweet potato for 5 minutes with a little bit of water.
- Combine the cream cheese and mayonnaise.
- Drain the water and place cooked sweet potato and Kabocha squash in a large bowl and mash them.
- Add raisin, walnut (leave a several for topping), cream cheese, and mayonnaise mixture.
- Mix them all together and top with leftover walnut to serve.
This looks like an interesting thing to make. I never knew what to make from purple sweet potatoes. I never tried kabocha squash but by the way you describe it – seems like the white luminelle pumpkins, which are as you say, nutty and a texture like purple sweet potato, they have a lovely smell too. I make pie and cream soup with them but want to try this salad too. What is different about Japanese mayo?
super tasty and yum I love it!
Thank you very much!I’m happy you like it